Computer slowing down and running out of disk space

Hello,

I originally ask for help on the malware forum because I was concerned that the slowdown in my computer may have been something that had attacked my system. After following all of the instructions and getting a 'clean bill of health' from the malware experts I was encouraged by them to post in this forum for additional help.

The helpers from malware stated, "Drive C is approaching a point where enough free disk space to properly run Windows is an issue."

They further suggested that I "re-size" my partitions and change my format from Fat to NTFS. Unfortunately, I have no idea what any of that means!

This is the information I found in the properties area for my disks:

Local Disk C:
File system: FAT32
Capacity 15.6 GB (16,763,142,144 bytes)
Free Space 2.19 GB (2,354,806,784 bytes)

Local Disk D:
File system: FAT32
Capacity 77.4 GB (83,166,748,672 bytes)
Free Space 68.9 GB (74,040,082,432 bytes)

Local Disk E:
File system: NTFS
Capacity 93.1GB (100,019,372,032 bytes)
Free Space 87.2 BG (93,652,557,824 bytes)


I bought the computer with its current configuration and did not do anything to change the set-up. I really don't know much about computers. I simply turn on the power button and use my computer for checking e-mail, researching information on the internet, monitoring my budget program, and using the Excel and Word programs. That is it.

I did, however, realize that my C drive was very small compared to the other drives so I have made it a habit to save anything I can to the D drive, when given a choice. Despite this, there still seem to be many things that automatically go to C drive that are beyond my control. It is those items that have apparently made the C drive so full.

My husband thought that we might need to purchase a new computer with a bigger C drive to accommodate larger programs demand for space, but the helpers on the malware forum said that a new computer would not be necessary if we could simply get some assistance from your forum.

By the way, I do not know of any reason I would need C, D, and E disks...I just have them because the computer came that way. I have been told that I really don't have 3 disks, but rather only 1 that has somehow been divided up and is recognized seperately within the computer???

I would be very happy to have just the one disk, without the subdivision. as I am not sure what purpose the subdivisions provide. Is there a way to give C drive access to all of the free space that seems wasted in the D and E drive areas? Would this help my computer function better/faster again? Would such a change require me to loose all that I have stored on the computer?

I would appreciate any advice or guidance on how to best address this matter, but please understand that I will need someone very patient because this is all very foreign to me.

 

First question: what is your Windows version?

Second question: are these C:, D:, E: drives hard disks, or partitions on one HD? You can check this by running DiskMgmt.msc - maybe you can post a screenshot.

Third question: to you know / use CCleaner?

 

Additional question: do you have anything on these D: and E: drives that you want to keep?

 

Well, first thing I'd normally do with a PC supplied with a hard drive formatted into several partitions, is move the My Documents folder and it's contents away from the Windows partition:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310147

This may make a considerable difference to the free space on your C: drive and, after a thorough defrag, it may make it perform noticeably quicker.



XP Service Pack 3 really needs 1GB of RAM to pick the performance up to a similar level to the earlier versions.



One reason for a big slowdown in an XP computer was a reduced data transfer rate being forced upon it by Windows if it detected repeated data errors on a hard drive or CD/DVD. I'd like you check whether this has occurred using the following instructions, which also contain some possible fixes if it has:

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/storage/ide-dma.mspx

 

Hello pwillener and satrow. Thank you both for your interest. I will answer your questions in order.

Beginning with pwillener:

First, my system uses Windows XP

Second, I have been told that I have only one disk that has been partitioned, but I do not really know. I have attempted to provide a screen shot from DiskMgmt, as you suggested, in hopes that it might provide you with answers that I cannot.

Third, I do use CCleaner regularly for both the cleaner and the registry tools.

Fourth, I am sure that there are items on the D drive that I would want to keep because it has been my primary location for storing information. I do not, however, know what is on the E drive. It is possible that my husband could have put some things there, but I am not certain what they would be.


And now to satrow:

The My Documents file had already been relocated from my C drive to my D drive. My husband made that change for me long ago in order to help me conserve space on my C drive. Please clarify if this meets the goal of the first instructions you outlined. Also, I do defrag regularly with the free version of Disk Keeper.

As for the second set of instructions you provided, which enabled DMA mode, I followed the steps and performed the toggle that you specified, but I do not understand what has been accomplished. Would you please explain what results to expect from this procedure and how they help to tell if the data transfer rate had been effected?



To both pwillener and satrow:

I hope that I have addressed the requests each of you had for me. Please let me know what other information I can provide or what other steps I should take in order to be of further assistance.

 

My Documents on D drive is fine

Re the DMA transfer, that was meant to be a check that DMA was set

So if it still shows DMA as enabled, all is well

As you're running XP, I'd make use of CCleaners option to clean out old MS Updates installers, it's in the Cleaner > Windows > Advanced section. This only removes the installers for theses files, the Updates themselves are left untouched.

I would also use CCleaner to remove a large selection (all ?) of the available System Restore points, Tools > System Restore. The latest Restore point can't be removed (good thing too).



That should hopefully allow Windows a little more breathing space. Ultimately, I think you will need to move My Documents again (to the current E drive), and move all other user files from D to E. This will enable you (after ensuring there is a good working backup of Windows and your data) to convert the C drive to the NTFS file system then combine it with the current D drive to give a full size C drive for Windows and programs.

Can you confirm that XP is up to Service Pack 2 or 3 level please? Right-click My Computer and select Properties.

 

Hi, satrow ~

Thanks for the additional info! I tried to follow your instructions for using CCleaner to clean out MS Updates installers, however I am embarassed to say that I did not get very far. When I opened CCleaner and looked at the options under Cleaner - Advanced, I found the following choices available:

Old Prefetch data (currently checked)
Menu Order Cache (currently checked)
Tray Notifications Cache
Window Size/Location Cache
User Assist History
Hotfix Uninstallers (currently checked)
Custom Files and Folders
Wipe Free Space

Apparently I do not know what name I should be looking for because I don't recognize anything that seems related to "MS Updates installers". I am sorry to be so needy, but could verify that I am in the right spot to do what you ask? If so, then would you please specify exactly which of the above options I should be checking or unchecking?

I did, however, have much more success with your instructions for removing my System Restore points. It was very easy to do, but I am not sure that it made a very big difference because I still only have 2.69 GB available on the C drive. Still, I am sure that every bit of additional space helps. Thanks for the tip!

Also, I am very intrigued by your idea of moving my stored information from D drive onto E drive and combining and C and D drives. My husband has recently purchased an external hard drive so I think we could make use of that tool, if it would be of any assistance during the process.

Before we get that far, would it be possible to determine whether my C drive is in the beginning stages of failing? One of the experts on the malware forum seemed concerned that the funny noises (like tiny machine gun fire) I was hearing from my computer, especially during the start-up process, might indicate that the C drive was going bad.

I am hoping that the strain my computer seems to be showing (and the noises it sometimes makes) is simply because it is working under such limited and difficult internal space constraints and that it will get better if we can give it enough room, but I don't know how to tell if that is just wishful thinking. I would love to have your thoughts on this situation.

Also, I did double-check my computer properties and confirmed that I am running Service Pack 3. Hope this info helps. Please let me know what to do next!

 

Ok, I should have checked up on the correct name used within CCleaner, it's 'Hotfix Uninstallers' but as I see that's already checked on yours and presumably has been run, so it won't do any more .

On to the C drive and original disk, some older drives are naturally fairly noisy but running the disk checker program from the manufacturer should pinpoint any potential or active faults in it. I'm guessing the reason the the drive was partitioned into 2 'drives' was that the original version of XP couldn't 'see' the full size of the drive, you're now updated past the SP level at which that was fixed by MS. If you check in Device Manager, you should be able to find specific details of your C/D drive so we can find the maker's tools.

In case anything goes badly later, do you have a Windows CD and can you find your Windows Key?

 

Good Evening, satrow ~

I am not sure what a "Windows CD" would be, but I will tell you what I have. Hopefully you will know whether I have what you are requesting. I received the computer pre-loaded but was provided several recovery CDs all labeled as Sony VAIO for PCV-RX590G Version V44.0.

Here are their names:

System Recovery CD #1, CD #2, and CD #3

Driver Recovery CD #1

Application Recovery CD #1 and CD #2

Are these helpful? I do not think that I was given and Windows Key for this computer. I have one listed on a reference card that my husband wrote (he is a great list maker) but I believe that it is for our older computer because all of the other information listed on the card refers to Windows 98. I do have lots of more recent Keys but they all see to relate to Office XP products. If you would like me to list their names I would be willing, but I suspect that you are looking for something else.

If none of this is meets your needs, I could ask my husband to look further. He will not be home from work for another 12 hours or so, but he does have another drawer where he has kept additional computer information for his work computer. I can see if he might possibly find more information that was mistakenly mixed with his work reference list, but that would be a longshot!

Please let me know if I have provided what you need or if it would be a good idea to have my hubby look further.

Thanks, again, for being so helpful!

 

Ok, back to it

It looks like you have the full complement of Recovery discs, enough to get you starting again from scratch if you have to. Your Windows key should be on to a small sticker attached to the outside of the machine somewhere, yes?

According to the Vaio site, the Recovery discs can be used to:

http://www.kb.sony.com/selfservice/..._1_1&dialogID=155900105&stateId=0 0 185430172

Assuming the resizing of partitions is non-destructive, these discs may be all you need. I think partions of 40GB for Boot/Windows/programs and the remainder (about 55GB?) for data should be fine.

Ensure you have saved all your valuable data to your external drive before testing the capabilities of the Recovery discs in a dry run. Read carefully all warnings, etc. and write them down. I'd begin by using the hardware testing program, if no problems are listed, do a dry run through the first part of the resizing feature to readup on what it will do.