Can't delete files on a full hard drive

**bigal** · 05-03-08, 01:50 PM

Whilst downloading a large file (on windows xp) my hard drive became full. I've tried everything, but I can't permanently delete any files off the drive. I've tried using windows to free up space but it locks up. The files will delete (and also delete from the recycle bin) but when you restart windows, the files are back.

I've tried using the windows disk and booting into dos and deleting the files but they still appear in windows. I can copy all files to another hard drive but I don't won't to reinstall windows. As there isn't any room left on the hard drive, I can't install any programs to fix the problem.

Even going into safe mode doesn't permanently delete files.

As there is no room left on the hard drive, system restore has been deactivated.

When files are deleted, the hard drive still shows no free space. It seems as though when you restart windows it restores everything to the previous state.

Any ideas?

**ssrattus** · 05-03-08, 03:39 PM

Try deleting with "Shift Delete" to remove them without going to the recycle bin.

**bigal** · 05-03-08, 04:22 PM

Tried that. Some of the files are over 2 gigs so they are automatically deleted but when I restart windows, there they are!!

**mandc** · 05-03-08, 04:39 PM

Get a copy of MoveOnBoot. It's free and this simple tool allows you to Move, Copy or Delete files before Windows can lock or alter the files.
Hope it works!

**ssrattus** · 05-03-08, 04:41 PM

Go Start --> Run and type in chkdsk C:/f and it should say something like "Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)". Type Y and then restart and see if this fixes up your problems.

**bigal** · 05-03-08, 04:53 PM

mandc, have already tried to install moveonboot before but as I previously said, can't install anything.

ssrattus, chkdsk won't run properly. I've tried setting up to start on reboot but nothing happens. I've run it under dos, seems to fix problems, but no go upon rebooting.

I'm going to get an external case so that I can clone it to another (bigger) drive using my laptop

**best4less** · 05-03-08, 04:54 PM

I used Bart pe boot disc and booted from that, it let me in to the files and also
it let me delete them

**mandc** · 05-03-08, 05:40 PM

I think your idea of the usb hdd is the way to go, even just using it to free up some space

**Colin 2905** · 05-03-08, 08:20 PM

How about a Linux LiveCD?

**bigal** · 05-03-08, 09:18 PM

best4less, I might try it but if deleting files with dos didn't permanently remove the files then I doubt if this will. I am also going to try access the drive from another computer and running a few diagnostic programs first!!
It seems as though windows is restoring itself everytime I restart it.
The funny thing is when I delete a file(no matter how big or how many), the hard drive still shows there is no free room

**ssrattus** · 05-03-08, 09:34 PM

Is this NTFS? If so Windows probably thinks the MFT (Master File Table) is corrupt somehow and on reboot is using the mirrored copy that doesn't have any deleted files. Try booting to the the recovery console and running chkdsk. it may may a slow and long process. Better still would be to copy off the important files first when you mount it in the other PC.

**bigal** · 05-03-08, 10:18 PM

Ssrattus, I have already run chkdsk from the recovery console.
Looks as though I might have to reinstall everything - bugger!!

**best4less** · 05-03-08, 10:29 PM

Are you running DOS from the OS?????? xp /vista
bigal It will as the OS is protecting them and you will be
booting from a different OS

Well it worked for me

good luck

**Studio1** · 05-03-08, 11:33 PM

When I get problematic drives I generally hook them onto a desktop machine as a slave drive and use the main system to address them.

It's less invasive than trying to run Windows on the drive you are trying to deal with, as things like the swap file will constantly be resizing (or attempting to) and stopping Windows from operating correctly if there is no spare room on that drive.

**bigal** · 06-03-08, 01:52 AM

best4less - No, I'm running it from recovery console using the xp disk.

I've tried accessing the hard drive from my laptop but it says the disk is faulty yet it still works once back into my desktop computer

I've just bought a new hard drive so I'm in the process of transferring all the files over and reformatting the drive. Thanks everyone for you help

**hoe** · 06-03-08, 02:14 AM

boot into safe mode, delete files.

also try something like 'webroot window washer' to clean the drive of unnecessary files.

**bigal** · 06-03-08, 02:18 PM

Hoe, tried safe mode and doesn't work. I also can't install anything

**intelliGEORGE** · 06-03-08, 08:51 PM

Sounds like a stuffed head, as windows appears to be deleting (in the GUI), the physical head in the drive is not working, hence the reason you can not write/delete.

I have only come across this problem once in a CCTV DVR, where the drive is working at full capacity 24/7 and mechanical things tend to fail.

Take the drive out put it on another machine as an external storage and run a HDD diagnostic utility, that should tell you exactly whats wrong with the drive.

**therufus** · 07-03-08, 08:48 PM

I doubt it would be the head. If the head was not changing bits, Windows wouldn't boot.

A Linux live CD won't work either, as you can read from an NTFS partition but you can't write to it. Writing includes deleting, as both modify the file table.

The best solution is to take the hard drive out of the PC and hook it up as a slave in another PC. Delete the troublesome files and you'll be fine.

**intelliGEORGE** · 07-03-08, 11:02 PM

Are you running roaming user profiles?

05-03-08, 01:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
bigal Member iTrader: (7) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Perth Posts: 51 Spent time on board: 3 Days and 13:25:13	Can't delete files on a full hard drive Whilst downloading a large file (on windows xp) my hard drive became full. I've tried everything, but I can't permanently delete any files off the drive. I've tried using windows to free up space but it locks up. The files will delete (and also delete from the recycle bin) but when you restart windows, the files are back. I've tried using the windows disk and booting into dos and deleting the files but they still appear in windows. I can copy all files to another hard drive but I don't won't to reinstall windows. As there isn't any room left on the hard drive, I can't install any programs to fix the problem. Even going into safe mode doesn't permanently delete files. As there is no room left on the hard drive, system restore has been deactivated. When files are deleted, the hard drive still shows no free space. It seems as though when you restart windows it restores everything to the previous state. Any ideas?

05-03-08, 04:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
best4less I'am Not a Bloody Joke iTrader: (10) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 2,932 Spent time on board: 2 Months, 2 Weeks, 3 Days and 1:50:04	I used Bart pe boot disc and booted from that, it let me in to the files and also it let me delete them __________________ Please wipe your feet before walking all over me

05-03-08, 10:29 PM	#13 (permalink)
best4less I'am Not a Bloody Joke iTrader: (10) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 2,932 Spent time on board: 2 Months, 2 Weeks, 3 Days and 1:50:04	Are you running DOS from the OS?????? xp /vista bigal It will as the OS is protecting them and you will be booting from a different OS Well it worked for me good luck __________________ Please wipe your feet before walking all over me

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05-03-08, 03:39 PM	#2 (permalink)
ssrattus Super Moderator iTrader: (0) Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,366 Spent time on board: 1 Month, 0 Weeks, 4 Days and 5:04:02	Try deleting with "Shift Delete" to remove them without going to the recycle bin.

05-03-08, 04:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
bigal Member iTrader: (7) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Perth Posts: 51 Spent time on board: 3 Days and 13:25:13	Tried that. Some of the files are over 2 gigs so they are automatically deleted but when I restart windows, there they are!!

05-03-08, 04:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
mandc Premium Member iTrader: (1) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gold Coast Posts: 397 Spent time on board: 1 Month, 0 Weeks, 5 Days and 0:05:53	Get a copy of MoveOnBoot. It's free and this simple tool allows you to Move, Copy or Delete files before Windows can lock or alter the files. Hope it works!

05-03-08, 04:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
ssrattus Super Moderator iTrader: (0) Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,366 Spent time on board: 1 Month, 0 Weeks, 4 Days and 5:04:02	Go Start --> Run and type in chkdsk C:/f and it should say something like "Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next time the system restarts? (Y/N)". Type Y and then restart and see if this fixes up your problems.

05-03-08, 04:53 PM	#6 (permalink)
bigal Member iTrader: (7) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Perth Posts: 51 Spent time on board: 3 Days and 13:25:13	mandc, have already tried to install moveonboot before but as I previously said, can't install anything. ssrattus, chkdsk won't run properly. I've tried setting up to start on reboot but nothing happens. I've run it under dos, seems to fix problems, but no go upon rebooting. I'm going to get an external case so that I can clone it to another (bigger) drive using my laptop

05-03-08, 05:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
mandc Premium Member iTrader: (1) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gold Coast Posts: 397 Spent time on board: 1 Month, 0 Weeks, 5 Days and 0:05:53	I think your idea of the usb hdd is the way to go, even just using it to free up some space

05-03-08, 08:20 PM	#9 (permalink)
Colin 2905 Senior Member iTrader: (0) Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 114 Spent time on board: 4 Days and 3:30:14	How about a Linux LiveCD?

05-03-08, 09:18 PM	#10 (permalink)
bigal Member iTrader: (7) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Perth Posts: 51 Spent time on board: 3 Days and 13:25:13	best4less, I might try it but if deleting files with dos didn't permanently remove the files then I doubt if this will. I am also going to try access the drive from another computer and running a few diagnostic programs first!! It seems as though windows is restoring itself everytime I restart it. The funny thing is when I delete a file(no matter how big or how many), the hard drive still shows there is no free room

05-03-08, 09:34 PM	#11 (permalink)
ssrattus Super Moderator iTrader: (0) Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,366 Spent time on board: 1 Month, 0 Weeks, 4 Days and 5:04:02	Is this NTFS? If so Windows probably thinks the MFT (Master File Table) is corrupt somehow and on reboot is using the mirrored copy that doesn't have any deleted files. Try booting to the the recovery console and running chkdsk. it may may a slow and long process. Better still would be to copy off the important files first when you mount it in the other PC.

05-03-08, 10:18 PM	#12 (permalink)
bigal Member iTrader: (7) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Perth Posts: 51 Spent time on board: 3 Days and 13:25:13	Ssrattus, I have already run chkdsk from the recovery console. Looks as though I might have to reinstall everything - bugger!!

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05-03-08, 11:33 PM	#14 (permalink)
Studio1 Senior Member iTrader: (0) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Inside the toaster Posts: 540 Spent time on board: 4 Days and 3:47:18	When I get problematic drives I generally hook them onto a desktop machine as a slave drive and use the main system to address them. It's less invasive than trying to run Windows on the drive you are trying to deal with, as things like the swap file will constantly be resizing (or attempting to) and stopping Windows from operating correctly if there is no spare room on that drive.

06-03-08, 01:52 AM	#15 (permalink)
bigal Member iTrader: (7) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Perth Posts: 51 Spent time on board: 3 Days and 13:25:13	best4less - No, I'm running it from recovery console using the xp disk. I've tried accessing the hard drive from my laptop but it says the disk is faulty yet it still works once back into my desktop computer I've just bought a new hard drive so I'm in the process of transferring all the files over and reformatting the drive. Thanks everyone for you help

06-03-08, 02:14 AM	#16 (permalink)
hoe PengontrolKualitasPelacur iTrader: (12) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: teluk jelek serigala Posts: 1,065 Spent time on board: 1 Month, 2 Weeks, 5 Days and 8:53:02	boot into safe mode, delete files. also try something like 'webroot window washer' to clean the drive of unnecessary files.

06-03-08, 02:18 PM	#17 (permalink)
bigal Member iTrader: (7) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Perth Posts: 51 Spent time on board: 3 Days and 13:25:13	Hoe, tried safe mode and doesn't work. I also can't install anything

06-03-08, 08:51 PM	#18 (permalink)
intelliGEORGE Premium Member iTrader: (2) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Antarctica Posts: 1,283 Spent time on board: 3 Weeks, 1 Day and 12:34:31	Sounds like a stuffed head, as windows appears to be deleting (in the GUI), the physical head in the drive is not working, hence the reason you can not write/delete. I have only come across this problem once in a CCTV DVR, where the drive is working at full capacity 24/7 and mechanical things tend to fail. Take the drive out put it on another machine as an external storage and run a HDD diagnostic utility, that should tell you exactly whats wrong with the drive.

07-03-08, 08:48 PM	#19 (permalink)
therufus Senior Member iTrader: (0) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Cranebrook, NSW Posts: 109 Spent time on board: 21:39:19	I doubt it would be the head. If the head was not changing bits, Windows wouldn't boot. A Linux live CD won't work either, as you can read from an NTFS partition but you can't write to it. Writing includes deleting, as both modify the file table. The best solution is to take the hard drive out of the PC and hook it up as a slave in another PC. Delete the troublesome files and you'll be fine.

07-03-08, 11:02 PM	#20 (permalink)
intelliGEORGE Premium Member iTrader: (2) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Antarctica Posts: 1,283 Spent time on board: 3 Weeks, 1 Day and 12:34:31	Are you running roaming user profiles?