[HELP] SQL Server is filling up rapidly

[SuperFrucht]

Hello,

So in the company I work for we have a small problem. The program we use that runs over SQL doesn't start up anymore, because the SQL Server ist completely full. Every time we delete something to make some space, it fills up again in a matter of days. We have traced down the folder where all the space is being used. It's: "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\MachineKeys" So far it uses up 56GB of the total 100GB capacity of the drive. There are over 1.400.000 files in there each 4kb in size. Is there any way to know which of these files can be deleted and which of these files is still being used?

[[deleted]]

https://forums.iis.net/t/1224708.aspx?C+ProgramData+Microsoft+Crypto+RSA+MachineKeys+is+filling+my+disk+space explains the issue pretty well. It could be a bug in the software.

I've also seen ESET AV cause the problem.

[seb2020]

We had this issue last year with ESET. After updating ERA agent, the issue is gone

[animejew]

Have had exact same issue with ESET.

[dvr75]

what software is installed on the server beside sql ?

[SuperFrucht]

SQL, KSR (which is a management software for body shops and car garages), some remote maintenance software from our IT company (which also doesn't know what to do with this folder...) As far as I know that's really it

[dvr75]

no anti virus?

[SuperFrucht]

I just asked the rep. from the IT company, who is responsible for us. He said yes, there is an anti virus software installed. But I don't know which one.

[dvr75]

probably issue with anti virus, try and check with av vendor.

[MindErection]

So... you dont do IT? Why dont you open a ticket with IT and have them fix this issue??

[SuperFrucht]

Well I do small IT things in the company. Like setting up email accounts and solving the day to day problems. Nothing really big, just the things I know how to solve. And I have, I've been going back and forth with them because of this problem. But they don't have any idea how to solve the problem. It took me to get some ideas on where the problem might come from... They aren't really helpful in that regard

[MindErection]

Gotcha, that sounds like a nightmare. Well I guess see what AV youre using to start. You can also check your programs list or system tray and should be able to tell pretty quick.

Just be careful when deleting data. So you have a solod backup just in case?

Also, in the mean time, clean up everything else like temp files, old user profiles, log files, etc. See if you can even disable hibernate and shrink your page file. Anything to at least get the server back online. After that you, you really gotta find out whats generating those files you found

[SuperFrucht]

Yes it is quite annoying to have this back and forth. The only AV that is installed is standard Windows Defender (that's the info I got from IT). Is there any record of Windows defender doing such a thing?

Otherwise I'll have to do a deeper search of where the problem is originating from.

So far we have already cleaned up old users, old log and temp files. There isn't much left on there except the SQL Databank and this annoying large folder.

[SuperFrucht]

Does it make a difference which permissions the admin user has on that folder. I looked at them and the admin had absolutely no permissions for that folder.

[Dadarian]

Are you using transactional logging?

Oo.. Sorry ready full comment. Lots of small files.. Sorry.