I downloaded a Windows iso, but the download manager placed it in the C:\ (not C:/) directory. Windows can't see it, and I can't boot into either Xubuntu or Fatdog Linux. It's taking up 6 GB of my very small 240 GB SSD. Is there any way I can move this file into a Windows-readable directory without being able to use Linux? (The Macrium rescue USB drive works fine, but can't see the lost iso either.)
The download manager said the file was downloaded to C:\ and the free space for the C: drive is now 6 GB smaller. The computer will not boot into any Linux USB drive I try, even one I newly created on a fresh USB drive. Chkdsk /f did not recover the missing space, nor did a retrim. Edit: the log shows it saved as C:Win10_21H2_English_x64.iso with no slash after the C:
SouthPark, Got it. Can you look in Folder Options and make sure you have no tick in... Hide empty drive Hide extensions Hide folder merge Temporarily remove the tick from "Hide protected operating system files..." Can you see the ISO now? If not, have a look at C:\ drive with TreeSize. You mentioned a WinPE (Macrium) can't see the ISO.
A command prompt (not Terminal) can see hidden files in your C:\ drive. Open a command prompt. You probably see something like... C:\Users\southpark> Do this... CD \ DIR /a Can you see the ISO?
Thanks, @Brian K - I can't see it with Explorer with all of the options you mentioned, nor with Tree Size, nor with the command prompt. The 6 GB is just gone.
Everything Search found it! In the <User>/App Data/Local/Virtual Store I sent it to the Recycle Bin, emptied it, and got 6 GB back! Thank you so much, @Brian K , and thank you, @drhu22 for the additional suggestion.
I had a look in my <User>/App Data/Local/Virtual Store folder. It contained a few empty folders from 2020. Nothing recent. Weird.
It appears the file was never actually written to "C:" but got stuck in the temp folder the download manager (WinWGet) was using. Unfortunately, this download manager tries to save files to C: by default, which escaped my notice at the time, although the default save location can easily be changed to the regular user "Downloads" folder. Thanks again for your help. I'll be keeping those file management tools on hand in case of any more zombie files. (I find it strange that I could not boot Xubuntu from the same USB drive I had used before with no problems, but could boot Macrium Rescue and a Windows setup drive from the same USB port with the same BIOS settings. Rufus destroyed my last spare flash drive when I tried to make it bootable for Fatdog Linux, so when I get some more drives, I'll try something like Easy2Boot to create one.)
That's the one. I ran it as admin, and since I knew the name of the missing file, it found the file in a matter of seconds, despite it being several layers deep in a hidden folder.
