Windows 2003 System Volume Information

[Guest brianc]

Hi,

 

I have a Windows 2003 Server (sp1) also running Exchange 2003 Sp2.

 

One of the drives is running out of space however I think this is all in the

System Volume Information folder, however although I get "Access Denied" when

trying to view inside this folder.

 

I have found a few posts regarding resetting the permissions, but this is a

live server and wanted to check the best way to access this first before

trying anything drastic.

 

Thanks

Brian

[Guest Chris M]

Re: Windows 2003 System Volume Information

 

brianc wrote:

> I have a Windows 2003 Server (sp1) also running Exchange 2003 Sp2.

>

> One of the drives is running out of space however I think this is all in the

> System Volume Information folder, however although I get "Access Denied" when

> trying to view inside this folder.

 

The System Volume Information folder is a system-managed folder and you

really shouldn't touch it. You can, as you have said, reset the

permissions on it, but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

If this folder is very large then you need to think why this might be

the case.

 

Most likely reason is that you have shadow copies enabled on this drive

- Windows uses the System Volume Information folder to store the shadow

copies. You can reduce the maximum space allowed for shadow copies if

you want to free up some space.

 

If you have the Indexing service enabled, it will use this folder to

store the indices. Having this service enabled on a box running Exchange

might not be the best idea, but that's just my opinion.

 

On XP, System Restore data is also stored inside this folder, but that

doesn't apply in the case of 2003 server.

 

--

Chris.

[Guest brianc]

Re: Windows 2003 System Volume Information

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for the reply, I have the Index service and have no shadow copies on

the volume.

 

The only two folders on the volume are the Exchange Databases (MDBData) and

the system volume information folder (thats will all the views turned on)

 

Therefore by deduction there is over 30Gb in this folder which is why I need

to ether get inside it or find out hot to purge the contents.

 

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

Brian

 

 

"Chris M" wrote:

> brianc wrote:

> > I have a Windows 2003 Server (sp1) also running Exchange 2003 Sp2.

> >

> > One of the drives is running out of space however I think this is all in the

> > System Volume Information folder, however although I get "Access Denied" when

> > trying to view inside this folder.

>

> The System Volume Information folder is a system-managed folder and you

> really shouldn't touch it. You can, as you have said, reset the

> permissions on it, but I wouldn't recommend it.

>

> If this folder is very large then you need to think why this might be

> the case.

>

> Most likely reason is that you have shadow copies enabled on this drive

> - Windows uses the System Volume Information folder to store the shadow

> copies. You can reduce the maximum space allowed for shadow copies if

> you want to free up some space.

>

> If you have the Indexing service enabled, it will use this folder to

> store the indices. Having this service enabled on a box running Exchange

> might not be the best idea, but that's just my opinion.

>

> On XP, System Restore data is also stored inside this folder, but that

> doesn't apply in the case of 2003 server.

>

> --

> Chris.

>

[Guest Chris M]

Re: Windows 2003 System Volume Information

 

brianc wrote:

> Hi,

>

> Thanks for the reply, I have the Index service and have no shadow copies on

> the volume.

>

> The only two folders on the volume are the Exchange Databases (MDBData) and

> the system volume information folder (thats will all the views turned on)

>

> Therefore by deduction there is over 30Gb in this folder which is why I need

> to ether get inside it or find out hot to purge the contents.

 

It's very likely to be the index service that is taking the space up.

 

Have you tried removing the catalogs and disabling it?

 

--

Chris.

 

 

> "Chris M" wrote:

>

>> brianc wrote:

>>> I have a Windows 2003 Server (sp1) also running Exchange 2003 Sp2.

>>>

>>> One of the drives is running out of space however I think this is all in the

>>> System Volume Information folder, however although I get "Access Denied" when

>>> trying to view inside this folder.

>> The System Volume Information folder is a system-managed folder and you

>> really shouldn't touch it. You can, as you have said, reset the

>> permissions on it, but I wouldn't recommend it.

>>

>> If this folder is very large then you need to think why this might be

>> the case.

>>

>> Most likely reason is that you have shadow copies enabled on this drive

>> - Windows uses the System Volume Information folder to store the shadow

>> copies. You can reduce the maximum space allowed for shadow copies if

>> you want to free up some space.

>>

>> If you have the Indexing service enabled, it will use this folder to

>> store the indices. Having this service enabled on a box running Exchange

>> might not be the best idea, but that's just my opinion.

>>

>> On XP, System Restore data is also stored inside this folder, but that

>> doesn't apply in the case of 2003 server.

>>

>> --

>> Chris.

>>