Solved Old HD Recovery lead to little to no Disk Space left

[CountMike]

Well, looks like you got C drive pretty well under control.

 

[BinkerNate]

No, I don't. I'm still missing 200+GB. It's suppose to be 3 hundred something GB remaining, based on 424GB I had before the data recovery, and the 80GB that I ended up getting, does not equal to 80GB remaining on my disk space. The only theory I have is that, because I did the recovery twice because the first time didn't work, that my computer has those files hidden somewhere. Or, there is a problem in making my C: say its 80GB remaining, when in fact as you highlight inside C: or use disk savvy, you have alot more.

 

[BinkerNate]

Issue: disk space is small. Problem? Error? NEED HELP!

This all started when I connected an enclosure (I used a Dynex Enclosure), with my old hard drive inside, to transfer files to my new computer's hard drive. The first time didn't transfer everything I wanted, and the second one transferred more than the first, but lead to a massive fall of my remaining storage. It was 0 at first, until I deleted the folder containing the first attempt, rising it up to 80GB. This machine holds 465GB, and before all this it was 422GB; that means 340+GBs were missing or used somewhere else.

I have tried everything: disk cleanup (which gave me back few hundred MBs), apps like disk savvy and finding duplicate files (which just gave me back 1GB), all leading up to the final solution to fix the problem, which turned out to be not the final solution at all: a reinstall reset. Before I did that, I transferred all of my files to my laptop so I wouldn't lose them, and during that I managed to find 5-6 found folders that were corrupted system files concerning data I tried to get back mixed in with what I did get back, and got rid of those, giving me back 8GBs. Now after the reset, and because the files were gone, it didn't make any differences. I got 195GB out of 465GB, and once those files were put back in, and the what not from the computer itself, I now have 90-91GB remaining.

The problem and issue is still going on. I have no other ideas in what this could be. I need someone(s) to come over and help me with this issue. It's just nuts.

 

[Slartybart]

Let's keep it simple.

Your Win8 machine is only two weeks old, it was purchased to help with the data recovery issue.
There shouldn't be too much personal data on it at this point.
Forget about the recovered data you keep putting on the C:\ drive - you have a safe copy.

I helped you recover your files on SevenForums:
Post# 109: Desktop not working: I need my hard drive back! - Page 6 - Windows 7 Help Forums
It was decided to forego the Lucid Puppy copy since you had a safe copy of the data.

The free space on your C:\ drive was chewed up during the process, I don't know how or why.
Your data is safe on another machine.

I suggested a full Reset, pointing to this tutorial:
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2302-reset-windows-8-a.html

You claim that you followed the instructions, but the free space was still an issue.

What you need, in my opinion, is help with a full Reset. I don't know Win8, so I suggested that you post here.

I also recommend shrinking your C:\ drive after the Reset and creating a new partition to hold your recovered data. The disk is initialized as GPT, so you don't have to consider the 4 partition limit with an MBR disk.

That's about all I can do

Bill
.

 

[BinkerNate]

Remember that image I posted that said "get started" on both rest and refresh options? I used that, as that's how the reset was successfully executed. The results obviously were a different story.

Honestly, I don't want to do a reset again. It just seems pointless now.

Do you think I should call Windows (if a 1-800 number exists) or iBUYPOWER since they built this machine?

 

[Slartybart]

Sure, a call to iBUYPOWER should straighten this out. Don't be surprised if they suggest a Reset, and don't rule that out if they do.

 

[BinkerNate]

I hope not. I already did the reset, and did it right, please understand that. If it didn't do it right the first time, it won't the second time.

I wonder if it's just not reading it right.

Plus, I don't know if it's reading, still, the old HD. Weird if it did, and I don't think it is (the math doesn't add up, then again neither does how much left in this machine).

Maybe they can help. But then, maybe I need to talk to someone else. Just don't know who

 

[BinkerNate]

Bump

I need this issue fixed, it's driving me insane. I can't be the first to have encountered this.

 

[frozwire]

You may try to low level format your drive before doing a clean fresh OS install again. Or alternatively you could also use diskpart clean all before the OS setup.

 

[BinkerNate]

I can't low level format my drive because it won't allow me to, stating it will screw up my computer.

As for diskpart...IDK, let me see....

 

[CountMike]

I can't low level format my drive because it won't allow me to, stating it will screw up my computer.

As for diskpart...IDK, let me see....

Not "That" low level format, just "Safe erase" to fill disk with zeroes so there's no hidden leftovers. Can do all that thru Easus Partition Master, can do a partition at a time without affecting others. It's "Wipe partition" or "Wipe data" depending weather you want to wipe undefined or defined partition. Either way it replaces any data with zeroes and you can choose how many times it does it.

 

[BinkerNate]

Just to update a bit:
Okay, I called iBUYPOWER, and found out something. Remember that image I posted with the "refresh/reinstall" on it? That's not where I was suppose to go. Because Win8 caused that confusion, I actually refreshed my computer, not actually reset it, even though the steps were very much like how I saw them when I first got this thing. As I told them and I will say it here: I will do the reset, even call them so they can help me and be safe, but I'll have to do this tomorrow or Thursday, as I'm going to be away tonight until tomorrow. I will have to redo the transfer from this to my laptop to save what was here. Hopefully this'll work this time.

 

[Slartybart]

Thanks Nate, I posted on SF.

I think we should finish over there. The threads on EF were to get you past the free space issue. I won't post in both places, but a link would be helpful once you start in case anyone is trying to follow this to a resolution.

As we discussed, let me know when you finish the Reset and I can suggest how best to partition your drive to isolate the OS from data.

 

[BinkerNate]

PROBLEM SOLVED

Here's what happened:
I called iBUYPOWER to do the reset, but once we started doing that, we reached a problem and also the main problem for this issue: the reset could not be done because the drive, most likely due to the file transfer, got corrupted. That would explain the GB loss. So the only option was to do the clean install, which required completely deleting all partitions, and popping in the other two discs following the reinstall for the motherboard and video/audio/etc.

After doing all that...I GOT MY GBS BACK!

YES!

And as advised to do so after this was completed, I transferred my files back, and the remaining storage is the true remaining GBs: 344GB, not 80GB, out of 465GB. So, success!

Thanks for out for those who helped me on the two problems: files from the old HD, and the GBs from the new. Sure there were negatives here and there, but the fact that the issue was resolved in the end is the greatest thing that makes the bad days worth it.

Till next time!