Lost 25-30% of free disk space!

Trixi · November 17th, 2005, 10:42 AM

In a matter of minutes I lost 25-30% of my available disk space. I wasn't downloading anything, or doing anything out of the ordinary, but the hard drive kept filling up, using up all my available disk space. I always keep 25-30% free, but now it is down to 0%, and only 338MB available space left.
I use my computer for work, and I really need it to get back to normal.
I have run 3-4 online virus scans, including my Norton anti-virus which I run regularly, as well as ad-aware and spybot. I have found a few viruses, but after they were taken care of, the disk space was still only around 1%.
I have asked all my "computer-friends" for help, but none of them can tell me what's wrong, or how to fix it.
I have been concidering taking my laptop to a pcWorld store to have it checked, but I am afraid I will lose files, and also I can't really afford to at the moment.

I would really appreciate it if someone with a similar problem, or a solution, could help me figure this thing out. It is really stressing me out.

The thing is... The computer is not as slow as I expected it to be with only 1-0% available disk space, so I am a bit confused as well...

Please please help me! I'm begging you! All of you!

Trixi

bwcc · November 17th, 2005, 10:57 AM

Do you know what/where the files are that are taking up your drive space? Have you run any malware/spyware removal programs, such as Spybot S&D or Adaware?

If you cannot find the files, try doing a search by date range for files - using the date you noticed the loss of diskspace.

You mentioned this is a work PC, but Im guessing that you do not have an I.S. staff?

orkboss · November 17th, 2005, 10:58 AM

Did you try deleting your temporary files for your web browser?

Trixi · November 17th, 2005, 11:01 AM

I have run spybot and ad-aware. I have no ideas what files are taking up the space, but I checked all my photo/video/audio files,a nd they came up in duplicates. But when I tried to delete one, they both got deleted.
I will do a search on date, thank you for that suggestion.
But the first time all my free space was filled up, the disk-cleaning thing gave me back 8%, and I deleted stuff so I had 13% later on the day it forst happened. But the next morning it was back down to 1%. SO deleting things doesn't seem to work.

Trixi · November 17th, 2005, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orkboss

Did you try deleting your temporary files for your web browser?

Yes, that was one of the first things I did.

Trixi · November 17th, 2005, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwcc

You mentioned this is a work PC, but Im guessing that you do not have an I.S. staff?

I work from home as a freelancer, so I do not have an I.S. staff available. I wish I did tho...

Rootstonian · November 17th, 2005, 11:15 AM

You can rent ME out

$100 an hour LOL

At this point in time, I would make sure you get a backup of all your data. You say you have 338MB of disk left. How big is your hard drive? There's a setting in Windows that will trigger a low disk message when it hits a certain % of disk space free (this is user definable by the way). Is that the message you are getting?

Trixi · November 17th, 2005, 11:23 AM

My hard drive is 34.48GB.
I have no way of backing up my stuff at the moment.. I know it's stupid, but that's just the situation I've put myself in...
I am not getting any messages anymore. I got one the first time it got to 1%, but after that, it's like windows doesn't care or anything.
I'd love to be able to pay you. As long as I got it fixed.. But I've never been this broke before, and its typical that something like this happens now...

orkboss · November 17th, 2005, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rootstonian

At this point in time, I would make sure you get a backup of all your data.

Very wise

orkboss · November 17th, 2005, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trixi

My hard drive is 34.48GB.
I have no way of backing up my stuff at the moment.. I know it's stupid, but that's just the situation I've put myself in...
I am not getting any messages anymore. I got one the first time it got to 1%, but after that, it's like windows doesn't care or anything.
I'd love to be able to pay you. As long as I got it fixed.. But I've never been this broke before, and its typical that something like this happens now...

Don't you have a cd r/w forbacking up your most essential files?