A computing device has a file stored on a storage volume by a file system and accessed through such file system. The file is defined to include data and metadata relating to the data, and at least a portion of the data of the file is removed from the file and stored at an alternate location such that the data does not occupy substantially any space on the volume and the file is in a reduced, ghosted form. The ghosted file is reconstituted for use by retrieving the data from the alternate location and associating such retrieved data with such ghosted file to form the reconstituted file.