Space mysteriously gone with the update to Windows 8.1

[Kluta]

Hi,

I just found out that some of space in one of my partition is occupied by NO file after I updated my Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 via MS Store. There is no file hidden in the partition but the computer shows me that 3GB of a partition in my second hard drive are being used.
What I did on my computer before I updated Windows 8 were:
1. Recovered my PC to the factory state
2. Formatted all partitions in both hard drives (the primary one has 3 partitions, not including those Windows hidden partitions, and the second one has 4 partitions).
3. Updated my Windows 8
4. Went through the setup screens

Then I found that 3GB of a partition in the second drive is being used, but there is no file or hidden file there.
Do you know what behind this usage???

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Welcome to Windows EightForums, Kluta.

Please post or fill out your system specs in your profile to better help you. Is this a laptop or tower PC?

 

[Ztruker]

Install Treesize Free or WinDirStat . They will show you exactly where the disk space is being used.

 

[CountMike]

What about "Hide operating system files" ? There should be at least "System Volume Information".

 

[roodap]

why not try chkdsk [it will do it during next startup] schedule.
it is supposed to find fault with free space also.

 

[Kluta]

Hi! I just came back from a trip. I posted this before I took off. So sorry about the late reply.
I made the Windows show the system files...as CountMike said, there are RECYCLE.BIN and "System Volume Information" folders hidden. I guess those 3GB were from these folder...however I cannot access the system volume folder as it pops the access denied message when I double clicked it. Also, interestingly, these folders in other partitions are not that huge. I hope they are not virus or any things harmful (since I haven't done anything on this computer besides the factory restore, drive formatting and Windows 8.1 update)

My question is that whether it is safe to delete these folders? (I mean format this drive to get rid of the folders)

Thanks!

 

[CountMike]

Hi! I just came back from a trip. I posted this before I took off. So sorry about the late reply.
I made the Windows show the system files...as CountMike said, there are RECYCLE.BIN and "System Volume Information" folders hidden. I guess those 3GB were from these folder...however I cannot access the system volume folder as it pops the access denied message when I double clicked it. Also, interestingly, these folders in other partitions are not that huge. I hope they are not virus or any things harmful (since I haven't done anything on this computer besides the factory restore, drive formatting and Windows 8.1 update)

My question is that whether it is safe to delete these folders? (I mean format this drive to get rid of the folders)

Thanks!

Should be safe to reformat that partition if it's not a first partition on a system (BOOT) drive. You can prevent that from happening again if you prevent System Restore and recycle bin for that partition / disk.