Can't delete folder & 120 GB missing space on external

Loopy

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The folder still will not delete from the Toshiba external drive. On the external drive I have 4 folders which total 705 GB but the properties say that there is 888GB used space and only 45 GB free space. I ran chkdsk but after it had run for hours it said that there was insufficient space. I deleted many files from the drive, the recycle bin on the desktop and the one on the external drive were both empty, I ran Seatools long generic scan which came back as 'pass'. I've run anti-virus checks too. I've shown hidden files and folders and protected system folders but this didn't help to find out where my space has gone. I've been trying to remember the name of any of the deleted files with the idea to carry out a search of the whole drive to see if that brings up anything but at the moment I can't remember any of the deleted file names.

I've remembered that, not long before this problem arose, I was typing something and one of the fingers of my left hand caught a key and a small message flashed on the screen but it didn't stay long enough to read it, I have no idea which key it was but it was in the lower left area of the keyboard around where the windows key is located, and, with typing so quickly I could have hit a key with my right hand at the same time and I'm wondering if this has done some weird system thing causing 2 problems the first being the missing space and the second being the folder and files that will not delete.
Loopy

Getting desperate, can anyone help please?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Novatech 1868 C
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 4460 @ 3.20GHz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. H81M-DS2V
    Memory
    8.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 798MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4600 (Gigabyte)
    Browser
    Firefox 41.0
    Antivirus
    Avast Free
There is a free program (SpaceSniffer) that will help you find what files or folders is using up all the storage on your hard drive.

SpaceSniffer, find lost disk space the easy way.

To delete the folders, create a live Linux USB flash drive, boot from the flash drive, and then delete the folders. Just remember, when you delete a file or folder with live Linux, you have to empty the Trash (Recycle Bin) before you shutdown. Window calls it the Recycle Bin and Linux calls it Trash or Trash Can.

Just in case you're not fimilar with live Linux, it is an operating system that runs off the flash drive. No files are written to your hard drive. Once you Shutdown, no trace of it is left. I like Linux Mint because it's very similar to Windows 7. You will have no trouble using it.

If your computer has UEFI, here is a guide to make the flash drive. If your computer came with Windows 8, it has UEFI.

https://www.lifewire.com/create-uefi-bootable-linux-mint-usb-2202084

If your computer came with a BIOS, use this guide to make the flash drive. If your computer came with Windows 7 or below, it has a BIOS.

https://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/

[EDIT] I just made the Live Linux flash drive for UEFI and it worked fine. One thing I did notice is the trash can is not on the desktop. To place it on the desktop, I first clicked on the Menu button. It's on the bottom left of the screen. Same place as Start button for Windows. Then I type "trash" in the search bar. One folder came up named Desktop. I clicked on Desktop and a new window came up. In this new window you can add or remove items from the desktop. Next to Trash click "On".
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro
Tried Space Sniffer and Linux Mint

I used SpaceSniffer as you suggested, it shows 180GB as Unaccessible. I had a quick try with Linux Mint, it didn't like the drive and I haven't got enough experience with Linux to go any further with that just now and I don't want to risk damaging the external drive, I will investigate Linux later. I did a Sea Tools check and the result is that the drive passed the long generic test. So, in the meantime, is there any way I can get to this unaccessible 180GB and make it accessible?

Loopy
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Novatech 1868 C
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 4460 @ 3.20GHz
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. H81M-DS2V
    Memory
    8.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 798MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4600 (Gigabyte)
    Browser
    Firefox 41.0
    Antivirus
    Avast Free
I'm out of ideas on how to access the unaccessible portion of the drive. There is a hard drive guru on our sister site Windows 7 Forum. I would post your problem there and hope he picks it up. The only other thing I would suggest is to buy another portable drive and back up everything to the new drive. Then I would format the troubled drive and see if that fixes it.

Windows 7 Help Forums
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro
See if the easeus data recovery software does the trick
Add to that excellent suggestion: MiniTools Partition Wizard and MiniTools Power Data Recovery, both free versions.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 7 Pro 64bit [MS blue-disk set]
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    2 Acers & 1 Antec[?]
    CPU
    i7 in 2 Acers, i5 in desktop
    Motherboard
    Desktop w/Gigabyte
    Memory
    Two w/16GB, 1 w/8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Laptops GameWorthy; Desktop maybe GameWorthy
    Monitor(s) Displays
    flatscreens; 2 are BluRay worthy
    Screen Resolution
    1368x768; 1600x900
    Hard Drives
    1TB internals; 2 ext usb WD 1TB HDs
    PSU
    what's PSU?
    Cooling
    Regular plus external fans
    Keyboard
    desktio w/PS2
    Mouse
    desktop w/PS2
    Internet Speed
    DSL middle level [160?]
    Browser
    from Netscape 0.9 to FF 36
    Antivirus
    well-balanced, well-configured mult-layered defense is best
    Other Info
    From MS-DOS 3.3, MS-DOS 6.22, from Windows 3.1 to WFW 3.11 to Windows 95-98SE, now to Windows 7 Pro.
    Security for now: Windows 7 Firewall, Emsisoft AM, MSE [scan-only], SpywareBlaster, Ruiware/BillP combine
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