The FileSpace utility and roaming profiles on DS-Filestore

A utility program, FileSpace, is available under the Managed Cluster Windows service, to help you manage your personal Desktop Services filespace on DS-Filestore (drive U:).

The FileSpace program is launched automatically when you log in at any of the MCS Windows workstations; the icon appears on the taskbar and the state can be checked at any time by double-clicking on this icon. The output displays the space your files are currently occupying as a proportion of your filespace limit; you are not allowed to create files which would take your usage beyond this limit.

However, the picture is complicated by the space occupied by your "roaming profile". When you are not logged in, your profile (which contains various items of personalised information and material which is on your Windows desktop) is stored as part of your ordinary filespace. When you login, a copy of your profile is made on the local hard disk, and any changes you make to your profile during the session are made to this local working copy. When you logout at the end of your session the local version is copied back and replaces the older one in your filespace.

This means that you may (for instance by running new applications which will store configuration information in your profile, or by storing large images on your desktop) increase your profile size during a session to a point where it cannot be written back without (in conjunction with the files you already have) violating your filespace limit. Until the FileSpace utility was introduced, there would be no sign of this problem until the next login, at which time the profile would be found to be incomplete or corrupted.

The FileSpace utility therefore runs in the background all the time, and will automatically pop up to display a warning window if you increase your profile beyond what can be written back. At this point the situation can normally be rescued by deleting files from your filespace or reducing your profile (e.g. by deleting items you have placed on the desktop). You should not attempt to logout while your profile is too large.

You cannot solve an over-large profile problem simply by deleting your profile from your filespace altogether. The local copy (which is the one probably causing the problem) is still there and will be written back (or will fail to be written back properly) at the end of the session.

The normal FileSpace display shows the total amount of space that will be occupied when your current profile is written back at the end of the session. See the Help information within the command for more details.

Note that you should not normally try to store files of your own within either copy of your profile.