confused by hdd stats

I not an expert but consider myself above avg. I've built systems from scratch , redo, fix everybody else's in my family when they have a virus or issue. I started with a 8088 umpteen years ago then was win 3.1 .....I just recently have stopped using xp and started getting used to vista and 7.

This "problem" computer is a 2008 model compaq cq60 laptop we gave to son for graduation. Originally it had a 160 gig hitachi hdd but now it has a WD 500gig. 2 gig ram and AMD sempron 2.1ghz.

Here's where i'm losing it . When I right click on C: it's says I have 91 gigs used up on the hard drive. But when I use other software such has windirstat it only shows 28 gigs of data on c drive. I been trying hard to clean off every thing unnecasry. I also notice in windows I have lots of duplicate folders in fact the entire user account (admin) I log onto the comp with the complete user accounts file system is showing 3 times under my computer. Is this normal for vista? If not which set of files is it best to clear off? The first under desktop or one of the two under local disk c: users I also have a public folder with sub folders under it listed more then once. I have a backup with acronis but I can't get into recovery drive d so I'm afraid of deleted the wrong file system. Hope this made sense LOL

Is the Laptop running 64 bit Vista or 32 bit? WinDirStat is 32 bit and will not know how to handle directory redirection. 64 bit Vista uses a 32 bit emulator in \Windows\SysWow64. When 32 bit programs try to put stuff in System32 folder it's actually going into SysWow64. The native 64 bit stuff is going into System32. Wonder why it's confusing?

Get a free copy of WizTree 64 bit to see all the folders.

But it does sound like you have some issues like a custom install went bad or someone tried to copy programs and files to another user account by hand. Something weird like that. Can you post any screen shots showing the duplication?

don't think WizTree 64 bit will help it's 32 bit.
I'll see what i can do. I know there is snap or screen shot program the name escapes at the moment because I haven't used it yet just heard about it.

Snipping tool comes with Windows. There should be a tutorial how to post screen shots on the forums.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/148532-how-use-snipping-tool-vista.html

Ok compaq doesn't have "snipping tool" Why I have no idea, but my vista desktop does. It's almost the same tree EXCEPT there is only 2 identical "user" file trees instead of 3 like the other comp. The other computer has an added "default user" tree right directly before the "u" tree in these snips .

sorry reverse order

oldkingcole said:

Ok compaq doesn't have "snipping tool" Why I have no idea, but my vista desktop does. It's almost the same tree EXCEPT there is only 2 identical "user" file trees instead of 3 like the other comp. The other computer has an added "default user" tree right directly before the "u" tree in these snips View attachment 28288View attachment 28287.

View attachment 28286 sorry reverse order

Click to expand...

Maybe I should clarify that a bit. In the first picture (capture3.jpg) under "user" on the other comp I have "default user" with EXACT same tree as the very top "User" (under first "desktop" ) AND the user "u" (log in this comp) under "user" folder.

If you go into User Account Management how many accounts are listed? Also what's the OS detail on the Laptop?

I don't know what the folders under 'u' are about. Unless someone was logging in over a network. Maybe a network guru can chime in. But to me it just looks like a mess and I'd probably wipe it and do a clean install. It just lokks suspicious.

MilesAhead said:

If you go into User Account Management how many accounts are listed? Also what's the OS detail on the Laptop?

I don't know what the folders under 'u' are about. Unless someone was logging in over a network. Maybe a network guru can chime in. But to me it just looks like a mess and I'd probably wipe it and do a clean install. It just lokks suspicious.

Click to expand...

Long way around to get there, but I finally got it to do a factory "out of the box" recovery. I couldn't access D: on the WD 500G. I still had the 160gig I pulled before it died. I re-installed the original hdd drive then burned HP recovery DVD from that. Swapped back in the new 500gig and used recovery DVD's to clean up & re-do the mess that acronis true image had left me with. After playing with msconfig start boot up time is under 1 min, 100% functional and as fast has when it was brand new.

Thanks for the helping hand guys,
this Old Merry Soul