Author Topic: Need to free space on your HDD, but don't want to delete things?  (Read 1962 times)

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Offline The E

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Need to free space on your HDD, but don't want to delete things?
Have I got a tool for you!

Okay, so what does this do? Well, Windows has, for a long time, had builtin transparent compression (i.e. the files are compressed on disk and are decompressed by the OS as they are accessed). In Windows 10, MS added a few more compression options that are easier to decompress on a multithreaded system; unfortunately, the only way to access these is via compress.exe, a widely unknown utility buried in the depths of System32.

But now, there's the utility linked above, which provides a clean, easy-to-use UI for compress.exe. Just point it at a folder and let it do it's thing; space savings are variable based on content, but are generally equivalent to zip. Using it, I reduced the size of my FS2 install from 129GB to 76GB.
If I'm just aching this can't go on
I came from chasing dreams to feel alone
There must be changes, miss to feel strong
I really need lifе to touch me
--Evergrey, Where August Mourns

 
Re: Need to free space on your HDD, but don't want to delete things?
This is a cool thing.

 
Re: Need to free space on your HDD, but don't want to delete things?
What kind of impact does it have on e.g. load times?
The good Christian should beware of mathematicians, and all those who make empty prophecies. The danger already exists that the mathematicians have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine man in the bonds of Hell.

  

Offline The E

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Re: Need to free space on your HDD, but don't want to delete things?
I have only tested it on FSO. There is a noticeable increase in load times, especially on initial startup when stuff is being unpacked for the first time. After that, load times are still higher but not terribly so.

This is incredibly unscientific, I know.
If I'm just aching this can't go on
I came from chasing dreams to feel alone
There must be changes, miss to feel strong
I really need lifе to touch me
--Evergrey, Where August Mourns

 

Offline AdmiralRalwood

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Re: Need to free space on your HDD, but don't want to delete things?
With a slow harddrive, I actually see a decrease in load times (because there's less data to be read from the harddrive).
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Codethulhu GitHub wgah'nagl fhtagn.

schrödinbug (noun) - a bug that manifests itself in running software after a programmer notices that the code should never have worked in the first place.

When you gaze long into BMPMAN, BMPMAN also gazes into you.

"I am one of the best FREDders on Earth" -General Battuta

<Aesaar> literary criticism is vladimir putin

<MageKing17> "There's probably a reason the code is the way it is" is a very dangerous line of thought. :P
<MageKing17> Because the "reason" often turns out to be "nobody noticed it was wrong".
(the very next day)
<MageKing17> this ****ing code did it to me again
<MageKing17> "That doesn't really make sense to me, but I'll assume it was being done for a reason."
<MageKing17> **** ME
<MageKing17> THE REASON IS PEOPLE ARE STUPID
<MageKing17> ESPECIALLY ME

<MageKing17> God damn, I do not understand how this is breaking.
<MageKing17> Everything points to "this should work fine", and yet it's clearly not working.
<MjnMixael> 2 hours later... "God damn, how did this ever work at all?!"
(...)
<MageKing17> so
<MageKing17> more than two hours
<MageKing17> but once again we have reached the inevitable conclusion
<MageKing17> How did this code ever work in the first place!?

<@The_E> Welcome to OpenGL, where standards compliance is optional, and error reporting inconsistent

<MageKing17> It was all working perfectly until I actually tried it on an actual mission.

<IronWorks> I am useful for FSO stuff again. This is a red-letter day!
* z64555 erases "Thursday" and rewrites it in red ink

<MageKing17> TIL the entire homing code is held up by shoestrings and duct tape, basically.

 

Offline jr2

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Re: Need to free space on your HDD, but don't want to delete things?
With a slow harddrive, I actually see a decrease in load times (because there's less data to be read from the harddrive).

5400RPM?

 

Offline AdmiralRalwood

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Re: Need to free space on your HDD, but don't want to delete things?
5400RPM?
Probably; it's been long enough that I can't recall the exact specifications, but it's almost certainly less than 7200 RPM.
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Codethulhu GitHub wgah'nagl fhtagn.

schrödinbug (noun) - a bug that manifests itself in running software after a programmer notices that the code should never have worked in the first place.

When you gaze long into BMPMAN, BMPMAN also gazes into you.

"I am one of the best FREDders on Earth" -General Battuta

<Aesaar> literary criticism is vladimir putin

<MageKing17> "There's probably a reason the code is the way it is" is a very dangerous line of thought. :P
<MageKing17> Because the "reason" often turns out to be "nobody noticed it was wrong".
(the very next day)
<MageKing17> this ****ing code did it to me again
<MageKing17> "That doesn't really make sense to me, but I'll assume it was being done for a reason."
<MageKing17> **** ME
<MageKing17> THE REASON IS PEOPLE ARE STUPID
<MageKing17> ESPECIALLY ME

<MageKing17> God damn, I do not understand how this is breaking.
<MageKing17> Everything points to "this should work fine", and yet it's clearly not working.
<MjnMixael> 2 hours later... "God damn, how did this ever work at all?!"
(...)
<MageKing17> so
<MageKing17> more than two hours
<MageKing17> but once again we have reached the inevitable conclusion
<MageKing17> How did this code ever work in the first place!?

<@The_E> Welcome to OpenGL, where standards compliance is optional, and error reporting inconsistent

<MageKing17> It was all working perfectly until I actually tried it on an actual mission.

<IronWorks> I am useful for FSO stuff again. This is a red-letter day!
* z64555 erases "Thursday" and rewrites it in red ink

<MageKing17> TIL the entire homing code is held up by shoestrings and duct tape, basically.

 

Offline Davros

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Re: Need to free space on your HDD, but don't want to delete things?
Using it, I reduced the size of my FS2 install from 129GB to 76GB.
Bloody hell...