Wrong calculation of folder size by Windows

Anonymous
2018-06-28T18:16:18+00:00

Hello,

I noticed today that my Windows system does not properly calculate folder sizes.

I'm actually trying to make a backup of all my personal and work content. When I check the whole backup folder size under properties, It shows me around 10 Gb. But when I open this big folder and select a subfolder, It show me 30 Gb... This is kind of really annoying and I think it's a major issue Microsoft should fix ASAP.

I would like to say (because I didn't find anywhere else to post it) that in my opinion, Microsoft lacks ways of collecting feedback from his clients. There is nowhere we can manually report bugs and crashes.

In any ways, I think that showing correct folder sizes is a really basic task that an Operating System should be able to do. Such a bug is inacceptable for a leader like Microsoft, and I honestly consider going along with Apple if this issue does not get quickly fixed. My computer will soon need to be changed in anyways.

Meanwhile, if some of you guys have found ways to go around this major issue, feel free to share them :). Thank you!

Here is my technical information :

Intel Core i7-3720QM 2.60 GHz

64 bits

Windows 10 family version 1803

Installed on 2018-06-20

O.S. version 17134.112

Many thanks is advance,

Antoine

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage

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DaveM121 931.8K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2018-06-28T18:35:14+00:00

Hi Antoine_795,

It is widely reported that version 1803 of Windows 10 has introduced a bug into Explorer.exe

It is because it cannot read the metadata of files correctly, it mixes up the size and dimensions for example

Therefore it cannot calculate the size of a folder, especially if it has sub-folders, it also cannot calculate the spare space on a hard drive . . .

In the meantime, while we are waiting for Microsoft to fix this bug:

Click the link below to download a small free utility called Treesize - it is a great utility . . .

Using that tool, you will instantly see the size of all folders (always missing form File Explorer) and where space is being used on your hard drive . . .

https://www.jam-software.com/treesize_free/

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  1. Anonymous
    2019-03-18T14:24:04+00:00

    @Nickdir

    No, although I was one of those who identified the length of file name (inclusive of file path) as one very likely source of the problem, reducing file lengths on your own or using third-party programs for a "fix" is not really a true solution. Plus it is unclear if using third-party programs might cause conflicts - if not now, then perhaps later when Microsoft introduces its own solutions or "updates". A real solution can only be found by Microsoft itself, and for that it appears we have to wait for ever.

    @Rohn007

    The posts and responses by users "megawhite" and others were actually both reasonable and appropriate. They helped to highlight common problems encountered by users, as well as their magnitudes and frequencies of occurrence. Several months ago, when I found folders supposed to contain gigabytes of data suddenly turned into megabytes, at first I was sure my SSD or hard disk was about to fail. Having seen numerous users reporting the same thing, it now became clear that it was a Windows 10 problem.

    It is recognized that this Forum is not an "official" channel. But isn't Microsoft interested in knowing the most common problems encountered by users? Wouldn't at least a few of the "MS Developers" occasionally come here, if not to read the messages, at least to look at the titles to get some idea about the nature of the complaints? Or even if they don't visit this forum, don't they themselves use Windows 10 and yet are totally unaware of these problems? In the event that they totally don't care, then even if we contact the "MS Developers" through that site, it would be like - as you said - talking to a wall.

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-03-18T13:53:34+00:00

    A solution to this problem has already been posted earlier in this thread. You can carry this fix out without needing to wait for any action from Microsoft. Total file/folder path lengths must be less than around 255 char (there has always been a limit in Windows). If you have lengths greater than 255, try reducing them. Use TLPD to find them. It scans the directory tree, searching for files and folders with full path name that may be too long for Windows to handle, which you can then edit.

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-03-18T10:48:02+00:00

    I submitted valid (and nicely worded) feedback in the Feedback Hub last year:

    "It is typical for Windows to be embarking on Windows Updates scanning or running ComatTelRunner.exe as soon as I have logged in.  When the computer boots it is because someone has turned it on and wants to use it.  Therefore it is a very bad idea to embark on the aforementioned resource intensive operations as soon as a user logs in!  These tasks are NOT more important than anything the user is doing with the computer."

    No response, completely ignored.  This is a SEVERE issue for all of the holder hardware that was nagged to update to Windows 10 e.g. less than 4 cores and no SSD.  These computers have been completely forgotten, they do NOT run Windows 10 well at all and the problems are COMPLETELY unnecessary had this OS not be doing such stupid things, hence my foul tone.

    I want to make this OS better, how do I get through?  What is Satya's phone number?

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-03-18T03:34:05+00:00

    I'm not picking on you. I agree with what you are saying. But saying it here is just "p***ing into the wind", "preaching to the choir", "talking to the wall" ... etc.

    Essentially no one significant from MS is reading these postings. At least by posting to the Feedback process someone with responsibility and authority to fix the problem will see your comments.

    Your posting is all (valid) complaint, while most of the others are looking for fixes (which is what we try to do in this forum).  Pointing you to Feedback is the only "fix" for your specific complaint.

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