Troubleshooting

Start with the FAQ for the common "why" questions. This page is for things that are broken.

The scan ran as a folder walk when I expected the fast scan

The file-table scan needs an NTFS drive, a whole-drive scan and a yes to the administrator prompt. If all three were true and it still fell back, the status bar says why: a table the scanner could not follow safely, or the helper could not start. The folder walk gives the same result, slower. Report it with the status bar's message if it keeps happening on one drive.

A folder shows as "access denied" or is missing

The folder walk cannot read folders Windows protects (System Volume Information, other users' profiles, some ProgramData folders). A bar above the map lists them after the scan, with a button to restart as administrator, after which the walk can read them. The file-table scan sees everything regardless.

The map is blank, or a folder is empty

• A filter may be on: the path row's Filter button is lit and the box has text. Esc clears it.
• Settings › Scanning › Leave out may be hiding it; check the list.
• Hidden and system files are left out when Settings › Scanning › Include hidden and system files is off.
• F5 rescans; if the folder is really empty, Explorer will agree.

The app is slow or uses a lot of memory

A million files is a million tree nodes; that is normal and shows in the status bar's memory meter. Things that make it worse: Density set to Everything (no grouping) on a huge folder, cushion shading at Maximum density, and the hover card over a folder with hundreds of thousands of files. Close the scan with Ctrl+W when you are done with it.

The map looks wrong after a Windows scaling change

Avalonia handles 125% and 150% scaling, but a scaling change while the app runs can leave a stale layout. Restart the app.

The app does not open

1. If it shows an Unexpected error dialog: press Report on GitHub; the bug form opens with the version, your Windows and the error filled in, and the crash log can be attached.
2. If it shows nothing: look in %LocalAppData%\SpaceSharp\logs for the newest crash-*.log and attach it to a bug report. About › Crash logs opens the folder when the app does start.
3. A corrupt settings.json (%AppData%\SpaceSharp) is skipped and replaced with defaults, so settings are rarely the cause; a corrupt autosave in %LocalAppData%\SpaceSharp\scans is reported in the status bar, not fatal. Deleting either folder is safe if you want a clean start.

The update prompt keeps appearing, or never does

• Only installed copies (Setup or MSI) update. The portable exe never checks; download the new one.
• Settings › Behavior › Check for updates on startup must be on.
• The check talks to api.github.com; a firewall or proxy that blocks it means no prompt. Nothing else is affected.
• A prompt that returns after installing usually means the install was blocked by an antivirus mid-swap. Run the installer from the release page once.

"Windows protected your PC" on first run

SmartScreen on a certificate that is still earning its reputation. More info › Run anyway. The publisher name in the dialog comes from the code signature; check it with the file's Properties › Digital Signatures if you want to be sure.

Something else

Open a bug report. The form asks for what matters; About › Copy version info fills in the version and system fields in one paste.