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Question

Hard drive full !

Mar 5, 2018 4:17PM PST

Helping a friend who's Toshiba laptop is "running slow". The culprit is a full hard drive, with updating bound up waiting to do it's thing. It's (C) > Users > Name > App Data > Local Low > Calling ID. This Calling ID folder has 511 GB! I haven't been able to find any info on this. I'd like to know if I can simply delete the contents of the Calling ID folder.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Try using
Mar 5, 2018 4:57PM PST

Disk Cleanup , I'm assuming this is a Windows computer.

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Did that
Mar 5, 2018 5:08PM PST

Yes, it's Windows 7. It doesn't show much to clean up. While I was at it, I ran CCleaner (portable). That got rid of about 5GB (1% of the overload).
My own Windows 7 computer doesn't have a "Calling ID" folder in the Local Low folder, so I don't think it could hurt much by deleting it but I don't want to take any chances with somebody else's computer.

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Don't assume anything ! STOP !
Mar 5, 2018 5:23PM PST

Let's give the Pro's a chance to really look at this .
Post a Speccy and they will help sort this out

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(NT) Right.
Mar 5, 2018 5:32PM PST
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Right
Mar 5, 2018 5:38PM PST

No, I'm not going to delete it yet. It really comes down to identifying what it is. Googling "Local Calling ID" , even prefixing with "LocalLow folder" didn't give me anything.
Not sure if I can install Speccy anyway- no room for it... maybe I can offload some photos.
I haven't been able to get ahold of the owner, but I have a feeling she wouldn't have a clue as to what "Calling ID folder" is.

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Speccy is TINY
Mar 5, 2018 5:52PM PST

Just do it ,
I do and it's a great tool folks use to diagnose.
Here's Mine  ,
The link isn't working for some reason

Post was last edited on March 5, 2018 5:54 PM PST

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(NT) I'll get to it...
Mar 5, 2018 5:56PM PST
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I'll get to it
Mar 5, 2018 6:02PM PST

Well, that's the 2nd time I hit Enter instead of Tab by mistake. By clearing some space, my old nemesis Norton A/V took the space by installing updates and started a scan. I'll work on installing Speccy tomorrow. More searching- it's looking like the "Calling ID" folder is a fake app. Real apps don't dump 500+ GB into your computer, huh?

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Answer
Are They Using The Computer for VOIP? Or.....
Mar 5, 2018 6:04PM PST

Here's a link to an old privacy software called "CallingID" and it might have been installed on the computer and is storing items over time. If that's the case and there is software installed with CallingID as the name, maybe you can uninstall it and then remove the folder.

http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/callingid-announces-revolutionary-solution-that-automatically-protects-users-from-internet-663718.htm

http://www.nissenboim.com/lookup/callingid.com

Or.....

A "Voice Over IP" phone using the computer might create the "Calling ID" folder. Or maybe even a communications server of some type. Such a server also might store such calls. If such programs are installed and not needed, try uninstalling them and see if the folder goes. Or at least, you can then try removing some of the older files in the "Calling ID" folder, a little at a time to the Recycle Bin and see if the removal causes issues.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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(NT) Skype?
Mar 5, 2018 6:13PM PST
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Skype?
Mar 5, 2018 6:20PM PST

There is a Skype icon on the screen and the Web Cam App is on the Start Menu, but I searched the computer for Calling ID and nothing was found. The Calling ID folder was created on 10-2-12, 2 years after what looks like first use of the computer.

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Correction
Mar 5, 2018 6:31PM PST

Skype is NOT installed. There is a app for Verizon/Samsung phone software upgrading. And the fake Calling ID app is/was for Android. That's still my suspicion.

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(NT) If The VeriZon App Isn't Needed, Uninstall It
Mar 5, 2018 6:37PM PST
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I Checked Two Computers Here With Skype Installed...
Mar 5, 2018 6:36PM PST

No such "CallingID" folder is there. So I doubt if it's Skype.

I'll guess your idea about "Fake app" or some type of program which stores those items is the culprit. You now simply need to find the installed program and remove it. Or maybe it's already removed and the folder, with all of its data remains. Talk to the friend about the programs which may have been installed previously.

Or check the background programs running in "msconfig" or Task Scheduler. Maybe clues will reveal themselves.

Hope this helps.

Grif

Post was last edited on March 5, 2018 6:36 PM PST

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All or nothing folder
Mar 5, 2018 6:39PM PST

The Calling ID folder can't be opened, so it's all or nothing for deleting. I'll get ahold of the owner tomorrow and see if she can shed any light on what it could be, and tell her what's going on. Over at the Microsoft forums, the message is, if you delete something in the App Data folder, the App may not work. I'm not too worried about that! Even if an app didn't work, it could always be reinstalled.

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I read about Norton
Mar 5, 2018 6:45PM PST

in one of the OP's post's and wonder if it can be a problem ?

Post was last edited on March 5, 2018 6:53 PM PST

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Not this time
Mar 5, 2018 7:04PM PST

It grabbed the free space first, even before MS Updates. But it did find problems - it deleted 20 tracking cookies! But I'm looking to unload 500GB of unneeded data. I'm copying the owner's files to a USB drive. As I mentioned, I'll talk to her tomorrow, then most likely delete the 511GB CallingID folder. What could possibly go wrong? Shocked I mean, what legitimate folder would grow to 511GB?
Thanks for you input.

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HAHA !
Mar 5, 2018 7:23PM PST

I have heard stranger thing's ....

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I'll let you know
Mar 5, 2018 7:36PM PST

If I delete the folder tomorrow and the laptop melts down I'll let you know.

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The only thing I find
Mar 6, 2018 8:14AM PST

about this CallingID Here .
I still believe a Speccy is in order but again I'll leave it to the Pro's

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Answer
Tool
Mar 6, 2018 12:24AM PST

You can use Ccleaner, disk cleaner these tools can be helpful to remove this file.

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Extra 511GB is gone!
Mar 6, 2018 5:07PM PST

The owner didn't know anything about a CallingID app, so I deleted it. Wasn't sure how that would go, as I've never deleted a single folder that huge. It disappeared in seconds, and all the HD space reappeared, as it should. Case Closed.