where is free space

• Pagefile and Hibernation File: Windows reserves space for a pagefile (pagefile.sys) and a hibernation file (hiberfil.sys). These can be quite large, especially if you have a lot of memory. If you don’t use hibernation, you can disable it to reclaim some space.
• System Restore and Shadow Copies: Sometimes, system restore points and shadow copies (Volume Shadow Copy Service) take up a surprising amount of disk space.
• Reserved Storage: In Windows 10/11, Microsoft introduced reserved storage that sets aside a chunk of your disk for updates and system tasks. This space is “reserved” and might not show up in your regular disk usage tools.
• Temporary Files and Update Caches: Over time, temporary files, Windows update caches, logs, and other “temporary” data can accumulate. The Disk Cleanup tool or Storage Sense can help identify and remove these.
• Hidden or System Files: There are also some hidden folders (like the Windows.old folder, if you did an upgrade) that might be lurking.

• Use a tool like [url='https://windirstat.net/] or a similar disk usage analyzer. These tools can help visualize what’s taking up space, including hidden files.
• Open File Explorer, go to View -> Options -> View tab, and select “Show hidden files, folders, and drives.” Also, uncheck “Hide protected operating system files.”
• Run Disk Cleanup as an administrator and click “Clean up system files” – then check for Windows Update cleanup and system restore files.

powercfg /hibernate off

ChatGPT said:

Hi azureblade,
It sounds like Windows is playing hide and seek with your space – and quite successfully hiding about 18GB from you. There are a few common culprits that might be “eating” your free space:

• Pagefile and Hibernation File: Windows reserves space for a pagefile (pagefile.sys) and a hibernation file (hiberfil.sys). These can be quite large, especially if you have a lot of memory. If you don’t use hibernation, you can disable it to reclaim some space.
• System Restore and Shadow Copies: Sometimes, system restore points and shadow copies (Volume Shadow Copy Service) take up a surprising amount of disk space.
• Reserved Storage: In Windows 10/11, Microsoft introduced reserved storage that sets aside a chunk of your disk for updates and system tasks. This space is “reserved” and might not show up in your regular disk usage tools.
• Temporary Files and Update Caches: Over time, temporary files, Windows update caches, logs, and other “temporary” data can accumulate. The Disk Cleanup tool or Storage Sense can help identify and remove these.
• Hidden or System Files: There are also some hidden folders (like the Windows.old folder, if you did an upgrade) that might be lurking.

A couple of steps to track it down:

• Use a tool like https://windirstat.net/]WinDirStat[/url] or a similar disk usage analyzer. These tools can help visualize what’s taking up space, including hidden files.
• Open File Explorer, go to View -> Options -> View tab, and select “Show hidden files, folders, and drives.” Also, uncheck “Hide protected operating system files.”
• Run Disk Cleanup as an administrator and click “Clean up system files” – then check for Windows Update cleanup and system restore files.

Windows can be notoriously “generous” with reserved and hidden files. Even if you calculated everything, system-reserved space might not be immediately apparent. If you’re curious about the hibernation file size, open Command Prompt as an administrator and run:

Code:

powercfg /hibernate off

(This will disable hibernation and remove the hiberfil.sys file. If you use hibernation, you might want to keep it active.)
Hopefully, this points you in the right direction to reclaim or at least locate your missing 18GB. Let me know if you need more details on any of the steps, and I’d be happy to dive deeper!
Cheers,
ChatGPT

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• Pagefile and Hibernation File: Check your pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys sizes. Depending on your system’s memory, these files can take up several gigabytes. If you don’t use hibernation, you can disable it using the command:
  Code:

  powercfg /hibernate off

  (remember, this will remove the hiberfil.sys file).
• System Restore and Shadow Copies: Sometimes restore points or shadow copy data can occupy additional space. You might want to review the disk space allocated for system protection. Right-click on This PC -> Properties -> System Protection to check the settings and consider reducing the disk space usage or deleting older restore points.
• Reserved Storage and Windows Update Files: Windows reserves some space for updates and system tasks, which might not be cleared even with standard cleaners. You could try running the Disk Cleanup tool as an administrator and choose “Clean up system files” to see if there are residual update files.
• Other Hidden Files: There can be other system-reserved or hidden files that aren't immediately visible in Explorer. Tools like [url='https://windirstat.net/] or similar disk analyzers can help visualize your disk usage and might reveal additional hidden culprits.

• Pagefile and Hibernation File: These system files can take up multiple GB depending on your system RAM. Check if your hiberfil.sys (used for hibernation) or pagefile.sys are consuming space. If you rarely use hibernation, you can disable it with
  Code:

  powercfg /hibernate off

  (this removes the hiberfil.sys file).
• System Restore and Shadow Copies: Your system might be holding on to multiple restore points or shadow copies. Go to Control Panel → System → System Protection and click on Configure to see how much space is allocated for System Restore. You might consider deleting older restore points or reducing the disk space used.
• Windows Update Files and Reserved Storage: In Windows 10/11, there’s a portion of reserved storage for updates and system functions that isn’t always cleaned up. Running Disk Cleanup as an administrator (click on “Clean up system files”) might reveal some hidden update files.
• Other Hidden/System Files: There might be hidden directories (like a Windows.old folder if an upgrade was done recently) that take up significant space. You could use a tool like [url='https://windirstat.net/] to visually scan your drive for large, possibly hidden files.

ChatGPT said:

Great job clearing out 12GB from your temp files and another 1GB with a cleaner – that's a nice boost of 13GB reclaimed!
Since you mentioned you were missing about 18GB, that leaves roughly 5GB unaccounted for. Here are a few more pointers that might help you track down the remaining space:

• Pagefile and Hibernation File: Check your pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys sizes. Depending on your system’s memory, these files can take up several gigabytes. If you don’t use hibernation, you can disable it using the command:
  Code:

  powercfg /hibernate off

  (remember, this will remove the hiberfil.sys file).
• System Restore and Shadow Copies: Sometimes restore points or shadow copy data can occupy additional space. You might want to review the disk space allocated for system protection. Right-click on This PC -> Properties -> System Protection to check the settings and consider reducing the disk space usage or deleting older restore points.
• Reserved Storage and Windows Update Files: Windows reserves some space for updates and system tasks, which might not be cleared even with standard cleaners. You could try running the Disk Cleanup tool as an administrator and choose “Clean up system files” to see if there are residual update files.
• Other Hidden Files: There can be other system-reserved or hidden files that aren't immediately visible in Explorer. Tools like https://windirstat.net/]WinDirStat[/url] or similar disk analyzers can help visualize your disk usage and might reveal additional hidden culprits.

It all depends on your setup—if your pagefile or hibernation file is large, that might be the extra space you're seeing in use. Let me know if you need more info on any of these steps or if you want further assistance narrowing down the mystery!
Cheers,
ChatGPT

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