Hard drive space unaccounted for with Vista

Folks, I bought a Compaq Presario F572US Notebook PC about a month ago.
I can't account for the amount of disk space Windows says is used. The computer has an 80GB HD. Partition C is 66.4GB. If I open Computer and open C, there only five folders, as follows:

Folder size(GB)
Windows 8.04
Programs Files 2.73
SwSetup 2.47
Canon 1.86
Users 0.526
Total 15.626

Vista's Computer window shows 41.9GB free space. So, used space is 24.5GB (66.4 - 41.9). The difference between what Computer shows and the sum of the actual folders is what I'm trying to figure out. In other words, why the difference of about 8.8GB (24.5 - 15.6, difference due to rounding) between used space per Vista and the sum of the folders on C?

The only causes of difference I can think of are Virtual memory and Windows Restore Points. If Vista works like previous versions of Windows, I believe it subtracts Virtual memory from total drive space in arriving at free space. I have Virtual memory set at 1.437GB, fixed. If I'm correct on this point, that still leaves about 7.4GB (8.8 - 1.4) unexplained.

I don't know how to determine how much space Vista is using for Restore Points. And, can someone confirm whether this could a factor here?

Recycle Bin is empty.

I called HP support today to try get an answer to this. After repetitive explaining to get them to understand my question, they suggested a reinstallating of Windows to see whether that makes a difference. If not, they said we could pursue this further then.

 

Restore uses %15 of disk space by default, you can reduce the amount used with a slider. I'm not in Vista ATM so I can't tell you exactly but it should be in Control Panel BTW HP support is really not.

 

Thanks, augiedoggie. I turned off System Restore and, voila!, that reduced used space to about 16.1GB, only about 0.5GB more more than my calculation by summing the size of all the folders on C. So, I'm satisfied that this is the answer.

HP support is supposed to call me back Monday as a follow up on this. I think I'll mention that they ought to know this.

I'll turn System Restore back on. I did not find a slider bar, so perhaps Vista does not have it or I'm not looking in the right place. I'm running Vista Home Premium.

 

Sorry about that as I can't find the slider either, must've confused my tired brain with XP. Now why wouldn't they put one in like in XP? Anyways maybe someone else will have a better solution than killing them off.

 

I'm thinking this is a reason for partitioning a hard drive. In other words, by making that OS partition smaller, less drive space is set aside for System Restore, thereby wasting less space. In other words, 15% of a smaller partition results in less space being allocated for this than on a larger partition.

I'm not saying I would definitely partition for this reason alone. I want to partition the drive for other reasons and the issue we're discussing here seems to be another reason to do so.

 

Also don't forget that a "80 gig" drive is not a 80 gig drive after formatting.
My new "160 gig" external drive drops to 149 gigs after formatting. :cry

Multiply the advertised size (80) by 0.93, for approximate formatted size.
80 x 0.93 = 76.8 formatted, approx.
160 x 0.93 = 149 (formatted, rounded, approx), etc.

Bazza

 

thanks for that tip. I did it, using 4GB. I'll observe restore points for awhile and see whether I want to change the size.

For comparison, I just looked at System Restore in my Win XP system and see the max it allocates is 12%. I haven't lowered that but, based on the size of my OS partition, about 1.8GB of space is reserved for System Restore on that partition.

 

I've set my XP Pro, 60gig laptop to around 3% (see thumbnail). Works for me, although I clear out old Restore points occasionally. Bazza

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Yes, Bazza, I'm thinking I may be able to downsize that figure on both computers a bit. I presume Vista restore points require more disk space than XP's; I think I'll just observe it closer than usual for awhile and see how it goes.

Your 1.44GB would probably work fine for me, too. Of course, since my OS is on a smaller partition, I would set the percentage differently to end up with 1.44GB.

 

usafvet, 1.44 gigs works for me.
As you say, alter the percentage accordingly, depending on the capacity of your hard drive, to achieve a similar result.

PS: Also check out Virtual memory size (swap file). If you have plenty of RAM (i have 2 gigs), you don't need the MS default of 1½ times RAM.
I have mine set to 300 megs, compared with the "recommended" MS default of 3 gigs (1½ times 2 gigs of RAM), a saving of hard disk space of 2.7 gigs.
Thumbnail attached.

Bazza

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Hmmmm.... my 160gb SATA (internal) is 153gb after formatting..... :confused

 

I was robbed. See thumbnail. Bazza