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

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.

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Answer accepted by question author
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
    2019-02-19T03:21:44+00:00

    I changed it to NTFS, and then it was fine!

    How did you change it to NTSF? Thanks

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-02-18T20:43:07+00:00

    I changed it to NTFS, and then it was fine!

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-02-03T22:57:26+00:00

    Can't believe this still isn't fixed in 1809. Such a big problem to not be able to get accurate folder size data! Please, Microsoft, make fixing this bug a priority!

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    3 people found this answer helpful.
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  4. Anonymous
    2019-01-28T04:42:28+00:00

    @EdResor, no disrespect, but "guys who post fixes here" do not necessarily "make America great". If you look at @DaveM121's post you'll see an Arsenal F.C. badge as his image, suggesting he's from the UK, but he could in fact be anywhere in the world. You may be surprised to learn that there are helpful, highly intelligent, highly trained people who know a lot about Windows who live happily in countries other than yours.  Perhaps those countries are great too. at least to people who live there. For instance, I live in Australia. I think Australia is great, partly because we don't have the highest rate of homicide death by shooting in the developed world, as the US does, or the highest incarceration rates in the world, as the US does. I could go on. Perhaps America is no greater than, perhaps not even as great as, many other countries around the world, if viewed with a little objectivity, rather than from a jingoistic perspective.

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    4 people found this answer helpful.
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