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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Kosh on April 17, 2008, 03:31:44 am

Title: Computer question
Post by: Kosh on April 17, 2008, 03:31:44 am

Problem: Last month my windows partition had about 1 GB free, and that number has been steadily decreasing. Last week it was down to 300 MB and now it only has 50 MB. Between now and then I have put nothing on that drive, so I have no idea how or even why this has happened. Any suggestions?

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: Ashrak on April 17, 2008, 03:34:56 am

drive cleanup

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: Kosh on April 17, 2008, 03:50:35 am

Already done, minimal effect.

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: achtung on April 17, 2008, 04:30:30 am

What other partitions do you have?  What OS do you use the most?

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: captain-custard on April 17, 2008, 05:29:31 am

Quote from: Kosh on April 17, 2008, 03:31:44 am

Problem: Last month my windows partition had about 1 GB free, and that number has been steadily decreasing. Last week it was down to 300 MB and now it only has 50 MB. Between now and then I have put nothing on that drive, so I have no idea how or even why this has happened. Any suggestions?

try this...............

http://www.ccleaner.com/ (http://www.ccleaner.com/)

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: Kosh on April 17, 2008, 06:40:58 am

Quote from: Swantz on April 17, 2008, 04:30:30 am

What other partitions do you have?  What OS do you use the most?

Just a couple of data partitions. I just use Windows XP, nothing else.

Quote

try this...............

http://www.ccleaner.com/

Thanks. Checking all of the advanced options I was able to clean out 400 MB of windows crap (not internet related), but I'm still not sure where the other 500 MB went to. Anyway this should be enough to stave off any extra problems for now.

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: jdjtcagle on April 17, 2008, 07:10:54 am

*edit*

/me   :nervous:

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: perihelion on April 17, 2008, 08:30:09 am

Try running DiskDATA:
http://www.diskdata.com/web/Overview.html (http://www.diskdata.com/web/Overview.html)

It will not clean up anything, but it does graphically present where your disk memory is being used broken down by subdirectory.  I find it very useful for tracking down where some obnoxious program decided to hide (and then never delete) its temp files.  I'd use the .exe version that doesn't need to be "installed," just for the sake of simplicity.

I've been using it since... oh God, since I was an undergrad...  [proceeds to feel very old]

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: Nuke on April 17, 2008, 09:44:46 am

delete anything in the windows folder that happens to have blue text (compressed backups created by service packs and hot fixes), that **** takes up alot of space. though i cant tell you what will happen if you try to remove those hot fixes with the backups missing.

on the other hand hard drives are cheap.

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: Davros on April 17, 2008, 04:14:17 pm

is it swap file, system restore ?

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: Kosh on April 17, 2008, 07:22:11 pm

Quote from: Davros on April 17, 2008, 04:14:17 pm

is it swap file, system restore ?

Not sure, but the magic number as of this morning is now 750 MB free. What else did I do? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It just increased by 250 MB by itself.

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: colecampbell666 on April 17, 2008, 07:56:09 pm

I'm pretty sure that a PC has to be restarted to get the full effects of CCleaner. You might also want to try the registry cleaner and startup program cleaner included. (one under the "Registry" tab, the other under "Tools")

Also, defragment the drive.

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: Nuke on April 17, 2008, 08:58:22 pm

you usually need 15-20% of the drive space free to do a defrag. you can still run the defragger but i dont think it will do you any good. try uninstalling any old games you dont play anymore.

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: Kosh on April 17, 2008, 09:03:10 pm

Almost everything has been uninstalled/deleted from the C drive, all that's left that is of any significant size is Office and Windows.

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: Nuke on April 17, 2008, 09:08:23 pm

how big was the partition initially? i usually make it between 30 and 80 gigs, but i only install non-game software on it.

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: Kosh on April 17, 2008, 09:14:18 pm

10 GB. Don't look at me, it isn't my computer. :P


I ran disk data and found an old movie sitting on my desktop that explains why it was using so much. Now we're up to 1.18 GB.

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: Nuke on April 17, 2008, 09:43:23 pm

10 gig is ok, if you run win 2000 or less :D

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: Backslash on April 17, 2008, 10:30:08 pm

I have had similar problems in the past.  May I recommend Doug Knox's XP Hotfix Backup Remover (http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_hotfix_backup.htm).  If you don't plan to uninstall hotfixes (and you probably have a ton by now), this is a good way to get rid of the backup files AND the registry entries for their uninstallers.  Nice and clean.  Or you can be daring and do it Nuke's way ;)

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: Kosh on April 17, 2008, 11:40:16 pm

Quote

Or you can be daring and do it Nuke's way

I'd rather not nuke my hard drive. :P


HDDs might be cheap, but this is a laptop and given the variety of other issues (namely a dead DVD drive and keyboard) with it I don't think it is worth upgrading.

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: Nuke on April 18, 2008, 03:32:04 am

ive done it my way without ill effect countless times. if you want to get rid of hotfixes your best bet is reinstalling windows.

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: Kosh on April 18, 2008, 06:00:39 am

Quote from: Nuke on April 18, 2008, 03:32:04 am

ive done it my way without ill effect countless times. if you want to get rid of hotfixes your best bet is reinstalling windows.

Can't re-install, got a dead disc drive and no access to an external.

Title: Re: Computer question
Post by: jr2 on April 25, 2008, 03:00:35 am

Heh...

Spoiler:

toorgle.com and All Windows DVD might help