wondering if you can help me, because this has confused the hell out of me! i have no idea why i only have 1.92GB left on my 60GB hard drive. i am 99% sure that i have NOT used up 57GB!! i've recently started making DVDd's, which need about 15GB free hard drive space which wasn't a problem. after making every DVD i would delete all the files, then make another... bu every time i would check how much space i had free... there was never the same as when i started (if that makes sense) i am losing about 5GB at a time and i don't know how. when checking the folders through my computer try and locate the problem, program files has 19.5 GB which sounds about right, a few folders with just a few MB then it says that 'documents and settings' folder has 33GB!! i don't see how that's possible because there isn't a lot there. when i open up that folder and check the folders inside, there is a folder named 'eli' that has 33mb... then when i open that folder.. all the folders inside that one (cookies, desktop, favourites, my documents, start menu, user data, windows) add up to a TOTAL of about 9 GB... so where have the 24GB gone?? i hope that makes sense, and i hope someone can help. i really don't want to format my c drive if at all possible, and i have already tried using system restore which didn't work. i thought it might be a virus at first, but i have norton 2003 proffessional edition which is fully updated and i have done a complete system scan and there's no virus' showing up. thanks in advance for any suggestions eli

Might not work but try creating a new folder and transfer the 9gb of data you want from "eli" then delete the original folder. rename your new folder "eli". Other possibility since you say you are making DVDs is your swap file may be very large and that's where all your HDD space is going.

thanks for the suggestion the folder idea didn't work (unfortunately) i'm sorry to sound stupid, but what do you mean by 'swap file'? thanks again eli

A swap file is something windows uses as extra RAM, except it uses a chunk of your harddrive instead. To see how large your swap file is, right-click on My Computer, select properties, then the Advanced tab along the top. In the Performance box, click settings, then under the Advanced tab again change the Virtual Memory (500 meg minimum and 500 meg maximum is perfect for a home pc) apply and exit. I don't know if this is your problem, I doubt it, but it's worth a look!

thanks for the info. i tried it and it didn't work :( if no-one has any other suggestions.... if i could get my hands on a spare 40GB hard drive, install it then move all the files i want over to it, then remove it, format my c drive to clear the entire computer, then re-install the drive.. will all the files still be on it? or do i need to back everything up to cd before i format the c drive?? does that makes any sense? thanks again eli

Hi Have you gone to start.search>for files and folders.type in dvd I am sure you will find all the large files you need to delete. BOB

make sure that in tools -> folder options, you are showing system files, and showing hidden files. i bet you have some hidden temporary files that are adding up. sorry richard, but it cant be the pagefile because the pagefile is not stored in documents and settings, it is stored in the file c:\pagefile.sys, and he says that all of the extra space is coming from c:\documents and settings. my guess is you have temp files that you have been collecting. show hidden and system files then delete them.