Jump to content

Welcome to Geeks to Go - Register now for FREE

Geeks To Go is a helpful hub, where thousands of volunteer geeks quickly serve friendly answers and support. Check out the forums and get free advice from the experts. Register now to gain access to all of our features, it's FREE and only takes one minute. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more.

Create Account How it Works
Photo

Drive C Rapidly Losing Free Space


  • Please log in to reply

#1
Jenna11

Jenna11

    New Member

  • Member
  • Pip
  • 1 posts
Yesterday, as I was surfing the internet, I looked at my sidebar gadget (Imp's Drive Info) for a routine check. To my surprise, I saw that the free space on drive C (my main drive--I'm using a laptop with Window Vista--32 bit) was shrinking quickly. I tried refreshing the gadget, removing it, and restarting the sidebar, but apparently the gadget was accurate; I looked at the properties of my C drive, and the same thing was happening.

I then looked at my applications and processes with the task manager--nothing was out of the ordinary or taking up loads of memory. However, I was informed by the manager that my CPU usage was at nearly 100%, even when I wasn't connected to the internet.

I scanned with both Windows Defender and AVG for Rootkits and Viruses/Malware, disconnected from the internet, deleted Temp files, defragged. AVG didn't find anything, but Windows Defender found a bunch of unknown errors with no description of any kind, but it passed over them. Defragging and deleting Temp files only cleared about 2 gig; in all, this mysterious problem ate almost 20 gig before it stopped. When it did, my CPU usage went down to normal.

After doing all of this, I'm afraid my computer knowledge has run out. There have been no error messages of any kind, and I have only downloaded one thing: a trial version of Photoshop CS5 (which is about 1.5 gig, but still isn't nearly 20). It occurs to me that I could've downloaded an infected copy, but I highly doubt it as I downloaded from the Adobe website.

I am usually not connected to the internet, but I have been for an oddly-long amount of time (2.5 weeks). I am losing the connection in a week. I don't know if this information is relevant, but it doesn't hurt to say.

Though the problem has stopped for now, I have no idea if it will start again, and the space is still being taken up. I would really appreciate that space back (as I am a hobby photographer and writer and this is my only computer) and the knowledge of what happened so I can prevent it and/or avoid it in the future.
  • 0

Advertisements







Similar Topics

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

As Featured On:

Microsoft Yahoo BBC MSN PC Magazine Washington Post HP