Windows 7 Backup & Other Files
Hi, what exactly are "Other Files" as seen in "Manage Windows Backup disk space", and can this space be reduced? I'm using Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. My "Other Files" are using 62 GB. Maybe this is just coincidence, but the Properties of my data drive show that 153 GB is used. However, if I highlight and right-click all the folders on my data drive (of course everything is unhidden), then the total size, including backup images, is 91 GB. The difference is 62 GB, so are these the mysterious "Other Files"? Many thanks in advance for any replies!
August 29th, 2010 2:29am

Hi, what exactly are "Other Files" as seen in "Manage Windows Backup disk space", and can this space be reduced? I'm using Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. "Other Files" represents the backups from another computer present on the backup disk.
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August 29th, 2010 2:36am

I recommand to you to have a look to this article: http://blogs.technet.com/b/filecab/archive/2009/11/23/managing-backup-disk-space.aspx It is about managing backup disk space. Best regards.
August 29th, 2010 2:37am

Hi, thanks very much for the replies, but I don't have any backup files from other computers on this system. How can I reclaim this 62 GB? I read the blog, but it didn't really tell me anything new. It says to free up space click on the browse button (opens Explorer to the place specified for the backups, but like I wrote, this 62 GB is not visible. The Properties of the drive shows 153 GB used, but if I highlight all folders and files on the drive and select Properties, it shows 91 GB (difference of 62 GB). Of course in Folder Options, all the options to "Hide" certain files are unchecked, and the option to show hidden files and folders is selected.
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August 31st, 2010 2:34am

To enable the viewing of hidden and protected system files in Windows 7 please follow these steps mentioned in this link: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial151.html Follow them and tell me if the 62 GB is visbile now or not. Best regards.
August 31st, 2010 4:49am

Many thanks for the response, but apparently you missed "the option to show hidden files and folders is selected". Of course everything is already unhidden. (I've been supporting MS systems since the mid 90's, so I at least know the basics. Unhiding files and folders is one of the first things I do when setting up an OS, because, after all, why would anyone want anything to be hidden?) Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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August 31st, 2010 7:44am

"the option to show hidden files and folders is selected". Of course everything is already unhidden. Of course I am sure that "the option to show hidden files and folders is selected". Just I sent the article because there is other options that should be unchecked: - Hide extensions for known file types - Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) Make sure that these options are not checked so that you will be able to see all the hidden and protected files. Best regards.
August 31st, 2010 2:49pm

Yes, both are unchecked. Like I wrote above, "in Folder Options, all the options to 'Hide' certain files are unchecked, and the option to show hidden files and folders is selected".
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August 31st, 2010 10:49pm

Okay, have a look to this Microsoft article, it is about how to delete files using Disk Cleanup: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Delete-files-using-Disk-Cleanup See if it solve your problem. Best regards.
August 31st, 2010 11:51pm

OK. In Disk Cleanup there were 0 files to clean up, but there was an option for System Files. I chose this, and chose my data drive. Under the "More Options" tab there's the option to "free more space by removing all but the most recent restore point". I do not want to do this, and it doesn't make sense this would help anyway. Any other ideas? Thanks.
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September 1st, 2010 8:10pm

Hi, Thanks for posting in Microsoft TechNet forums. Disk space missing can be related to VSS, Updates, Winsxs, Pagefil.sys, Hiberfil.sys, Indexing databases, Copies of installation media. It is recommended to temporarily disable these services one by one to identify the cause. For detailed information, please visit the following link: Disk Space Best Regards Dale Qiao TechNet Subscriber Support in forum. If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.com Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
September 10th, 2010 9:32am

Hi, thanks very much for the info. The blog was enlightening, and much of it I did not know about W7. However, the mystery used space still exists. None of the mentioned items seem to be the culprit. VSS (System Protection, etc?): N/A, all disabled. Updates: not sure, but seems unlikely on the data (D) drive. Winsxs: N/A, on C drive. Pagefil.sys: N/A, on C drive only. Hiberfil.sys: N/A, disabled. Indexing databases: not sure, but seems unlikely. Copies of installation media: not sure, but seems unlikely. My original post mentioned Windows Backup, but now I think this may have been a false assumption. Explorer (Properties of D drive) now shows 175 GB being used instead of 160 GB, even though the Windows Backup "Other Files" remains at 60 GB. I'm not sure what to do. Unless there are other suggestions, I'm going to backup my data to external drive, format the D drive, and restore from backup.
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September 16th, 2010 4:12pm

Other files is the reference to the size of non-backup files on the target drive. Navigate to the backup drive and locate the backup file, usually with a drive icon and the computer name. Double click it and select manage space used by this backup. You will see in the summary, the backup is the first two entries. The other files space used is next and should correspond to the amount of non-backup files on the target drive. (whatever data was there before the backup was created) The size of the backup should be a compressed amount of the drives\data that you selected for backup. If you let it default, it backs up all drives and network shares. So, the math from your original post is correct. 91BKup + 62Other = 153Used This computer has a small C:\ drive and a 500gb Data drive. The summary reveals 1.43 data backup, 25.59 system backup, 207.79gb "other files" = 234.81 Windows explorer, data drive properties, shows 234gb used. So, the 207.79~208gb is my non-backup stuff, which is correct. So, the answer to your original post to reclaim the "Other" space is to move or delete any non-backup files\data. You can test by transferring all of the non-backup files to a third drive and then check the usage.
September 17th, 2010 6:22am

Hi Nano. A million thanks for the information! That's all I really needed to know. It all makes sense now. Just one more question: any idea why my "System Image" is 94 GB, when my system drive is only 22 GB? I thought the backups were supposed to be incremental? Otherwise, you can consider the issue resolved. Thanks again. Chris
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September 17th, 2010 1:03pm

Your other drive(s) and networked data are being backed up along with the system drive. Start\Control Panel\System and Security\Backup and Restore and select change my settings. You then select a destination location and next select what you want to backup. You can uncheck the Data drive for the sytem image if you like. There you will see the contents of the backup file. It will show you the composition of the 94gb. They are incremental. You need the first complete image, after that only changes are backed up until 6 or 8 backups. Then it ask you to perform a new complete system image. That starts a new set and doesn't delete the prior set. That's where the manage the space options are you used after a few sets accumulate. I hope that helps.
September 17th, 2010 4:58pm

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