"System Volume Information" filling up hd?

[rp2615]

Ok, I've been at this for some days now and I haven't been able to figure it out:

First I noticed that my free space was low, but that if I reboot the computer the space "comes back" only to fill slowly down to zero (it takes about an hour to fill 1,5Gb).

I checked the Page File and it was not it (it was stable at a constant 700Mb, set by me).

Then I ran SpaceMonger and it all looked fine except for the one folder that it could not analyse,it was "System Volume Information", it was taking up just a little over the "lost" 1,4Gb at the time of the scan.

The wierd thing is that I have system restore turned off (so the folder should be empty or close to that, right?) for all drives and that I can't seem to be able to open the SVI folder (even following the "guides" available, I don't have the "security" tab I am supposed to have in the folders' proprieties, even though I am Admin)

This is so wierd and so annoying, and ideas?

Thanks!

[+allan MVC]

System Properties - System Restore Tab - Is there a tick in "Turn Off System Restoer On All Drives"? If not, put one there and click on OK. That will immediately delete all restore points.

[chopyaedoff]

Tried clearing all but the most recent restore point, even though you have system restore off it somestimes may have old system restore images in there.

If you're on Windows 2003 then it may be Volume Shadow Copy.

Or it could be your Anti-Virus application.

[rp2615]

Thanks for the replies:

@allan: That box was already ticked by me a long time ago (but I double checked anyway and it's still ticked)

@chopyaedoff: There are no system restore points (that I know of) and it is Windows XP (SP2) and I currently have no AV running (all the permanent stuff is off) but I do have Avast installed.

This is so freaky... I sense a format coming :cry:

[Julius Caro]

system volume information contains back up copies of the windows registry, I think. With system restore ON, it also contains program files backup and such things.

I wouldnt worry that much about 1,4GB.

Thy activating and de activating system restore, deleting all the restores-but-one, and defragmenting or something like that.

[rp2615]

system volume information contains back up copies of the windows registry, I think. With system restore ON, it also contains program files backup and such things.

I wouldnt worry that much about 1,4GB.

Thy activating and de activating system restore, deleting all the restores-but-one, and defragmenting or something like that.

The problem is not 1.4Gb, it's that it's all I have, besides I suspect that if I had 14 Gb it would fill them also!

[JRosenfeld]

In addition to the restore point files, if you use the Windows XP indexing service, that also stores its catalog files in system volume information.

If you want to see what is in system volume information, see

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=309531

[+allan MVC]

Here's something I posted on my site a few years back - maybe it will help you access the folder(s):

The System Volume Information Folders contain your System Restore points. You can delete the oldest ones manually if you like. These folders are hidden system folders on each drive. In order to gain access, follow the directions below depending on your version of XP and File System:

Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home Edition Using the FAT32 File System

Click Start , and then click My Computer

On the Tools menu, click Folder Options

On the View tab, click Show hidden files and folders

Clear the Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) check box

Click Yes when you are prompted to confirm the change

Click OK

Double-click the System Volume Information folder in the root folder to open it

Windows XP Professional Using the NTFS File System on a Domain

Click Start , and then click My Computer

On the Tools menu, click Folder Options

On the View tab, click Show hidden files and folders

Clear the Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) check box

Click Yes when you are prompted to confirm the change

Click OK

Right-click the System Volume Information folder in the root folder, and then click Sharing and Security

Click the Security tab

Click Add , and then type the name of the user to whom you want to give access to the folder. Choose the account location if appropriate (either local or from the domain). Typically, this is the account with which you are logged on. Click OK , and then click OK

Double-click the System Volume Information folder in the root folder to open it

Windows XP Professional using the NTFS File System on a Workgroup

Click Start , and then click My Computer

On the Tools menu, click Folder Options

On the View tab, click Show hidden files and folders

Clear the Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) check box. Click Yes when you are prompted to confirm the change

Clear the Use simple file sharing (Recommended) check box

Click OK

Right-click the System Volume Information folder in the root folder, and then click Sharing and Security

Click the Security tab

Click Add , and then type the name of the user to whom you want to give access to the folder. Typically, this is the account with which you are logged on. Click OK , and then click OK

Double-click the System Volume Information folder in the root folder to open it

Windows XP Home Edition Using the NTFS File System

In Windows XP Home Edition with the NTFS file system, you must use the Cacls tool, which is a command-line tool to display or modify file or folder access control lists (ACLs)

Click Start , click Run , type cmd , and then click OK

Make sure that you are in the root folder of the partition for which you want to gain access to the System Volume Information folder. For example, to gain access the the C:\System Volume Information folder, make sure that you are in the root folder of drive C (at a "C:\" prompt). To get to the root of any partition, make sure you are in that partition and then type "cd\" (without the quotation marks).

Type the following line, and then press ENTER:

cacls " driveletter :\System Volume Information" /E /G username :F

Make sure to type the quotation marks as indicated. This command adds the specified user to the folder with Full Control permissions

Double-click the System Volume Information folder in the root folder to open it

If you need to remove the permissions after troubleshooting, type the following line at a command prompt:

cacls " driveletter :\System Volume Information" /E /R username

This command removes all permissions for the specified user.

[rp2615]

@allan:I've tried that before (saw that info on a website) but I don't seem to have a "Security Tab" in the proprieties (only the sharing part and all the options seem disabled and can't be changed)

[Julius Caro]

@allan:I've tried that before (saw that info on a website) but I don't seem to have a "Security Tab" in the proprieties (only the sharing part and all the options seem disabled and can't be changed)

The security tab is only shown when you boot in safe mode

[+allan MVC]

Correct. If you are using XP Home edition you need to log on as Administrator in Safe Mode.

[+BudMan MVC]

Here's something I posted on my site a few years back - maybe it will help you access the folder(s):

So you copied the info directly from the MS article.. But its just something you posted on your website.. :rolleyes:

Why not just link to the MS article directly

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309531/

How to gain access to the System Volume Information folder

[+allan MVC]

First of all, I credited the article when I posted it on my site. I insist all of our mods do so when copying anything from another site.

Second, you're an ass. Instead of trying to figure out how to be as sarcastic as possible, how about trying to help the poster once in a while? It seems you are only able to derive enjoyment by taking potshots at others. Must be a horrible life you lead.

[rp2615]

Thanks for all the replys:

Finally got access to the SVI... and it wasn't it, it had 2 files (1 with 0Kb and one with 20Kb and their size never changes); the situation now is that the HD is full, SpaceMonger still reports 1.5Gb of unscanned space (but now it doesn't report any unscannable folders, before it reported SVI as the only unscannable folder, so I assumed that the "disappearing" free space was being used there...). How can this be possible, the space keeps getting occupied but by no file at all?

Any ideas?

[+allan MVC]

Click on the link in my signature and go to the HiJack This Forum. Read the announcement at the top of that forum, follow all the instructions, then post your log in that forum.

[+BudMan MVC]

First of all, I credited the article when I posted it on my site.

And what about HERE?? -- smartass..

You forgot to post the last part of the article that states for XP HOME.. under this section

Using CACLS with Windows XP Home Edition Using the NTFS File System

After what you posted it gives instructions on how to do it with the gui --> The following steps also work if you restart the computer to Safe mode

On the other hand I gave a LINK to the INFO he asked for EXACTLY and too the point. Unlike you putting in a word about your website - And how this info was posted 2 years ago :rolleyes:

[+allan MVC]

I say this in all sincerity - I truly feel sorry for you.

[rp2615]

Finally found it! It was the tracking file for bootvis that was filling the hard drive (somehow it didn't show up in SpaceMonger).

Thank you to everyone that took the time to reply!