Files showing up as data taken up on disk, but now visible on Windows

Windows 64 bit Pro

This is the situation:

1. Installed windows on laptop
2. Took the disk form laptop and put it in desktop
3. Copied files from desktop disk to laptop disk
- Copied and pasted files show up on destination disk no problem.

IV. Put disk with new data back in laptop
- Files don't show up, but disk is still half full, so data is there, I just can't see it.
V. Put disk back into desktop to check, data is there, I just can't see it.
VI. Put disk into external USB drive and connect to desktop, data is there, I just can't see it.

The disk including OS has 80 gigs or data taken, so it IS there, just can't see it, tried to go in explorer and show hidden files and folders, permissions "seem" to be ok...

Ztruker said:

Try taking ownership of the folders and files on the PC they were copied to. See here:

How to Add Take Ownership to Context Menu in Windows 10

That might work, but I can't see the file, so can't click on change ownership, all I see is that the data is being used on the disk, but no files, it's a 54 Gig folder I pasted in there, the space is indeed being occupied, but can't see it

Ztruker said:

What is the full path of the file/folder?

K:\

And folder was pasted and should show up like this:

K:\Core

The folder called Core is the 54 gigs folder that is not showing up

So Core folder pasted into K:\

Try running TreeSize Free as administrator. That should show files irrespective of permissions.

TreeSize Free - Quickly Scan Directory Sizes and Find Space Hogs

If you can see them right click to see/change permissions.

i have similar problem - win 10 not showing all the files / folders despite the fact that i'm logged onto an admin account.

and yes, the files/folders do show up on TreeSizeView - maybe an ownership issue...

this is bothersome - i need access to my hard drive. so is there a batch file that would run recursively on c: and set up all files to be visible? on my win7 system i was able to do this by a command line:

CACLS * /e /t /c /g Administrators:F System:F Everyone:F

, but on 10 it fails with a mysterious notice "the data area passed to a system call is too small"

any ideas?