Here's a problem that I haven't been able to resolve for the last two months. I've researched this problem on this forum and nothing been able to solve it yet. My work computer's c-drive keeps filling up to capacity. I have a 235 GB hard drive with very few programs loaded onto it and almost no picture or video files taking up space. The computer is hooked up to a network here where I work, but nobody else has this problem. Even if I'm able to free up several GB's of space, the c-drive will fill up in just a couple of days. I think I might have a virus. These are the measures I've tried to correct this issue: Ran Disk Cleanup which freed up about 2 GB's initially. After a couple of days, the c-drive filled back up again. Subsequently, running Disk Cleanup only free's up a few MB's now. Ran MalewareBytes, Eset online scanner, and Super-AntiSpyware programs to try to identify a virus, but neither of them can find anything other than cookies. I've also run these programs in Safe Mode. My Microsoft Security Essentials program had been removed, and I can't get it to re-install. I even tried several work-arounds listed on this forum to install it, but I still get error messages when installing. Tried the "Fix It" function Tried System Restore but apparently that's been disabled too since there are no restore points to be found Disabled the Hibernate function to free up several GB's, but the computer quickly filled-up within a couple of days. Disabled the Backup function. Deleted temp files from my user profile I also run into problems trying to install the security updates from the Windows Update function. I haven't been able to get the security updates to install for a couple of months now. Anything thing I do that free's up space will only work temporarily. The c-drive will continue to fill up in a matter of minutes or hours even if I'm away from my computer during that time. The strangest part is that if I right-click on the c-drive in My Computer, it will show that the 232 GB hard-drive is nearly or completely full (0 bytes). If I open the c-drive, select all the files and folders in it and right-click, it only shows about 51 GB's of storage space used. This does affect my computer greatly when trying to save or print even small files that only take up a few KB's. Is there any other fix that I haven't tried yet? I ran the WinDirStat utility but that doesn't show me anything other than the 51 GB's taking up storage space. Also, my hard-drive is not partitioned.

LeonardRL, my problem was resolved using Treesize to identify the specific Temp file. In my case there was an additional Temp file not identified as a direct root of the C drive. It was buried within a file structure and not identified easily, hence the usefulness of Treesize.

Please go to the c drive, open Windows folder, then open the Temp Folder, press ctrl A to highlight all, then press Shift-Delete to delete all permanently, this will free up the C Drive

I agree, I changed just about everything I could think of, including an external hard drive to back up to instead of c drive, and like I said before, it's fine for a while and then boom, c drive is full, but I don't know of what!! I may just take the whole computer to best buy and have them check it out, thanks for you feed back!

This worked great. found out that the Bose sound touch app for my speakers went Roque and was consuming my hard drive for whatever reason thanks for the app.

Please do as LemP suggested above, but add one more step at the end: Click the PID column header so that the services are sorted by PID . This will cause all the services hosted by the culprit to be visible on one screen. Then take a screenshot and post it here.

C-drive keeps filling up

Anonymous

Here's a problem that I haven't been able to resolve for the last two months. I've researched this problem on this forum and nothing been able to solve it yet. My work computer's c-drive keeps filling up to capacity. I have a 235 GB hard drive with very few programs loaded onto it and almost no picture or video files taking up space. The computer is hooked up to a network here where I work, but nobody else has this problem. Even if I'm able to free up several GB's of space, the c-drive will fill up in just a couple of days. I think I might have a virus. These are the measures I've tried to correct this issue:

Ran Disk Cleanup which freed up about 2 GB's initially. After a couple of days, the c-drive filled back up again. Subsequently, running Disk Cleanup only free's up a few MB's now.
Ran MalewareBytes, Eset online scanner, and Super-AntiSpyware programs to try to identify a virus, but neither of them can find anything other than cookies. I've also run these programs in Safe Mode.
My Microsoft Security Essentials program had been removed, and I can't get it to re-install. I even tried several work-arounds listed on this forum to install it, but I still get error messages when installing.
Tried the "Fix It" function
Tried System Restore but apparently that's been disabled too since there are no restore points to be found
Disabled the Hibernate function to free up several GB's, but the computer quickly filled-up within a couple of days.
Disabled the Backup function.
Deleted temp files from my user profile
I also run into problems trying to install the security updates from the Windows Update function. I haven't been able to get the security updates to install for a couple of months now.

Anything thing I do that free's up space will only work temporarily. The c-drive will continue to fill up in a matter of minutes or hours even if I'm away from my computer during that time.

The strangest part is that if I right-click on the c-drive in My Computer, it will show that the 232 GB hard-drive is nearly or completely full (0 bytes). If I open the c-drive, select all the files and folders in it and right-click, it only shows about 51 GB's of storage space used. This does affect my computer greatly when trying to save or print even small files that only take up a few KB's. Is there any other fix that I haven't tried yet?

I ran the WinDirStat utility but that doesn't show me anything other than the 51 GB's taking up storage space. Also, my hard-drive is not partitioned.

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

51 answers

Anonymous

2017-12-21T21:33:45+00:00

LeonardRL, my problem was resolved using Treesize to identify the specific Temp file. In my case there was an additional Temp file not identified as a direct root of the C drive. It was buried within a file structure and not identified easily, hence the usefulness of Treesize.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2017-12-21T16:06:02+00:00

Please go to the c drive, open Windows folder, then open the Temp Folder, press ctrl A to highlight all, then press Shift-Delete to delete all permanently, this will free up the C Drive
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2017-11-19T18:56:18+00:00

I agree, I changed just about everything I could think of, including an external hard drive to back up to instead of c drive, and like I said before, it's fine for a while and then boom, c drive is full, but I don't know of what!! I may just take the whole computer to best buy and have them check it out, thanks for you feed back!
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2017-10-22T15:05:06+00:00

This worked great.

found out that the Bose sound touch app for my speakers went Roque and was consuming my hard drive for whatever reason

thanks for the app.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2015-02-16T18:17:21+00:00

Please do as LemP suggested above, but add one more step at the end: Click the PID column header so that the services are sorted by PID. This will cause all the services hosted by the culprit to be visible on one screen. Then take a screenshot and post it here.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments