Hi,

 

I know this seems very stupid, and it probably is.

 

I've just re-installed FSX into its own drive (as it was before).  I have four internal hard drives:

1. Windows 7 (64), and business software.

2. Dataplex ssd

3. FSX and addons

4. Backup Drive

 

I've become aware, by message telling me the drive is too full, that I have an "unlabelled local disk" of 0.98GB, with 2.00mb free (it has no drive letter).

The "disk" has the following contents:

Recycle Bin

Boot

bootwiz

System Volume Information

Windows\addins, AppCompat, AppPatch, AsDmilHtm, assembly, and Ascd_tmp.ini

bootmgr

BOOTSECT.BAK

 

I can't believe I've had this extra drive all along, and never noticed.  At least I really hope not!!  :(

 

Could anyone please help me do something about it?

 

Hopefully, Jim

 It is not a physical drive. It's a virtual drive on your main, C drive. It contains windows system files. Don't mess with it.

Thanks, Joe.  No, I'll not mess with it.

 

Couple of questions, if I may?

 

Has it always been there, but hidden in some way?  I may not be very observant, but I can't have overlooked it for the last 18 months, since I built this computer.

 

Is there anything I can do about the disk too full messages?  Disk clean up tells me I can save zero bytes by emptying the recycle bin!

 

Thanks, Jim

it's a hidden system partition, usually created by your Operating System when you first installed Windows. It has system files on it but its usally only about 100MB in size...not sure why its an entire Gigabyte. What you are describing is the effect of backups being saved to this hidden partition, which can happen if you use certain types of backup software (or if you purchase a pc from a store which has things already setup for you like that)...but if it was software that is backing up files you should be aware of it since you would have caused it yourself.

 

Take a look at some of your Windows settings to see if windows is using this partition for creating backup images (and check your system restore settings as well)...and if it is then just disable that feature on that hidden drive and delete some of the files from that drive IF you recognize them as non system files which you do not need (such as old photos or whatever else).

Hi Dave,

I've double checked.  Windows backup has not been enabled.

 

I do have Acronis 2013, and recently It has failed to backup (to my internal backup drive), my FSX drive, due to time out.

I've been trying to slim down the FSX drive, of any legacy folders, so that I can try again.  Acronis has never had this trouble before.

I don't use scheduled backups, creating a full backup only after a major change.

 

Could Acronis be implicated here?

 

Edit:  \Windows\Assembly\ contains 858 files, is 886mb in size, and I see it contains 50 files related to Sage - my accounts software.

 

Regards, Jim

Could Acronis be implicated here?

 

not saying it is for sure, but yea it's certainly possible...I used to have True Image too...frpom what I can recall I think it had a feature for creating a hidden partition to be used as a system reboot/recovery option....perhaps when you first started using acronis you allowed it to create this disaster recovery bootup option? (i forget now what acronis calls it but you probably know what im referring to).

 

Windows "System Restore" could also do this, so you might wanna check those settings (not windows backup).

Hi Dave,

 

Recently I ran into severe problems with FSX, tried to restore a True Image backup from within Win 7, without success. Tried again from an Acronis boot disk. Around that time, I acquired Acronis Loader.

 

Confession: I'm getting past it, for I can't remember exactly how I came to have Acronis Loader. I thought it was an aid to booting from an Acronis disk (CD), and restoring ouwith Windows.

 

I finally gave up on solving my problems via restore, and re-installed FSX. FSX is good now. This extra "disk" must have appeared when I was struggling as above.

 

Can I get rid of Acronis loader? If so will my current problem be solved?

 

Thanks, Jim

I think there is something seriously wrong when you have an "unlabeled local disk" that is almost 1GB in size or 98GB's in size depending on how you read 0.98GB.  Here's a link to an excellent tutorial on disk management - http://www.winhelp.us/disk-management-in-windows.html#.UbsayBbD-5M.  A lot of computer company's have a partition with information to recover your computer to factory conditions by pressing F12 and this might be used for that.  I don't see anything listed in the contents you described that indicates it has recovery information.  Are the dates of the files in the directory current or before you reinstalled your OS?  The boot and bootmgr are important files but they should be on your main Windows 7 drive.  In Disk Management you can right click on it and click on Properties to see more info about it.  When you right click on it, you have the opportunity to shrink the volume too.  I just think it belongs to a USB thumb drive or DVD drive or maybe some other USB gadget you might have.  You might be able to shrink it and give it a title but I would not disable or delete it unless you know for sure it is not required.

 

Best regards,

Jim

Jim...you need to carefully walk yourself thru the features of acronis and acronis loader and try to see if the loader or any other available features that you've used in the past may be responsible for creating an area on your hard drive like that. Carefully read the instructions or help files to get this information. If you're still not ceratin try visiting the acronis support forums and have a read around.

 

Then you can figure out if acronis or the loader is what caused the new partition on your drive to show up. If it is, then yes you can use acronis or the loader (whichever is responsible) to "un-do" what you previously did.

That is the boot partition and is supposed to be hidden and the file structure confirms that, although its larger than normal its still less than 1gb, and it isnt worth shrinking.

 

If you would like to access for any reason it do the following

 

• Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Administrative Tools
• select computer management
• select disk management
• Right click the hidden drive and choose "change the drive letter" assign any letter you wish.

 

 

 

The drive will the be accessible but you may need to unhide hidden files and operating files to be able to view the files. Just google any filenames that concern you and you will soon find out whats what. You hide the partition again by removing the drive letter.

 

A typical boot drive has the following

 

bootsect.bat

bootmgr

system volume information (directory)

boot (directory)

 

 

Bootwiz is an acronis file, you have nothing to worry about. All seems fine.

Everything is not fine according to his posts. It seems that without realizing it he has used acronis to create this partition but did not understand what he was doing at the time and now it seems he keeps getting disk full error messages. In order to get rid of the disk full messages he needs to delete some of those files or tell acronis to stop using it (get acronis to un-do the diaster recovery feature he originally setup). That would get rid of all the files and stop acronis from using it any longer and then the messages will stop.

 

Lesson here is that Acronis is not for the faint of heart :-) it can be pretty flaky and even unreliable at times depending upon how you choose to use it. I switched to EaseUs Todo Backup for myself...seems simpler and reliable thus far but since I've only recently started using it the jury is still out, hehe.

+1 for easeus

Thanks for all the info guys.

 

I visited Acronis, found a method for removing Acronis Loader, carried it out meticulously, and Windows wouldn't start.

 

I've restored a backup, so I'm back to square one. You're obviously right, Dave. Acronis is not for someone who wants to press the buttons and have the procedure carried out simply without side effects!

 

I don't think I'll be able to safely uninstall (the only option) any of the files in this virtual disk.

 

I'm considering if I should grit my teeth and do a reinstall of my C drive, without True Image. As you can tell my expertise is limited!

 

I'll look into EaseUs Todo Backup.

 

Regards, Jim

Gotta love acronis, oh brother. Dunno why you installed the loader to begin with...I thought that was mostly to be used for machines that use multiple operating systems?...it takes over during the boot process and allows you to choose which OS you'd like to boot into (assuming you have at least 2 OS' installed).

 

I never used it, and therefore never had to try to uninstall it. 

 

Before reformatting your system drive and starting over (by the way if you DO that you have to remember to make sure during the process to delete the hidden partition)...perhaps you should try and give the folks at Acronis a call on the phone and let them talk you through your issue so that you can get the loader off your system and all of acronis's hidden areas on your drive. If they help you properly (and thats a big IF im guessing) it should save you time over doing an entire system reformat and reinstalling all your stuff again.

 

Once you do, dont go back to anything from acronis!

Hi again,

 

Acronis don't talk to you unless you pay them!

 

I only know I somehow installed Loader, when I had trouble trying to backup from within Windows.

 

Now I can't find any mention of Loader inside the program, so I've no idea where it came from. Stupid Me! :wacko:

 

I'm resigned to a reformat and reinstall. I've reformatted before, but this time I hope I can find how to delete the "Acronis"partition. I've never had to do that before!

 

I now have a copy of EaseUs Todo

 

Thanks for all the help and advice, Jim