FREEDISK - CMD

Overview

The FREEDISK command is used in Windows Command Prompt to check if a specified amount of disk space is available on a specific drive. This command is beneficial for ensuring sufficient disk space prior to software installation or large data operations. It is primarily used in batch scripting and automated tasks to prevent errors due to insufficient disk space.

Syntax

The basic syntax for using FREEDISK is as follows:

FREEDISK drive: size
  • drive: specifies the drive letter to check the available space on.
  • size defines the minimum required free disk space in kilobytes (KB).

Options/Flags

FREEDISK does not have additional options or flags. It solely relies on the input parameters (drive and size) to perform its function.

Examples

  1. Basic Usage
    Check if there is at least 500000 KB free on drive C:

    FREEDISK C: 500000

  2. Integration in Batch File
    A snippet from a batch file which aborts operation if required space is not available:

    @echo off
FREEDISK C: 1000000
if errorlevel 1 (
    echo Not enough disk space on drive C.
    exit /b
)
echo Proceeding with operation.

Common Issues

  • Incorrect Drive Letter: Specifying a non-existent or incorrect drive letter results in an error. Always verify the drive letter.
  • Insufficient Permissions: Without necessary permissions, FREEDISK may fail. Run CMD with administrative privileges if needed.

Integration

FREEDISK can be effectively combined with other CMD commands to prepare environments for database operations or software installations. Here’s an example of using FREEDISK with conditional logic in a script:

@echo off
FREEDISK D: 2000000
if errorlevel 1 goto error
echo Enough space available.
goto end

:error
echo Warning: Not enough space on D: drive.
:end
  • CHKDSK: Checks the file system and file system metadata of a disk for logical and physical errors.
  • DISKPART: Provides disk partitioning and management capabilities.
  • DIR: Displays a list of files and subdirectories in a directory.

For more on disk management commands, check the official Microsoft Documentation.