FOLDER SIZE REPORTING

FolderSizes v9.1 has been released and is now available for download. There are a few notable changes in this build that we’d like to review.

First, we’ve made dozens of user interface enhancements that include the re-introduction of a dark theme (by popular request) and improvements to existing themes. We’ve also improved the scaling of UI elements for high-resolution monitors – including revised icons, enhancements to the installer, better print scaling, and much more.

There are many changes “under the hood” as well, including improved behavior when analyzing DFS shares, improved PDF exports, and various bug fixes.

And finally, the minimum Windows OS requirements have been updated to Windows 7 SP1 or later (or Windows Server 2012 R2 or later). Anyone needing support for older operating systems (Windows Vista, Server 2008) can still download and install the previous FolderSizes v9.0 release.

P.S. We also recently released Permissions Reporter v3 – a major version upgrade to our world-class NTFS permissions reporting solution. We hope you’ll give it a try.

FolderSizes version 9 introduces enhanced installation capabilities that allow administrators to apply license keys during deployment, including support for silent installation scenarios. This feature streamlines the deployment process in enterprise environments.

To use this feature, invoke the FolderSizes v9 installer with the following syntax:

“fs9-setup.exe” LICENSE_CODE=”XXX-XXX-XXX-XXX”

In practice, it will usually be necessary to fully qualify the path to the installer executable. For example:

“c:\myfolder\fs9-setup.exe” LICENSE_CODE=”XXX-XXX-XXX-XXX”

Note that you can combine this capability with one of the following silent installation flags:

– basic UI: /qb (only a progress bar will be shown during the installation)
– no UI: /qn (no UI will be showed during the installation)

And now a final example that installs FolderSizes 9 silently and applies a license key:

“c:\myfolder\fs9-setup.exe” LICENSE_CODE=”XXX-XXX-XXX-XXX” /qn

Key Metric Software has released FolderSizes 9 – a new major version of our world-class disk space analysis software for Windows.

With over a year of development and testing under its belt, FolderSizes 9 introduces sweeping improvements to nearly every feature and function offered by the product. Over a hundred enhancements and fixes make this version of FolderSizes our best yet.

For a high-level overview of what’s new in FolderSizes 9, please see:

https://www.foldersizes.com/features/whatsnew

Or head straight for the download page and try it for yourself:

https://www.foldersizes.com/download

In addition to all the feature enhancements, we’ve also added support for consultant licenses. These allow consulting individuals and companies to use FolderSizes 9 to service their customers broadly, and at reasonable prices.

FolderSizes 9 also finally ends our long-standing support for Windows XP and Server 2003. Microsoft stopped supporting these operating systems back in April of 2014, so it was (probably well past) time for us to do the same. FolderSizes 9 also looks forward by adding official support for Windows Server 2019 and the latest builds of Windows 10.

I’m amazed, at times, when I look back at the growth of FolderSizes since its introduction in 2003. That’s over 16 years of continuous development. And we have no intention of slowing down. So check out the new version and let us know what you think… because we’re always planning for the future.

Key Metric Software is proud to announce the release of FolderSizes 8.5.

The main goal of this release is enhanced support for high resolution displays. We’ve tweaked every aspect of the user interface to ensure correctness in high DPI environments, and now FolderSizes looks and performs beautifully on 4k monitors with display scaling all the way up to 200% (and everything in between).

A range of additional minor feature enhancements and bug fixes are also included in the FolderSizes 8.5 release. And if you’re a FolderSizes v8 license owner, this update is entirely free.

Download the latest version of FolderSizes today.

Introduction

The release of FolderSizes 8 marks a significant advancement in storage analysis and reporting technology. This major release not only introduces valuable new features but represents a complete re-engineering of our file system analysis engine, delivering exceptional performance improvements across diverse storage environments.

Since the launch of FolderSizes 8, many users have inquired about the technological foundations that enable its superior performance compared to similar solutions. This article provides a technical overview of our architectural approach and the engineering decisions that have shaped the product’s capabilities.

Technical Architecture: A Smart Threading Framework

FolderSizes introduces a proprietary multi-threaded architecture, designed specifically to maximize parallelism and concurrency throughout all analysis stages. This system features:

• Customizable Thread Pool Management: A configurable thread allocation system that minimizes thread initialization overhead while intelligently distributing workloads
• Optimized Concurrency Algorithms: Sophisticated work distribution algorithms that maximize parallel processing efficiency while reducing thread contention
• Adaptive In-Memory Database: A purpose-built database system that dynamically constructs a complete file system representation while adapting its internal storage model based on workload characteristics
• Memory Optimization: Advanced memory compaction and storage algorithms that ensure optimal resource utilization, significantly enhancing scalability for large-scale environments

Development and Optimization Methodology

Our development approach emphasizes performance at every level:

• Native Code Optimization: All FolderSizes code is developed in C/C++ and compiled directly to 64-bit machine code using industry-leading optimizing compilers
• Runtime Performance Profiling: Dynamic optimization of execution paths based on real-world usage patterns, ensuring that frequently accessed code paths are optimally positioned
• 64-bit Architecture Support: FolderSizes pioneered native 64-bit support in this product category, an advancement that many competing solutions have yet to implement
• Environment-Specific Optimization: Specialized processing logic that recognizes and adapts to the distinct requirements of local and network-based analysis scenarios

Enterprise Validation and Testing

The robustness of FolderSizes is the result of extensive real-world validation:

• Enterprise Collaboration: Ongoing partnerships with global organizations such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, NASA, Comerica Bank, and Marathon Oil have provided invaluable testing against some of the world’s most demanding storage environments
• Comprehensive Testing Infrastructure: An extensive internal testing framework that simulates extreme edge cases and stress conditions
• Reliability Engineering: Focus on maintaining accuracy and stability in environments where competing solutions often fail

Company Background and Product Evolution

FolderSizes is developed by Key Metric Software, based in Traverse City, Michigan. The company specializes in file system analysis and reporting solutions. Development of FolderSizes began in 2001, with the first commercial release in 2003—representing over 15 years of continuous refinement and enhancement.

The product’s evolution is transparently documented in our comprehensive release notes, which detail the progression of features and capabilities over this extended development timeline.

Conclusion

The performance advantages demonstrated by FolderSizes reflect our commitment to engineering excellence and deep understanding of enterprise storage environments. While we take pride in the advancements achieved to date, our development roadmap continues to focus on further enhancing performance, scalability, and analytical capabilities.

For organizations facing complex storage management challenges, FolderSizes offers not only superior performance but the reliability and scalability required for today’s data-intensive environments.