Freeing Up Disk Space from VSS Snapshots on Exchange Server

Ever had your Exchange Server's drive (say, a 2TB one) look almost complete, but you can only find around 800GB of actual data? You aren't alone.

I ran into this issue recently.

The disk showed it was basically full.

However, when I checked the folders, they only added up to about 800 GB.

Turns out, a hidden folder called System Volume Information was hogging a ton of space, according to TreeSize.

Why is System Volume Information so big?

That folder is where Volume Shadow Copy (VSS) snapshots live, along with other system stuff. These snapshots are made when you do backups or create restore points.

The issue is that these snapshots sometimes don't get deleted automatically, especially if.

• You haven't set a limit for how much space shadow copies can use.
• VSS doesn't clean up properly after backups.

To check, open Command Prompt as an admin and type.

vssadmin list shadowstorage

You'll probably see that the Maximum Shadow Copy Storage space is set to unbounded, which means it can just keep growing.

Here’s How to Clear Those Snapshots and Get Your Space Back.

Step 1. Open Shadow Copy Settings.

• In File Explorer, right-click the drive that's experiencing issues (such as D:\ or E:\).
• Click Configure Shadow Copies.
  

Step 2. Adjust Settings.

• Pick the drive again from the list.
• Click Settings.
  

Step 3. Set a Limit for Shadow Storage.

• Make sure both Volume and Storage Area point to the same drive.
• Select 'Use Limit' and set it to a small value (such as 350MB).
  

Heads up: The minimum is 300MB.

Why Should the Volume and Storage Area Be on the Same Drive?

When you modify Volume Shadow Copy settings, you'll notice two important things.

• Volume: The drive you're taking snapshots of (like E:).
• Storage Area: The drive where the snapshots are saved (could be E: or C:).

It's super important to keep these on the same drive (like Volume: E:\ and Storage Area: E:\). Here's why.

When They're the Same?

• VSS snapshots are saved in the exact location as the copy.
• This ensures that everything matches between the snapshot and the data.
• Deleting snapshots actually frees up space on the right drive.
• Easier to fix issues and manage your disks.

If They’re Different?

• If the snapshots are saved on a different drive (like snapshots of E: saved on C:):
• It gets confusing because it's not always easy to tell where the space is being used.
• Deleting snapshots might not free up space where you expect.
• Your system may become unstable if the storage drive becomes full.
• Backups or restores might fail without warning.

Best Move

Always double-check that.

• The drive you're shadowing and the snapshot storage are the same.
• This keeps things clear when managing disk space, especially on critical servers like Exchange, where disk space can impact performance.

Step 4. Confirm and Apply.

• Hit OK to save the changes.
• It should automatically clear out the extra stuff in the System Volume Information folder.
• Recheck the disk properties – you should see a significant amount of free space returned.

Bonus: How to See the “System Volume Information” Folder

This folder is hidden by default. To see it.

• Go to File Explorer → View → Options → View tab.
• Uncheck Hide protected operating system files.
• Apply
  

Heads up: Even if you make it visible, you may still be unable to open it due to NTFS permissions.

In short

The System Volume Information folder can secretly consume a significant amount of space, making you think your Exchange server is fuller than it actually is. By setting limits on VSS storage, you can prevent this and reclaim your space.