Strange problem - Windows shows incorrect disk usage until a tool like WinDirStat is applied
Strange problem - Windows shows incorrect disk usage until a tool like WinDirStat is applied
I have connected an HDD to a USB bay since I own a laptop. During big Steam installs or GOG downloads, the disk usage seems to double compared to what it should be. The issue started in Windows Explorer’s “My Computer” area. I don’t understand why this keeps happening. What’s unusual is that after running WinDirStat to identify the space hog, the problem resolved itself and the space was restored. Similarly, using WizTree—a lighter version of WinDirStat—didn’t fix the situation and suggests it might be related to indexing files. NTFS compression is likely active. I’m trying to search online for others experiencing the same odd behavior and hoping someone else can help. Next time I’ll note this down for a quick Google search before installing games. In Windows USB settings, I turned off the quick remove feature for drives because they’re left on my desk and don’t get removed.
Full drive compression works only when all data is ready. The decision comes from a specific process. It seems WinDirStat might prompt Windows to compress when it thinks it's a good moment, even though the files aren't actually compressed yet. This could be why you notice larger-than-expected sizes—compression happens later, replacing duplicates.
Thanks, I'll try again next time. Apologies for the confusion. It seems it might already be compressed. WinDirStat updates at the operating system level, as seen during a 100GB installation where it instantly reduced the drive's size within seconds. This could indicate an OS-level issue. I have a temporary workaround that should work for the duration of the drive, but if anyone finds a permanent fix later, please let me know via email.