Something is eating my storage


compiler

Active member
Local time
4:45 AM
Posts
70
OS
W11
Dell Inspiron 15-5510 W11 home 21 H2 22000.613

My free space keeps getting smaller at an alarming pace.

I checked settings/system/storage. Nothing jumped out.

I'm now going to make note of the memory used by the 4 main categories listed and see if I can narrow it down.

Any suggestions on what to look for? I'm at a loss here.

Mel
 
Windows Build/Version
W11 home 21 H2 22000.613

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 15 5510
    CPU
    i5-11320H
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    256 gb SSD
    Browser
    Edge/Chrome
    Antivirus
    Defender
Main things to check are temporary files Most applications, and windows itself store temporary data for many reasons, unfortunately they are not that good at removing their old data

Another culprit are system updates which can be compressed files that can take up GigaBytes of drive space, usually these will be set to be removed automatically - but again this may sometimes not take place

You can get automatic and manual apps to search for and remove these temporary files once you are happy that you no longer need them
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest Release Preview] [Win11 PRO HighEnd MUP-00005 DD]
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Scan 3XS to my design
    CPU
    AMD RYZEN 9 7950X OEM
    Motherboard
    *3XS*ASUS TUF B650 PLUS WIFI
    Memory
    64GB [2x32GB Corsair Vengeance 560 AMD DDR5]
    Graphics Card(s)
    3XS* ASUS DUAL RTX 4060 OC 8G
    Sound Card
    On motherboard Feeding SPDiF 5.1 system [plus local sound to each monitor]
    Monitor(s) Displays
    32" UHD 32 Bit HDR Monitor + 43" UHD 4K 32Bit HDR TV
    Screen Resolution
    2 x 3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    3XS Samsung 980Pro 2TB M.2 PCIe4 4 x 8TB Data + Various Externals from 1TB to 8TB, 10TB NAS
    PSU
    3XS Corsair RM850x 850w Fully Modular
    Case
    FDesign Define 7 XL BK TGL Case - Black
    Cooling
    3XS iCUE H150i ELITE Liquid Cool, Quiet Case fans
    Keyboard
    Wireless Logitec MX Keys + K830 [Depending on where I'm Sat]
    Mouse
    Wireless Logitec - MX Master 3S +
    Internet Speed
    950 MB Down 55 MB Up
    Browser
    Latest Chrome
    Antivirus
    BitDefender Total Security [Latest]
    Other Info
    Also run...
    Dell XPS 17 Laptop
    HP Laptop 8GB - Windows 10 Pro x64 HP 15.2"
    Nexus 7 Android tablet [x2]
    Samsung 10.2" tablet
    Blackview 10.2 Tablet
    Sony Z3 Android Smartphone
    Samsung S9 Plus Smartphone
    Wacom Pro Medium Pen Pad
    Wacom Pro Small Pen Pad
    Wacom ExpressKey Remote
    Loopdeck+ Graphics Controller
    Shuttle Pro v2 Control Pad
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest release]
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 17 9700
    CPU
    i7 10750H
    Motherboard
    Stock
    Memory
    32 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Stock Intel + GTX 1650 Ti
    Sound Card
    Stock 4 speaker
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Stock 17" + 32" 4K 3840 x 2160 HDR-10
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2400 HDR touchscreen
    Hard Drives
    2TB M2 NVMe
    PSU
    Stock
    Case
    Stock Aluminium / Carbon Fibre
    Cooling
    Stock + 2 fan cooling pad
    Mouse
    Stock Trackpad +Logi Mx Master 3 or MX Ergo Trackball
    Keyboard
    Stock Illuminated + Logi - MX Keys
    Internet Speed
    950 MB Down 55 MB Up
    Browser
    Latest Chrome
    Antivirus
    BitDefender Total Security 2021
    Other Info
    Also use an Adjustable Support for Laptop and Adjustable stand for monitor
Open This PC, right-click on C: and select Properties, then Cleanup. Click to also incude system files. Check everything on the list and proceed. You will be amazed how many gigabytes you may get rid of.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 64-bit (build 22631.3235)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Extensa 5630EZ
    CPU
    Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz
    Motherboard
    Acer Extensa 5630
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC268 @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB SATA Device (250 GB, SATA-III)
    Internet Speed
    VDSL 50 Mbps
    Browser
    MICROSOFT EDGE
    Antivirus
    WINDOWS DEFENDER
    Other Info
    Legacy MBR installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, no WDDM 2.0 graphics drivers, cannot get more unsupported ;) This is only my test laptop. I had installed Windows 11 here before upgrading my main PC. For my main PC I use everyday see my 2nd system specs.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro v23H2 (build 22631.3235)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom-built PC
    CPU
    Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generation)
    Motherboard
    Asus P8H61 s1155 ATX
    Memory
    2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600
    Graphics card(s)
    Gainward NE5105T018G1-1070F (nVidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti 4GB GDDR5)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD audio (ALC887)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia KDL-19L4000 19" LCD TV via VGA
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 32-bit 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    Patriot Burst Elite 480GB SSD as system disk, Western Digital Caviar Purple 4TB SATA III (WD40PURZ) as second
    PSU
    Thermaltake Litepower RGB 550W Full Wired
    Case
    SUPERCASE MIDI-TOWER
    Cooling
    Stock Intel CPU Fan, 1x 8cm fan at the back
    Mouse
    Sunnyline OptiEye PS/2
    Keyboard
    Mitsumi 101-key PS/2
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Legacy BIOS (MBR) installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, WDDM 3.0 graphics drivers, WEI score 7.4
Bar & Sppap:

I had already deleted temp files.
Cleanup didn't do much (about 1/2 gb).

There is something that continues to erode my free space. I am very suspicious of some of the DELL crap/bloatware on my computer.

Now here is a clue: I ran space sniffer, which is supposed to tell me space used by programs. It flags SARemediation as using almost 15 gbs. That is related to Dell Support Assist. BUT when I use File Explorer I do not find SARemediation using much space. What am I missing?

I also have Dell Data Vault (DDV). It is not listed in control panel programs. I want to get rid of it. I disable it in Services, but it comes right back after a reboot or two. There is a DDV folder within the DELL Folder. I'm thinking of deleting that. But I'm hesitant on what to get rid of.

I am going to watch the system/storage results and sniffer results. Maybe I will be able to spot what is increasing.

Mel
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 15 5510
    CPU
    i5-11320H
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    256 gb SSD
    Browser
    Edge/Chrome
    Antivirus
    Defender
Dell data vault is part of the built in system backup /recovery system on some Dell systems. It contains the changes from the saved original system image It should be uninstallable as a standard program


Of course if you have other means of system backups then the space for both segments of the Dell backup system can safely be removed

With the SARemediation there are methods of taming this particular beast

 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest Release Preview] [Win11 PRO HighEnd MUP-00005 DD]
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Scan 3XS to my design
    CPU
    AMD RYZEN 9 7950X OEM
    Motherboard
    *3XS*ASUS TUF B650 PLUS WIFI
    Memory
    64GB [2x32GB Corsair Vengeance 560 AMD DDR5]
    Graphics Card(s)
    3XS* ASUS DUAL RTX 4060 OC 8G
    Sound Card
    On motherboard Feeding SPDiF 5.1 system [plus local sound to each monitor]
    Monitor(s) Displays
    32" UHD 32 Bit HDR Monitor + 43" UHD 4K 32Bit HDR TV
    Screen Resolution
    2 x 3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    3XS Samsung 980Pro 2TB M.2 PCIe4 4 x 8TB Data + Various Externals from 1TB to 8TB, 10TB NAS
    PSU
    3XS Corsair RM850x 850w Fully Modular
    Case
    FDesign Define 7 XL BK TGL Case - Black
    Cooling
    3XS iCUE H150i ELITE Liquid Cool, Quiet Case fans
    Keyboard
    Wireless Logitec MX Keys + K830 [Depending on where I'm Sat]
    Mouse
    Wireless Logitec - MX Master 3S +
    Internet Speed
    950 MB Down 55 MB Up
    Browser
    Latest Chrome
    Antivirus
    BitDefender Total Security [Latest]
    Other Info
    Also run...
    Dell XPS 17 Laptop
    HP Laptop 8GB - Windows 10 Pro x64 HP 15.2"
    Nexus 7 Android tablet [x2]
    Samsung 10.2" tablet
    Blackview 10.2 Tablet
    Sony Z3 Android Smartphone
    Samsung S9 Plus Smartphone
    Wacom Pro Medium Pen Pad
    Wacom Pro Small Pen Pad
    Wacom ExpressKey Remote
    Loopdeck+ Graphics Controller
    Shuttle Pro v2 Control Pad
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest release]
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 17 9700
    CPU
    i7 10750H
    Motherboard
    Stock
    Memory
    32 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Stock Intel + GTX 1650 Ti
    Sound Card
    Stock 4 speaker
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Stock 17" + 32" 4K 3840 x 2160 HDR-10
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2400 HDR touchscreen
    Hard Drives
    2TB M2 NVMe
    PSU
    Stock
    Case
    Stock Aluminium / Carbon Fibre
    Cooling
    Stock + 2 fan cooling pad
    Mouse
    Stock Trackpad +Logi Mx Master 3 or MX Ergo Trackball
    Keyboard
    Stock Illuminated + Logi - MX Keys
    Internet Speed
    950 MB Down 55 MB Up
    Browser
    Latest Chrome
    Antivirus
    BitDefender Total Security 2021
    Other Info
    Also use an Adjustable Support for Laptop and Adjustable stand for monitor
Barman:

Thanks, but alas no joy. The artical is incorrect because DDV is NOT listed in the Control Panel. So...can't remove it that way. I'm tempted to remove (or maybe just rename) the DDV folder. It's in the DELL folder in Program Files.

Mel
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 15 5510
    CPU
    i5-11320H
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    256 gb SSD
    Browser
    Edge/Chrome
    Antivirus
    Defender
Windows 11 will probably show it in the Apps section of Windows Settings, if it is not in the Program and Features section in Control Panel.

One thing you have to realize is that just manually removing the folder may cause all sorts of *other* issues, like that Dell utility trying to recreate it, and downloading a bunch of stuff to do so, or else one or more Dell utilities may stop working because it has been manually removed. For installed programs, if you want them removed the best (safest) way to avoid idiosyncrasies like that is to uninstall them.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 23H2 Current build
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HomeBrew
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 9 3950X
    Motherboard
    MSI MEG X570 GODLIKE
    Memory
    4 * 32 GB - Corsair Vengeance 3600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti XC3 ULTRA GAMING (12G-P5-3955-KR)
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC1220 Codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2x Eve Spectrum ES07D03 4K Gaming Monitor (Matte) | Eve Spectrum ES07DC9 4K Gaming Monitor (Glossy)
    Screen Resolution
    3x 3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    3x Samsung 980 Pro NVMe PCIe 4 M.2 2 TB SSD (MZ-V8P2T0B/AM) } 3x Sabrent Rocket NVMe 4.0 1 TB SSD (USB)
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling’s Silencer Series 1050 Watt, 80 Plus Platinum
    Case
    Fractal Design Define 7 XL Dark ATX Full Tower Case
    Cooling
    NZXT KRAKEN Z73 73.11 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler (3x 120 mm push top) + Air 3x 140mm case fans (pull front) + 1x 120 mm (push back) and 1 x 120 mm (pull bottom)
    Keyboard
    SteelSeries Apex Pro Wired Gaming Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3S | MX Master 3 for Business
    Internet Speed
    AT&T LightSpeed Gigabit Duplex Ftth
    Browser
    Nightly (default) + Firefox (stable), Chrome, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender + MB 5 Beta
  • Operating System
    ChromeOS Flex Dev Channel (current)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E5470
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6300U CPU @ 2.40GHz, 2501 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)
    Motherboard
    Dell
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel(R) HD Graphics 520
    Sound Card
    Intel(R) HD Graphics 520 + RealTek Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell laptop display 15"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 * 1080
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 128GB M.2 22300 drive
    INTEL Cherryville 520 Series SSDSC2CW180A 180 GB SATA III SSD
    PSU
    Dell
    Case
    Dell
    Cooling
    Dell
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3S (shared w. Sys 1) | Dell TouchPad
    Keyboard
    Dell
    Internet Speed
    AT&T LightSpeed Gigabit Duplex Ftth
It may be safer to stop it or the item re-enabling the item loading at startup, Download Autoruns from Microsoft Sysinternals and use that to show all the items that load with windows - including the hidden system programs - Full documentation is in the link attached If you find the startup for the program you can uncheck the entry and it will not load in future - you can also re enable it if it causes any issues, by r-checking the entry

 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest Release Preview] [Win11 PRO HighEnd MUP-00005 DD]
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Scan 3XS to my design
    CPU
    AMD RYZEN 9 7950X OEM
    Motherboard
    *3XS*ASUS TUF B650 PLUS WIFI
    Memory
    64GB [2x32GB Corsair Vengeance 560 AMD DDR5]
    Graphics Card(s)
    3XS* ASUS DUAL RTX 4060 OC 8G
    Sound Card
    On motherboard Feeding SPDiF 5.1 system [plus local sound to each monitor]
    Monitor(s) Displays
    32" UHD 32 Bit HDR Monitor + 43" UHD 4K 32Bit HDR TV
    Screen Resolution
    2 x 3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    3XS Samsung 980Pro 2TB M.2 PCIe4 4 x 8TB Data + Various Externals from 1TB to 8TB, 10TB NAS
    PSU
    3XS Corsair RM850x 850w Fully Modular
    Case
    FDesign Define 7 XL BK TGL Case - Black
    Cooling
    3XS iCUE H150i ELITE Liquid Cool, Quiet Case fans
    Keyboard
    Wireless Logitec MX Keys + K830 [Depending on where I'm Sat]
    Mouse
    Wireless Logitec - MX Master 3S +
    Internet Speed
    950 MB Down 55 MB Up
    Browser
    Latest Chrome
    Antivirus
    BitDefender Total Security [Latest]
    Other Info
    Also run...
    Dell XPS 17 Laptop
    HP Laptop 8GB - Windows 10 Pro x64 HP 15.2"
    Nexus 7 Android tablet [x2]
    Samsung 10.2" tablet
    Blackview 10.2 Tablet
    Sony Z3 Android Smartphone
    Samsung S9 Plus Smartphone
    Wacom Pro Medium Pen Pad
    Wacom Pro Small Pen Pad
    Wacom ExpressKey Remote
    Loopdeck+ Graphics Controller
    Shuttle Pro v2 Control Pad
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest release]
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 17 9700
    CPU
    i7 10750H
    Motherboard
    Stock
    Memory
    32 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Stock Intel + GTX 1650 Ti
    Sound Card
    Stock 4 speaker
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Stock 17" + 32" 4K 3840 x 2160 HDR-10
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2400 HDR touchscreen
    Hard Drives
    2TB M2 NVMe
    PSU
    Stock
    Case
    Stock Aluminium / Carbon Fibre
    Cooling
    Stock + 2 fan cooling pad
    Mouse
    Stock Trackpad +Logi Mx Master 3 or MX Ergo Trackball
    Keyboard
    Stock Illuminated + Logi - MX Keys
    Internet Speed
    950 MB Down 55 MB Up
    Browser
    Latest Chrome
    Antivirus
    BitDefender Total Security 2021
    Other Info
    Also use an Adjustable Support for Laptop and Adjustable stand for monitor
In W10 I occasionally had very large files appearing in the 'livekernelreports' folder found under:

Code:
c:\windows\livekernelreports

These files were always safe to delete (I think they are just a crash dump) although I was never aware of any obvious operational problems actually causing them. Haven't seen them for ages now and not on W11 at all but it is something worth checking.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W11 Pro x64 22H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell 7760 Mobile Precision 17"
    CPU
    Intel i5
    Motherboard
    Unknown
    Memory
    8Gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Internal
    Hard Drives
    2 x 256Gb SSD
    PSU
    Dell 240 watt
    Mouse
    Dell Premier Bluetooth
    Internet Speed
    50Mbps
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Default Microsoft Security

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware M18 R1
    CPU
    13th Gen Core i9 13900HX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5 @4800MHz 2x16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Geforce RTX 4090HX 16GB
    Sound Card
    Nvidia HD / Realtek ALC3254
    Monitor(s) Displays
    18" QHD+
    Screen Resolution
    25660 X 1600
    Hard Drives
    C: KIOXIA (Toshiba) 2TB KXG80ZNV2T04 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
    D: KIOXIA (Toshiba) 2TB KXG80ZNV2T04 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
    Case
    Dark Metallic Moon
    Keyboard
    Alienware M Series per-key AlienFX RGB
    Mouse
    Alienware AW610M
    Browser
    Chrome and Firefox
    Antivirus
    Norton
    Other Info
    Killer E3000 Ethernet Controller
    Killer Killer AX1690 Wi-Fi Network Adaptor Wi-Fi 6E
    Bluetooth 5.2
    Alienware Z01G Graphic Amplifier
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Alienware Area 51m R2
    CPU
    10th Gen i-9 10900 K
    Memory
    32Gb Dual Channel DDR4 @ 8843MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia RTX 2080 Super
    Sound Card
    Nvidia
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Hard Drive C: Samsung 2TB SSD PM981a NVMe
    Hard Drive D:Samsung 2TB SSD 970 EVO Plus
    Mouse
    Alienware 610M
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    Norton
Wow-- I have 1600 of those files. Is it really safe to delete them??

Mel
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 15 5510
    CPU
    i5-11320H
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    256 gb SSD
    Browser
    Edge/Chrome
    Antivirus
    Defender
Mooly: The folder you mentioned, liveker...., is on my W11 machine. It appears to be an empty folder.

Mel
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 15 5510
    CPU
    i5-11320H
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    256 gb SSD
    Browser
    Edge/Chrome
    Antivirus
    Defender
Folks, here's my latest attempt: I went into the C:/ProgramFiles/DELL/DellDataVault folder. There are loads of files there, including four DDV....EXE.
Question: If I call Dell and demand they uninstall this stuff, would they (RE:DDV, and the SAReremediation)

Mel
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 15 5510
    CPU
    i5-11320H
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    256 gb SSD
    Browser
    Edge/Chrome
    Antivirus
    Defender
Mooly: The folder you mentioned, liveker...., is on my W11 machine. It appears to be an empty folder.

Mel

Worth just clicking it and having a peek. Mine (on W11) says empty if I hover over it but there was actually an empty folder within from last November. In the past (W10) I had some pretty massive files files in there, files getting on for 1Gb in size.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W11 Pro x64 22H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell 7760 Mobile Precision 17"
    CPU
    Intel i5
    Motherboard
    Unknown
    Memory
    8Gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Internal
    Hard Drives
    2 x 256Gb SSD
    PSU
    Dell 240 watt
    Mouse
    Dell Premier Bluetooth
    Internet Speed
    50Mbps
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Default Microsoft Security
Why not download a uninstall utility, such as IObit Uninstaller and force uninstall the Dell app? Such utilities can also search and uninstall applications not on the Programs and Features list. After uninstall they also search the Registry and file system and remove any leftovers. Also uninstall any other useless application to free more disk space. I would also download Superantispyware and Malwarebytes Antimalware to search and remove any malware, just in case.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 64-bit (build 22631.3235)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Extensa 5630EZ
    CPU
    Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz
    Motherboard
    Acer Extensa 5630
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC268 @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB SATA Device (250 GB, SATA-III)
    Internet Speed
    VDSL 50 Mbps
    Browser
    MICROSOFT EDGE
    Antivirus
    WINDOWS DEFENDER
    Other Info
    Legacy MBR installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, no WDDM 2.0 graphics drivers, cannot get more unsupported ;) This is only my test laptop. I had installed Windows 11 here before upgrading my main PC. For my main PC I use everyday see my 2nd system specs.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro v23H2 (build 22631.3235)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom-built PC
    CPU
    Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generation)
    Motherboard
    Asus P8H61 s1155 ATX
    Memory
    2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600
    Graphics card(s)
    Gainward NE5105T018G1-1070F (nVidia GeForce GTX 1050Ti 4GB GDDR5)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD audio (ALC887)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia KDL-19L4000 19" LCD TV via VGA
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 32-bit 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    Patriot Burst Elite 480GB SSD as system disk, Western Digital Caviar Purple 4TB SATA III (WD40PURZ) as second
    PSU
    Thermaltake Litepower RGB 550W Full Wired
    Case
    SUPERCASE MIDI-TOWER
    Cooling
    Stock Intel CPU Fan, 1x 8cm fan at the back
    Mouse
    Sunnyline OptiEye PS/2
    Keyboard
    Mitsumi 101-key PS/2
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Legacy BIOS (MBR) installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, WDDM 3.0 graphics drivers, WEI score 7.4
Here's an update: I had written:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Folks, here's my latest attempt: I went into the C:/ProgramFiles/DELL/DellDataVault folder. There are loads of files there, including four DDV....EXE.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I forgot to add the most important part: I changed the "exe" to "old." That way I could see what happens without deleting anything.
What happened seems to be all good. Keeping my fingers crossed. The 4 DDV services that I changed to STOPPED this time did not switch to RUNNING. We shall see. Also, for once my shrinking free space did NOT shrink.

Nevertheless right now it is about 2:1 used to free space. It should be the reverse. Any ideas where to even LOOK?
I am not ready to uninstall DDV, but I'm getting more confident. But, somewhere, there is 10-20 gb being co-opted.

Spapakons-- I'll look into the Uninstall program.
Mooly -- I did have a peek. The folder is empty.
Hive -- is it safe to remove the 1600 empty folders with tmp at the end? It would seem so.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 15 5510
    CPU
    i5-11320H
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    256 gb SSD
    Browser
    Edge/Chrome
    Antivirus
    Defender

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5 3600 & No fTPM (07/19)
    Motherboard
    MSI B450 TOMAHAWK 7C02v1E & IFX TPM (07/19)
    Memory
    4x 8GB ADATA XPG GAMMIX D10 DDR4 3200MHz CL16
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI Radeon RX 580 ARMOR 8G OC @48FPS (08/19)
    Sound Card
    Creative Sound Blaster Z (11/16)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" AOC G2460VQ6 (01/19)
    Screen Resolution
    1920×1080@75Hz & FreeSync (DisplayPort)
    Hard Drives
    ADATA XPG GAMMIX S11 Pro SSD 512GB (07/19)
    PSU
    Seasonic M12II-520 80 Plus Bronze (11/16)
    Case
    Lian Li PC-7NB & 3x Noctua NF-S12A FLX@700rpm (11/16)
    Cooling
    CPU Cooler Noctua NH-U12S@700rpm (07/19)
    Keyboard
    HP Wired Desktop 320K + Rabalux 76017 Parker (01/24)
    Mouse
    Logitech M330 Silent Plus (04/23)
    Internet Speed
    400/40 Mbps via RouterOS (05/21) & TCP Optimizer
    Browser
    Edge (No FB/Google) & Brave for YouTube & LibreWolf for FB
    Antivirus
    NoAV & Binisoft WFC & NextDNS
    Other Info
    Headphones: Sennheiser RS170 (09/10)
    Phone: Samsung Galaxy Xcover 7 (02/24)
IS THE PLOT THICKENING??
OK, before continuing, I decided to do a full image b/u. I use Macrium Reflect. But when I started, there seemed to be a new partition. It said 15.4 gb, which is about my free space shortage. It has a red line thru it; the other partitions have blue lines. When I'm done backing up, I'll compare the size of this image with previous ones. (Or does the red line mean it won't back it up?)

So, a big question: is there a way to ascertain the DATE this partition was made or at least what it contains. It may have been there when I got the computer. It would seem if this is my hijacked space I can use disk management to reclaim the space.

Further update: I did some more digging, so answered some of the above. The red line means the space is almost used up (90% in this case). That typefies the recovery partition,

Again, I'm seeking some advice.

Another alternative: I can just restore one of my backups. I have one from just before all this crap started!

If I restore, can I assume very recent stuff from my ONEDRIVE folder will reappear.

Mel
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 15 5510
    CPU
    i5-11320H
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    256 gb SSD
    Browser
    Edge/Chrome
    Antivirus
    Defender
PROBLEM TOTALLY SOLVED -- WOO HOO!!

Sh
outout to Tariku... I d/l WizTree. It identified System Volume Information as taking up a whopping 60 GB (yes "six-oh").
When I checked the folder, it showed 0 bytes and access denied. So, I had to play around with permissions but I got there. Incidentally, as part of my research, I found that this folder is often the culprit in these disk space issues and that restore points take up most of that space. So I took a side trip to restore points configurations and found that my entire drive was allocated to it and 53.5 gb was already taken up! I moved the slider to a generous maximum of about 15 gb. BOOM. Rebooted and almost 40 gb more of free space available.. I could have gotten more by doing about 8 gb for restore points.

Hopefully, this case is closed. We shall see.

Mel
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    W11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 15 5510
    CPU
    i5-11320H
    Memory
    8 gb
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    256 gb SSD
    Browser
    Edge/Chrome
    Antivirus
    Defender
Yes you have to watch system restore, it can get big. I check mine now and then and delete all my restore points and create a new one and a lot of space is gained back. If you rely on system images, then you don`t even need to use System Restore. I use it and keep the restore points to a minimum.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Skylake Special X299
    CPU
    Intel Core i9 9900X
    Motherboard
    Asus ROG Strix X299-E Gaming II
    Memory
    GSkill Trident Z RGB 32GB 3600 16-16-16-36 (F4-3600C16Q-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA RTX 3080 12GB FTW3 Ultra Gaming (12G-P5-4877-KL)
    Sound Card
    Supreme FX
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus PG279Q
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440 165Hz
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 980 Pro 500GB x2, Seagate Barracuda 4TB x2, Western Digital Black 4TB x1
    PSU
    EVGA 1200 P2, EVGA Black Custom Braided Cables
    Case
    Thermaltake View 31 Tempered Glass Limited Edition
    Cooling
    Corsair H115i, Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut
    Keyboard
    Logitech G910 Orion Spark
    Mouse
    Logitech G700s, Asus ROG GX860 Buzzard
    Internet Speed
    Verizon Fios Quantum Gateway 75/75
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, Malwarebytes 4.5.2
    Other Info
    Thermaltake Riing Duo 14 x3, Thermaltake Riing Plus 14 x2, Corsair HS70 Pro Wireless Headset
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Skylake Special Z170
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 6700K
    Motherboard
    Asus Sabertooth Z170 Mark 1
    Memory
    GSkill Trident Z RGB 16GB 3600 16-16-16-36 (F4-3600C16D-16GTZR)
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA GTX 980 Ti SC x2, EVGA Pro SLI Bridge
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AOC G2460PG
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080 144Hz
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 870 Evo 500GB, Seagate Barracuda 4TB x2
    PSU
    EVGA 1000 P2, EVGA White Custom Braided Cables
    Case
    Corsair Vengeance C70 Gunmetal Black
    Cooling
    Corsair H100i v2, Corsair ML120 x2, Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut
    Mouse
    Logitech G500s
    Keyboard
    Logitech G910 Orion Spectrum
    Internet Speed
    Verizon Fios Quantum Gateway 75/75
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, Malwarebytes 4.5.2
    Other Info
    Corsair SP120 x4, LG Blu-ray Drive, Durabrand HT-395 100 Watt Dolby Digital Amp

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