Question File/Folder Size Miscalculation

[Ellowas]

Hi, I just got my PC back from a RMA process, and I'm currently trying to transfer my data back over to my PC via SATA cable rather than simply cloning everything back in place.

Unfortunately, there is a strange issue I'm facing with Windows 11 showing me the incorrect size for my 'Steam' folder, and potentially other files and folders on my PC as well, when being scanned for transfer. Both Windows Explorer's 'Properties' window and WinDirStat with Treemap enabled shows my entire Steam folder as the size of 450 GB which is what I'm absolutely certain was the size before I cloned my NVMe to my SSD (external hard drive being used for storage).

Windows Explorer's properties for 'Steam':

WinDirStat and Treemap:

However, whenever Windows 11 scans the entire 'Steam' folder for copying over to its rightful location, it calculates the total size to approximately 850 GB which significantly exceeds both the SSD and the NVMe's total space unless the OS and other 5-30 GB files are deleted—they're both 1 TB.

The same thing happens when I open the 'Steam' folder and attempt to transfer all of its contents to my NVMe:

Why is it doing this, and is there a way I can fix it?

 

[Lafong]

I wouldn't put a lot of stock in what Explorer says about GB on a drive.

Quite a few threads about it over the years. Related to disk engineering, junctions, etc.

Either you have enough space or you don't....to be revealed after your copy/move attempts succeed or fail.

 

[Ellowas]

Either you have enough space or you don't....to be revealed after your copy/move attempts succeed or fail.

The thing is that my SSD (external hard drive) is a clone of my NVMe (internal hard drive), so there is no way Steam currently exceeds both my SSD, that it is currently on alongside other big files and folders, and my NVMe when it was originally on my latter for cloning to my former.

I certainly have enough space. Something is just miscalculating how much space is in 'Steam', and that's what I'm trying to figure out.

 

[Lafong]

Something is just miscalculating how much space is in 'Steam', and that's what I'm trying to figure out.

I was trying to tell you that "miscalculating" is common in Explorer. I see it regularly. One day I have 110,000 personal data files. Next day thousands more or thousands fewer. One day X gb occupied or free; next day Y occupied or free. All with very few changes I made deliberately. I long ago decided it is beyond my control and pointless to agonize over.