Why is D:\ Size Fluctuating 15-35 GB?

I have a 250 HD partitioned as System (C: - 31GB) & Data (D: - 201GB). System Restore is active on C: and disabled on D: So, I am watching my D: partition fluctuate between 160-196GB. Why?

The only file changes/additions are the following:

• Macrium Backup < 7GB (Updated Daily - only latest version kept)
• W7 System Image < 13GB (Updated Daily - only latest version kept)
• Watching Online Movies/TV Programs (file watched & deleted, < 1GB)

I'm became concerned when D: gave me a warning last week that I had only 5 GB left. I had last added some music files 2 weeks ago that brought my total partition size to 160GB (41GB free) and nothing significant since (< 1GB). No new programs added either. (All programs located C: ).

What's going on here? I thought I had more a large buffer to work with (20% left) but it seems my reality is that I only have 5GB (2.5%). What is causing this 36GB swing? How can it be stopped or at least minimized to a sensible amount?

 

Seems like you have system restore on. The default setting for system restore is 15% of the total capacity of your drive.

 

The OP has mentioned system restore is turned on only for C: and not for D:...

 

Well, I believe I know what my file breakdown is yet for everyone else, here is a snapshot via WinDirStat.



FYI - now D: is 174.2GB which is a change from 196GB this morning. The only changes have been the Macrium and Win7 images added to the partition. Odd how 21.8GB space has been freed rather than more space being taken, yes?

PS: @Metril - notice System Restore is not active on D: . Thanks fonduekid

 

Interesting...have you checked for viruses lately? Watching movies online isn't always the most secure activity.

Maybe your page file is fluctuating? I don't know though that's a stretch. Check it anyway, if it's on auto maybe something is messing with it to make the file size change.

Click start, type "advanced system settings," select continue if UAC pops up. pick the top settings button under performance, switch to advanced tab in the window that pops up. Near the bottom of this tab, select "change." Uncheck "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives." Now set a custom size for drive D:\. Apply or hit ok. Restart your computer.

I honestly doubt that will work. But you have a problem I've never heard of before.

 

No viruses as checked by MSE & page file is disabled. Any other suggestions? You can see why I'm stumped.

 

Virtual memory?

 

Isn't pagefile also known as 'virtual memory'? Forgive my ignorance if this isn't true, along with letting me know how to check it. Thanks.

Edit: Also, wouldn't the virtual memory / pagefile be on the System partition C: rather than the Data D:?

 

Yes, page file is virtual memory, called such because Windows uses this space on the hard drive as if it were extra memory. And I only have one partition set up, but I believe you can set a page file on multiple drives.

No viruses, no page file, and no red herrings in your windirstat image. Yes, I see why you're stumped. If only I could replicate your situation to troubleshoot on my end.

I'll keep thinking, if I have any inspiration I'll drop by again. Oh, check your running processes and maybe your running services. Try to account for each one if you can.

 

I reckon you'll just have to repeat running WinDirStat and compare the output until you can work out what changes each time.

I'm rather curious as to what lies under 'files' and 'unknown'.

Also what confuses me is that if system restore is switched on for C there should be evidence of shadow copies as 'unknown' files on C....

 

You might want to check Macrium and make sure it's not causing the problem. To be thorough, you can uninstall it, restart, and see if you still have fluctuation. Try the same with W7 system backup. You might have found some inexplicable bug in one of the two software backup solutions.

 

Well, I've checked all running processes and there aren't any 'red herrings' there either. I'll run WinDirStat when the partition bulges again to compare. Right now it hasn't budged from the 174.2GB since this morning. Thanks guys.

 

What do you see when you do the following...
1) Run Command Prompt as Administrator
2) Type in command: vssadmin list shadowstorage

Is any storage space on D: being used?

 

Here's the screen shot:

 

so wait, you have system restore disabled on drive D, but shadow storage is using drive D?

is it using drive D to store system restore points of drive C perhaps?

 

I am pretty sure shadow storage has nothing to do with system restore points. Shadow volume storage allows you to bring back previous versions of files.
You can keep an eye on the used shadow copy storage space by running the same command when the size goes up and see if it is the cause.

You can also reduce the maximum size by running the command:
vssadmin resize shadowstorage /on=D: /for=D: /maxsize=6GB

Try not to reduce it below the current allocated size in case you wish to restore previous versions of files in the future.

 

Xeroxide - I don't have an answer as to how System Restore is disabled on D: yet it is using 2.696GB. I didn't realize space was being used until your post. Good catch.

Maybe this is the culprit. It does show that up to 30GB can be used. BUT it has been disabled! So, how can it be showing that it is in use???

Digging deeper and finding more questions than answers. Yet that usually is the process before the correct answer is found.

 

Shadow copy and system restore are 2 different things. Shadow copy allows you to restore older versions of any file. System restore is for the registry and system files. Unless I missed something it is shadow copy that is using that space, not system rstore. please read my previous post for instructions on how to limit the size of shadow copies.

 

Maybe this explains the 30GB fluctuations since that is also the maximum storage space allowed on that drive. It doesn't really make sense though since you have system restore disabled on that drive, which also turns off volume shadow copy as well. It seems like the used space should be 0 GB.

Also, the "System Volume Information" folder is taking up space even though WinDirStat and Windows reports it as being 0 bytes (because you don't haver permissions to it). If you give yourself permissions to the folder and open it up, you'll see that there are actually files in there. On my computer there is a folder WindowsImageBackup inside here, so maybe this could be it as well since you are creating backups daily. The shadow copy information is stored in the System Volume Information folder as well. (Maybe the 30GB storage space just applies to the System Volume Information folder?)

 

You are confusing system protection and system restore. His shadow copy service must still be running.
Press windows+r and run systempropertiesprotection.exe
press the configure button
Is the option selected "only restore previous versions of files" or "turn off system protection"?

 

But it still makes no sense even if he has Only restore previous versions of files checked. Unless the slider bar is set to 15%. Mine never fluctuates or stores more than the 3.5gb allotted to it, and I have it set to restore files, but system restore is off.

Something is going haywire.

 

NovaH - I'm not entirely certain System Protection and Shadow copy are 2 different things. As stated under 'Disk Space Usage':

"You can adjust the maximum disk space used for system protection. As space fills up, older restore points will be deleted to make room for new ones."

The Maximum Shadow Copy Storage Space is equal to Max Usage of 'Disk Space Usage - 30.28GB. So if the system protection is turned off, why & how is it using any space?

 

So he should check his slider too and make sure it's not set to 15%.

 

I never said system protection and shadow copy are 2 different things. I said system restore and shadow copy are 2 differnt things. You can have restore off and shadow copy on.

System protection consists of system restore and shadow copy. Indeed you have them turned off. Press the delete button and it should empty the storage.

As for your original problem I will review the posts again and see if there is anything else to check.

 

How do you do this? As far as I know, the only way to turn off system restore is through system protection, which would also turn off shadow copy as well since system protection includes system restore and shadow copy.

 

Hey Codester, try the following:
Press windows+r and run systempropertiesprotection.exe
press the configure button
there you have three options:

1)Restore system setting and previous versions of files -> this is system restore and shadow copy.

2)only restore previous versions of files -> this is just shadow copy

3)turn off system protection

I'm out for the night and I haven't though of anything new. Sorry Laker775. Please update the thread if you notice anything else.