What Makes The System Volume Information Large?

Jack

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System Volume Information Large

At the root of every drive in your computer, there is a hidden folder known as the System Volume Information Folder.

You can unhide it to confirm its presence, but you don’t have permission to access it for your computer’s hard drive even as an administrator.

I have often seen people complaining that this folder is consuming a vast space in their hard drives, and the size is growing larger over time.

The folder is not only in your hard drive but also in the external devices (like external USB devices) you connect with your computer.

system volume information large

So what is the use of this folder? For which type of drives can you access this folder? And what makes this System Volume Information Large enough to occupy such a huge space in your drive?

Is there any method to fix this problem? If yes, what is it? I have discussed all of these points in this article. So keep reading.

PS: here, you will figure out service host local system has high disk memory and CPU, as well as the system cannot find the file specified.

Use of System Volume Information

The System Volume Information is a protected folder that stores critical data like System Restore Points, Indexing Service Database, NTFS Disk Quota Settings, Volume Shadow Copy, DFS Replication, File Deduplication Service Database, and Distributed Link Tracking Service Database.

This folder is available on all drives but remains invisible until you enable ‘show hidden and protected files and folders.’

All of the data stored in this folder is crucial for operating windows. For example, ‘System Restore Points’ play a major role in restoring your system to the previous points; ‘Distributed Link Tracking Service’ is used to repair links; and ‘Volume Shadow Copy’ is used for backups, etc.

Accessibility to The Folder

You can neither access nor delete this folder on the hard drive of your computer and the external devices formatted with the NTFS file system.

But in the case of the external devices formatted with exFAT or FAT32 file system, you have permission to access the System Volume Information Folder and can even delete it if needed.

The command that you need to execute to access this folder is as follows:

cacls “driveletter:\System Volume Information” /E /G username:F

And execute the command given below to remove the access permission:

cacls “driveletter:\System Volume Information” /E /R username

Accessibility to The Folder

What Makes the System Volume Information Large?

Sometimes, people complain that the system volume information folder is large. By default, the maximum space occupied by the folder is set to be 10GB on all computers. But it can grow even larger than that.

As you understand, the folder that occupies a space in GBs in your drive becomes a point of concern. That’s because you have limited space in your drives, whether a hard drive or any kind of external drive.

So the question here arises what makes the system volume information large enough to occupy that much space in your drives?

Actually, this folder stores the ‘system restore points’ that occupy most of the folder size. And the system restore points are the images of your system used to restore its previous versions.

Although the system volume information folder also stores some other types of data apart from the ‘system restore points,’ they are not considered the point of much concern.

That’s because the ‘system restore point’ constitutes the major part of the occupied folder size, as mentioned earlier. The data makes the system volume information large enough to make it a point of concern.

Can You Fix The Problem of the Large System Volume Information Folder

It is neither recommended nor allowed to delete the data stored in the System Volume Information folder if you are dealing with the hard drives and the external drives formatted with the NTFS system.

But if you are dealing with external devices formatted with exFAT and FAT32, you are permitted to

  • delete the old system restore points to reduce the folder size to free up space
  • Set the limit for the space used by the system restore point
  • disable the system restore mechanism completely

How To Fix The ‘System Volume Information Large’ Issue?

To fix the problem, you can perform any of the above-mentioned three tasks by following the procedure described below:

1. Click on the ‘Start’ button in Windows 10

2. Go to ‘Settings’ and then click on ‘System.’

3. Now go to ‘About’ and then ‘System info.’

Fix system volume information large

4. ‘System Info’ page will open up. On the left side, there is a ‘System protection’ option. Select it.

'System protection' option

5. Now, you will see a list of available drives on your computer. There is a ‘Configure’ button under that list.

Here you have to select the drive you want to disable or delete the System Volume Information. Once you select it, click the ‘Configure’ button.

Config System Protection

6. The dialog box for setting system protection for the selected drive will open up. Here you can enable or disable the system protection of the selected drive. By default, the option ‘Turn on system protection’ is set. It means the system protection for the drive is enabled.

While it is enabled, you can increase or decrease the maximum space occupied by the ‘system restore point’ by using the ‘Max Usage’ bar in the dialog box below. And you can also delete the available old ‘system restore point’ to free up space in the system volume information folder.

It will reduce its size. This deletion task can be performed by the ‘Delete’ button provided below in the dialog box.

Turn on System Protection

7. Set the option ‘Disable system protection’ on if you want to completely disable the system restore mechanism.

FAQs

1. Can I delete the System Volume Information folder to free up disk space? Deleting the System Volume Information folder is not recommended as it contains important system-related data. Modifying or deleting this folder can lead to system instability or loss of critical information.

2. How can I reduce the size of the System Volume Information folder? To reduce the size of the folder, you can limit the number of system restore points retained or adjust the disk space allocated to them. However, reducing the size may impact the system’s ability to recover from errors effectively.

3. Can I move the System Volume Information folder to a different location? Moving the System Volume Information folder is not recommended as it may disrupt the functioning of the system and lead to data loss. It’s best to leave the folder in its default location.

4. Why does the System Volume Information folder keep growing in size? The folder grows in size as more system restore points, volume shadow copies, file history, and backup data are created. Regularly cleaning up old restore points or adjusting the disk space allocation can help manage the folder’s size.

5. Is it possible to disable system restore points to prevent the System Volume Information folder from growing? Yes, it is possible to disable system restore points. However, disabling them means losing the ability to revert the system to a previous state if any issues or errors occur. Consider the implications before disabling this feature.

Conclusion

Although you know what makes the system volume information large, you cannot access and delete it for your hard drives and external devices with NTFS format. This folder plays a crucial role in operating your windows.

Hence it is protected. You can just unhide it to ensure its presence in the drive. As you don’t have permission to access this folder for your hard drive, you can’t fix the problem of the large folder size for this drive.

But, yes, by using the method described above, you can fix the problem of large system volume information for your external devices with exFAT and FAT32 formats.

Jack
Jack

Ten years of experience in information and computer technology. Passionate about electronic devices, smartphones, computers, and modern technology.

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