Freeing up space
OK, this is weird. I need to free up disk space. Of coarse, the old argument of folder sizes rages on. But I am using ExploreXP in compatibilty mode, and it is working. BUT I am running into a bumch of symbolic links. There is 20+ gigs in 'Application Data' When i try to follow it it gives me an access denied. If I go to 'ProgramData' and back again to 'Application Data' Access denied. If I follow this in ExploreXP, the folders are nested 10+ deep, and the folder keeps getting smaller and smaller. I included a pic, but you get the point. All I want is my 20 gigs back :( What is going on here, How do I get rid of these 20+ gigs of data??? BlankMonkey
July 24th, 2012 1:15pm

Hello, start with "disk cleanup" from the accesoires, system tools. Which OS version are you talking about here?Best regards Meinolf Weber MVP, MCP, MCTS Microsoft MVP - Directory Services My Blog: http://msmvps.com/blogs/mweber/ Disclaimer: This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties or guarantees and confers no rights.
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July 24th, 2012 2:36pm

Hi, I suggest you use tree size professional SW(SW link:http://www.jam-software.com/treesize_free/) and navigate the folder/drive. Using SW analyze disk space first and then delete unnecessary data from folder/drive. Regards, Ravikumar P
July 24th, 2012 2:40pm

Hello, start with "disk cleanup" from the accesoires, system tools. Which OS version are you talking about here?Best regards Meinolf Weber MVP, MCP, MCTS Microsoft MVP - Directory Services My Blog: http://msmvps.com/blogs/mweber/ Disclaimer: This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties or guarantees and confers no rights.
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July 24th, 2012 2:41pm

Hi, I suggest you use tree size professional SW(SW link:http://www.jam-software.com/treesize_free/) and navigate the folder/drive. Using SW analyze disk space first and then delete unnecessary data from folder/drive. Regards, Ravikumar P Well from what I can tell, this person is using a Terminal Server and that option would not be feasible. Monkey, In Server 2008 and Server 2008 R2, a simple "Everyone" ACE(Access Control Entry) is added with "Deny" privileges to all of the user system directories you named above. In icacls, you'll see "Everyone:(DENY)(S,RD) and Everyone:(RX)" To access it, you can remove the ACE if it permits you via Admin privileges... however, of course it is not recommended. You should backup your Access Control Lists. Open CMD with "Run As Administrator" and run this command. Just run the icacls [folder path] /save FILE.TXT /t /c - T is for Tree C is for Continue thru Errors such as denial for tree depths you're restricted from. FYI, cleanmgr.exe might work to fix the application data folder being filled with junk like temp files. Application Data is just a Junction folder for %userprofile%\Appdata\Roaming... if you have doubt, press the SuperKey(windows logo) + R, run CMD and type dir /a in your homepath. Steve Kline Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Server Administrator Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Active Directory, Network Infrastructure, Application Platform, Windows 7 Microsoft Certified Product Specialist & Network Product Specialist Red Hat Certified System Administrator Microsoft Community Contributor Award 2011 This posting is "as is" without warranties and confers no rights.
July 24th, 2012 3:00pm

Hi, I suggest you use tree size professional SW(SW link:http://www.jam-software.com/treesize_free/) and navigate the folder/drive. Using SW analyze disk space first and then delete unnecessary data from folder/drive. Regards, Ravikumar P Well from what I can tell, this person is using a Terminal Server and that option would not be feasible. Monkey, In Server 2008 and Server 2008 R2, a simple "Everyone" ACE(Access Control Entry) is added with "Deny" privileges to all of the user system directories you named above. In icacls, you'll see "Everyone:(DENY)(S,RD) and Everyone:(RX)" To access it, you can remove the ACE if it permits you via Admin privileges... however, of course it is not recommended. You should backup your Access Control Lists. Open CMD with "Run As Administrator" and run this command. Just run the icacls [folder path] /save FILE.TXT /t /c - T is for Tree C is for Continue thru Errors such as denial for tree depths you're restricted from. FYI, cleanmgr.exe might work to fix the application data folder being filled with junk like temp files. Application Data is just a Junction folder for %userprofile%\Appdata\Roaming... if you have doubt, press the SuperKey(windows logo) + R, run CMD and type dir /a in your homepath. Steve Kline Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Server Administrator Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Active Directory, Network Infrastructure, Application Platform, Windows 7 Microsoft Certified Product Specialist & Network Product Specialist Red Hat Certified System Administrator Microsoft Community Contributor Award 2011 This posting is "as is" without warranties and confers no rights. Hi Steve, What my intention was in previous post is, if we install tree size professional SW in server (either in remote or local server) then we can easily analyze the drive and figure out what and all folders occupies more used space. Based on the data we can delete unnecessary files/folders by using scripts or commands or manual deletion. Moreover all this activities can be done by admin or user who have local admin rights to particular server.Regards, Ravikumar P
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July 24th, 2012 3:16pm

Thank you for your reply; This is 2008 x32, but I have the same problem on a 2008 r2 sp1 server. I have run the cleanmgr, but it only gave me back 128 megs.BlankMonkey
July 24th, 2012 3:40pm

well, that dir /a to find out where the junction joints to is VERY helpful, thankyou :) I can bypass the ACL, and have in the past, but bad things happend, so I hesitate to do so. Mostly I want to know where the data is, and that command may do the trick, let me look some more, I will be right back :) BlankMonkey
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July 24th, 2012 3:46pm

So this is what I am seeing not very helpful :( It points at itself. You can see at the bottom how much space is taken, but I cant find it :( BlankMonkey
July 24th, 2012 3:51pm

Thank you for your reply; This is 2008 x32, but I have the same problem on a 2008 r2 sp1 server. I have run the cleanmgr, but it only gave me back 128 megs. BlankMonkey Well... Without knowing the use of these servers its hard to say what is what... haven't given that much information about the environment other than the symptom your experiencing. ProgramData\Application Data > Junction > "C:\ProgramData" %userprofile%\Application Data > Junction > "%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming" Even if you remove the "Everyone" deny from the access control list, it just continues to loop repetitively with no end because it links back to the ProgramData folder... This was warned in the junction features of the NTFS File System. reg query "HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\explorer\shell folders" reg query "HKCU\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\explorer\shell folders" Also running Dir /aL /s might get you through some of the questions about Windows Vista/7 or later Junction folders that are created for backwards compatibility. You've already got access to the folders you're trying to access, you just need to understand where the junction points are to filter out false positives. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb968829(v=vs.85).aspx Best Regards, Steve Kline Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Server Administrator Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Active Directory, Network Infrastructure, Application Platform, Windows 7 Microsoft Certified Product Specialist & Network Product Specialist Red Hat Certified System Administrator Microsoft Community Contributor Award 2011 This posting is "as is" without warranties and confers no rights.
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July 24th, 2012 4:04pm

Small output from dir /aL /s with pertinent information omitted. Volume in drive C has no label. Volume Serial Number is ####-#### Directory of C:\ 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> Documents and Settings [C:\Users] 0 File(s) 0 bytes Directory of C:\Documents and Settings 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <SYMLINKD> All Users [C:\ProgramData] 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> Default User [C:\Users\Default] 0 File(s) 0 bytes Directory of C:\Documents and Settings\All Users 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> Application Data [C:\ProgramData] 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> Desktop [C:\Users\Public\Desktop] 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> Documents [C:\Users\Public\Documents] 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> Favorites [C:\Users\Public\Favorites] 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> Start Menu [C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu] 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> Templates [C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates] 0 File(s) 0 bytes Directory of C:\Documents and Settings\Default 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> Application Data [C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming] 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> Cookies [C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies] 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> Local Settings [C:\Users\Default\AppData\Local] 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> My Documents [C:\Users\Default\Documents] 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> NetHood [C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts] 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> PrintHood [C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts] 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> Recent [C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent] 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> SendTo [C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo] 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> Start Menu [C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu] 07/14/2009 01:08 AM <JUNCTION> Templates [C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates]Steve Kline Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Server Administrator Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Active Directory, Network Infrastructure, Application Platform, Windows 7 Microsoft Certified Product Specialist & Network Product Specialist Red Hat Certified System Administrator Microsoft® Community Contributor Award 2011 This posting is "as is" without warranties and confers no rights.
July 24th, 2012 4:07pm

Still unclear, can you post the size of the ProgramData folder. That only shows 10,666 Bytes used by 1 file. Run Dir /a /s in C:\ProgramData and you will find the total disk consumption in that folder. Steve Kline Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Server Administrator Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Active Directory, Network Infrastructure, Application Platform, Windows 7 Microsoft Certified Product Specialist & Network Product Specialist Red Hat Certified System Administrator Microsoft Community Contributor Award 2011 This posting is "as is" without warranties and confers no rights.
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July 26th, 2012 4:12pm

any updates for your issue?
August 6th, 2012 4:05am

I dont know. I get some of the numbers from the 3rd party tool, so they are probably wrong. Still, I am unable to find where some of these files are hiding so I can clean up space. I will say that the DIR command line switches helped me track down the links, so if there is an anwser, that one helped the most.BlankMonkey
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August 14th, 2012 6:10pm

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