Clear up AppData folder/s

You can reclaim almost 10GB+- using the compact command-line util. Open an elevated cmd prompt for invoking it.

E.G. compact /compactos:always
compact /c /a /i /s /exe:xpress16k "c:\program files"\*
compact /c /a /i /s /exe:xpress16k "c:\program files (x86)"\*
compact /c /a /i /s /exe:xpress16k "c:\windows\assembly"\*
compact /c /a /i /s /exe:xpress16k "c:\windows\inf"\*
compact /c /a /i /s /exe:xpress16k "c:\windows\InfusedApps"\*
compact /c /a /i /s /exe:xpress16k "c:\windows\fonts"\*

Do not touch anything else. Your system might not boot or something.

PS. LZX is an even stronger compression method than xpress16 (exe:lzx) but it may need some serious horsepower cpu.

deanreid said:

does anyone know what this file does because I'm sure 25 GB isn't the size it is supposed to be..

Virus definition databases can be large (I use defender and it is ~350MB) but 25GB seems way over the top- that is far more than the whole of Windows.

It is odd design (slightly suspicious even) to store data in Program Files directory but perhaps that is how Bitdefender works - I don't know. As you can see from your picture it was updated at 3AM this morning.

I'd uninstall bitdefender completely using their tool Uninstall Bitdefender , reboot, and then (assuming you are using it as your AV) install it again.

I would seek support from Bitdefender, or just reinstall their software (clean the mess in between installations).
Nice, that you found a problem.

deanreid said:

does anyone know what this file does because I'm sure 25 GB isn't the size it is supposed to be. I tried to Google it but, apparently Google isn't as all knowing as I thought.

Depending on the BitDefender version used, might it be a "vault" option available and exercised?

It is strange to have a dynamic file in the installation folder, rather than in an AppData folder.

pyramid10 said:

It is strange to have a dynamic file in the installation folder, rather than in an AppData folder.

You are more polite than me. It is not just strange it is very suspicious and contrary to all MS programming guidelines.

If you wanted a shared database you would put it in ProgramData. If you wanted to put something user based you would put it in AppData. No developer would ever (unless they were extremely cavalier, incompetent or dodgy) stick a database in Program Files.

As I said, best for the OP to remove BitDefender and (if wanted) install it again.

But if it is a "vault" with personal data, albeit incompetently placed, it would be safer to reclaim the data before uninstalling and reinstalling.

pyramid10 said:

But if it is a "vault" with personal data, albeit incompetently placed, it would be safer to reclaim the data before uninstalling and reinstalling.

NO

You are either deliberately trying to make the OP do something wrong or do not understand how Windows works.

How you would "reclaim" information from a 25GB flat file is beyond me. Back it up (OK always) but it is clearly a bug or malware.