Defraggler eats up a massive amount of files

[fred2028]

I was defragging my external HDD and it stopped halfway due to a power outage. Now, my free space went from 500 GB to about 150 GB. I added up all of the folders that are on the drive and they only add up to about 500 GB. How do I reclaim my free space that was lost from Defraggler?

[Rodster]

Sounds like you may have set Defraggler to wipe Free Space. It does that by making one large file then zero's out the area so during the power outage it was in the middle of that process.

I would either do it again and let it finish or use CCleaner and select "wipe free space" and let it wipe the MFT and Free Space area.

[fred2028]

Sadly wipe free space removed only 10.8 MB ...

[Rodster]

Sadly wipe free space removed only 10.8 MB ...

So Defraggler did have wipe free space turned on, correct?

Try this then. Run command prompt in admin mode and type defrag c: -x

[fred2028]

So Defraggler did have wipe free space turned on, correct?

Try this then. Run command prompt in admin mode and type defrag c: -x

I don't think so, wipe free space was an option in the File menu.

And I'm trying to defrag an external hard drive, not my C:\ SSD. Does that make a difference?

[fred2028]

Actually just found it. Windows 7 was keeping restore points on my eHDD () even though I turned off Restore for that drive. Went into System Protection and deleted all restore points and now I got my space back Thanks!

[Rodster]

I don't think so, wipe free space was an option in the File menu.

And I'm trying to defrag an external hard drive, not my C:\ SSD. Does that make a difference?

Ouch my bad didn't read you had an SSD, don't run what I said.