scandisk

[James41]

I have a problem in windows 95. My free hard disk space was 155Mb. I ran Scandisk which suggested making an extra copy of some files for more efficient running. I let it do that but then found my free space is down to 75MB. Where are these extra copies? I can't find them. Can I delete them somehow and regain my space? Is it something to do with win386.swp the swap file which is controlled by windows. This varies of course and is now between 85Mb and 44MB. It does not empty when you close down. Is that correct? I can't delete it when windows is running. Is it safe to delete anyway? Will windows set up a new one when needed if I do? How do I delete it anyway?

[smurfy]

Hi James, sorry to take so long to reply.
So many questions lol.

Lets take one at a time:


Where are these extra copies?

Scandisk recovered files are normally in the root folder as *.chk files and Dir001 Dir002... etc folders.
Use Start>Find>Files or Folders.


Can I delete them somehow and regain my space?
You should be able to delete them right from Windows Explorer.


Is it something to do with win386.swp the swap file which is controlled by windows
Yes, this is variable as you discovered and may well have resulted in change in "free space" whether you had scandisked or not.

It does not empty when you close down. Is that correct? I can't delete it when windows is running. Is it safe to delete anyway? Will windows set up a new one when needed if I do? How do I delete it anyway?
I'm going to give you a couple of Microsoft Knowledgebase Articles to read up on...
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q128327

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q169925
(Read the more information section of this one)

Hope this helps.
Please post back if you have any more questions.

[James41]

Hi Smurfy,
I've looked in my c drive for .chk files and dir001 etc and found nothing! Slight changes to hard disk space as win386.swp changes as expected but still well down on total free space.
How can the system have more than one copy of a file with the same name as is suggested by Scandisk?

James

[smurfy]

Any directories named "Found001", "Found002" etc?

Is the drive compressed?

I can fill a hard drive with copies of an identical file (with the same name and file properties) by putting them all in their own unique directory.
There are actually viruses around that do this on purpose!

I suppose that is another possibility you haven't said you have covered so I would conduct an up-to-date virus scan as well.

Have you tried setting a fixed swap file size and seeing if scandisk makes the same sort of difference again.

[James41]

Hi Smurfy,
No "Found001" as a file or a directory. My drive is not compressed. I am running the virus scan by AVG.
When you said try fixing the swap file size did you mean to run Scandisk again and then go back to variable win386,swp ?
As I start up each day the virus checker reports no problems. The only other info I have is that the Scandisk run was a "Thorough" check and also I have a setup which runs 3.1 and windows 95.
I have also searched for SPART.PAR and 386SPART.PAR but cannot find them either. Are there hidden files and directories which you just cannot get at?

James

[smurfy]

Are there hidden files and directories which you just cannot get at?
Yes, there are, sorry I should have thought of this earlier, I'm so used to having this setting changed on all PC's I forget that M$ actually have it set as default.

From My computer, go
View
Folder Options
View TAB
There are options to "Show all files" instead of "Do not show system & hidden files"

[James41]

Hi Smurfy,
I had the setting "Show all files" throughout all of the operations.


James

[jtdoom]

you could do a search for *.tmp *.chk
and delete them
you can perhaps also empty the recycle bin, and clear internet history and internet cache
(that can be HUGE...)

about *.swp
You may actually have more than one copy of win386.swp

I think you already realise you are going to get disk full warnings.

[James41]

Jaak,
Thanks for the message but how and where do I find the second copy of the swap file? I know where the first one is.

James

[jtdoom]

same method
rightclick drive then search *.swp

(maybe the menu is called find? I have another language here...)

you MIGHT have more than one.
I know it happens at times.
But, you may just as well have just the one you already located...

[James41]

Hi JTDoom,
I've tried the search procedure but there is only one swap file on my c drive. You mentioned the internet history and internet cache. What are they filed under please?

James

[jtdoom]

it's easier when you just look in internet explorer options

[smurfy]

CyberTech Tutorial - How to delete Temp Files, Temporary Internet Files, and Cookies (http://www.cybertechhelp.com/html/tutorials/tutorial.php?id=31)

[WhitPhil]

Originally posted by James41
I ran Scandisk which suggested making an extra copy of some files for more efficient running.

I have never heard of Scandisk "offering" to do this.

Are you sure the message didn't mention CrossLinked Files and then Offer to "Copy them"? This shouldn't have taken substantially more disk space, BUT, be aware that you now have corrupted files.

Check in C:\ for a file called Scandisk.log, and if present, open it with Notepad.

[James41]

Hi WhitPhil,
Unfortunately I've run scandisk again since the problem I described so the log seems to only show that latest version. During all runs there is also a problem with it dealing with files with more than 66 characters in the filename. I choose the ignore option on these but I don't know if any of these are relevant to the loss of space. They are related to older programs which have not given any trouble before.

What sort of corruption do you think has occurred?

James

[WhitPhil]

If the error was in fact Cross Linked files, this means that you had 2 (or more files), that had at least one cluster in common. When this occurs Scandisk gives you the option to ignore, copy or delete. (note that one of the files detected is most likely OK. The cluster that is linked into the second file, belongs to this one)

(when you choose the Copy option, Scandisk copies the cluster that is being shared, and gives it to both files. This results in one file still being OK (the original owner), and the second one being corrupted)

No matter what you choose, you need to review the files that have been detected. If they are textual type files (TXT/DOC), you have a chance to save some of the info, and maybe, determine which file is still OK. If it is a system type file (exe/sys/dll/etc), the files must be restored.

And yes, just ignore the error about long names > 66 characters.

You should also consider changing your logging option to "append to log" instead of "replace log". You should always review this log after a scandisk run, but you never know when you may want to go back and look at an old run. (like now)

I don't know if Scandisk changes the creation and/or modification date of the files involved. You could try running a Find > Files > Data Tab and Select the Date range of the Scandisk run. When the file list comes back, click on the Modified Column header to sort by date/time and then review all files in the timerange that the scandisk was run.