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Windows XP/2000 - Defrag has filled the hard drive!!!! Help!! posted in the Operating Systems forums; Guys, need some serious help here! Had a clear out of some old files earlier today, then set defragment running and left it to it. Came back 1 1/2 hr ...

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Old 09-06-2008   #1
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Unhappy Defrag has filled the hard drive!!!! Help!!

Guys, need some serious help here!

Had a clear out of some old files earlier today, then set defragment running and left it to it. Came back 1 1/2 hr later with a warning on screen that I had 20Mb space left on the hard drive!!!! Free space before defragment was at least 4.5Gb. I'm now stuffed and haven't got a clue what to do! The HD is not that big - 20Gb

Any ideas?

Bas.
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Old 09-06-2008   #2
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Default Re: Defrag has filled the hard drive!!!! Help!!

A defrag will not fill your hard drive. Do you have System Restore on?
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Old 09-06-2008   #3
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Default Re: Defrag has filled the hard drive!!!! Help!!

It was on, but has disabled itself, due to low disk space apparently. I had to delete some files to get it working again, hoping it could restore back to earlier today. It's now set to "monitoring". Is it possible to use this to get back to my starting point?

Thanks!
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Old 09-06-2008   #4
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Default Re: Defrag has filled the hard drive!!!! Help!!

No, it will not get you back to your starting point, it only reinstates system files, not what is on the HDD.

The reason I ask is because this is likely the culprit - most problems with disappearing free space involve it. Have you tried disabling it and clearing its backups?
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Old 09-06-2008   #5
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Default Re: Defrag has filled the hard drive!!!! Help!!

You need 10 to 15% free space so the defrag utility has room to move files around.

Move or backup to cdr / dvd any unneeded files (delete system restore points / music / photos / videos etc.) from the drive you are trying to defrag, as well just to lighten the load...
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Old 09-06-2008   #6
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Default Re: Defrag has filled the hard drive!!!! Help!!

Turned off system restore and cleaned out the retore points, but it'snot made much difference - a few meg only.

Any other suggestions? I just know there's 4+ Gb of usless files on the HD and it's frustrating!
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Old 09-06-2008   #7
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Default Re: Defrag has filled the hard drive!!!! Help!!

Originally Posted by Arctos View Post
You need 10 to 15% free space so the defrag utility has room to move files around.

Move or backup to cdr / dvd any unneeded files (delete system restore points / music / photos / videos etc.) from the drive you are trying to defrag, as well just to lighten the load...
Arctos,

The HD had 24% free space ebfore I set defrag running. When I came back, it was full - 0% free space. That's the issue - how do I recover?

Ta,

Bas.
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