Defrag

On Win XP, trying to do a routine defrag. Error says must have 15% available space, but gives an option to continue anyway. Would it be advisable to delete stuff to make it 15% available, or would it be ok to continue anyway?

 

YES! Free up as much space as possible. Temporarily move it another hard drive, or burn some CD's or DVD's. Defrags don't really accomplish much if there's a lack of free space. Also, run CCleaner (link: http://www.majorgeeks.com/CCleaner_Slim_No_Yahoo_Toolbar_English_d4191.html) or Zappit! (link: http://www.majorgeeks.com/Zappit_System_Cleaner_d5207.html) or a different drive cleaner of your choice. Use CCleaner's default settings, if using Zappit!, go with the Advanced Mode. These drive cleaners will remove cookies, internet temporary files, windows/system temp files, and lots of other useless garbage. On a PC I worked on a few days ago, CCleaner freed up over 11gb of space!!! WOW!! 11gb of junk files!!! Golly

hopperdave2000

 

Check out http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=99717 and my post #6 in it.

This gives 4 programs that really clean out your PC.:major

Yes, CCleaner is one of them, but the other 3 each find stuff the others miss.

I use all 4 every day. All are essential, IMO. Bazza

 

And was most of that wasted space in temporary internet files??????

I am amazed at how much disk space can be taken by allowing the temp files to use a percentage of the disk and usually set it as a certain number of Mb that the browsers are allowed to use. Certainly keeps them under better control but I still don't understand why they continue to use more anyway!?!?!? confused

 

If you don't want the bother of controlling either your 'temporary internet files' or 'cookies', then set up a Ramdisk drive and move those 2 folders into it.

That way each time you reboot your pc, these folders together with the index.dat files will be atomised and rebuilt new.

Good Luck

 

Sounds great and I'd like to do it with all the files that keep history, (such as every email you ever wrote/received) and refuse to be deleted or that just keep getting enormous but I don't know what you mean. Could you explain here or start a new thread for it?

Thanks!

 

Check out your Swap file size.

Start-->Control Panel--->System-->Advanced--->Performance--->Settings--->Advanced-->Virtual Memory.

Please advise the "Total paging file size for all drives".
MS in their wisdom, and folklore, set it to 1.5 times the amount of installed RAM on your PC. I have 2 gigs of RAM. MS would suggest 3.5 gigs size, ridiculous.

I have mine set to 200 megs, a saving of 3.3 gigs.
I use System Information for Windows at http://www.gtopala.com/ to monitor Swap File use. (Not available via MG, unfortunately).:cry

I use version 1.66 (Free). There is a version 1.67, out just now. I am not sure if that is still free. Currently, of my 200 megs, only 101 megs is in use. Maybe do a google search for System Information for Windows. Maybe add 1.66 in your Search.

Also check out System Restore space allocated on your PC.
Start-->Control Panel--->System-->System Restore.
By default, MS allocates 12% of your hard drive to store System restore point info.
This is also ridiculous, with today's large capacity hard drives.

I have a 60 gig hard drive. 12% = approximately 7 megs in size.
I have mine set to 3% which equals 1.4 gigs.
Another saving of 5.5 gigs approximately.
You can alter the size allocated by moving the slider to the left or right.

1.4 gigs is plenty for me, although I clean out my old System Restores each month or so.

These settings work for me. Every PC user has different requirements.
I have saved nearly 9 gigs of MS allocated space on my hard drive, with my settings.

Hope this helps. Let us know your initial settings, and amount of RAM installed, and maybe we can advise further, if required. Bazza

PS: Doing these 2 suggestions may enable you to free up enough space to defrag.:major
Don't forget the 4 programs I listed earlier. I have more tips if you are still short of space. Baz