Low Space on C: - what else can I possibly do?

Greetings,

(FWIW - my "geekdom" would rate very low, maybe a 3 out of 10, so with that I'll proceed):

My disk space sensor (Norton Disk Doctor monitor) has been warning me for quite some time of low disk space..typically it's been no more than 1070 MB and I've seen it down to 180 MB. (scared me!)

I did some cleaning and moving of folders that I felt comfortable with after much research and it "helped", giving me from around (commonly) 1050 MB on my C: drive. It's enough to get by as long as I don't fire up my (ancient) Photoshop Elements program and start processing pics in there.

From what I can recall doing:
-uninstalled programs I didn't need via Add/Remove
-moved all of my photos and other media to 300 GB external drive;
-moved some Folders to my D: drive (e.g. "My Documents"; "Temp Internet files; Paging Files Folder")
-purged old System Restore points via the Windows Disk Cleanup >Options...
-Did some file-compressions (though wasn't comfortable compressing a whole of them as I'd saw warnings about that practice)
-Disabled some unecessary start-up items
-I regularily use CCleaner, and defrag the C: drive (semi-regularily) -it needs it now, which I'll do tonight upon retiring - (I have a saved copy of the drive analysis if it helps) - I'm not sure how the de-frag will go with only "7%" free space left on the drive, the analysis went ok though..

Incidently; I just did "Disk Cleanup", it says: "you have 7,250 kb of files to clean up" - it acts as if it cleaned after allowing it to proceed deleting the files, but upon subsequent scans still shows "you have 7,250 kb of files to clean up / this just started to happen. Also, Norton is saying I have "3001 protected files" I can purge but those files will not disappear no matter what I've done.

I once tried (in utter ignorance) to "move" my C: drive to my H: drive (WD 320 GB external HD) - so not sure if that had some effect on this, everything seems ok..the operation went on for awhile before, I believe, aborting - not sure, it was several months ago. I think there are some registry problems associated with it, (as a Norton Win Doctor "Windows Problems" scan seems to attest).

I just downloaded and ran an app called "WinDirStat" which: "Shows where all your disk space has gone and helps you clean it up." - The problem is, it provided this awesome graphic of what my system drives look like but I've no idea what to do do from here.. The Help pages don't really help in that area. I can show the results of that here as well if it helps.

At this point I don't what else to do. I'm the primary user of this computer, I don't play games or use many programs. Had this computer over 5 years, always tried to use "best practices" on maintantance etc... as I learned them..

hmm..perhaps I should make that rating a 2 out of 10.

WinXP Home/SP2
Hard disks-111.79 GB, 118 MB
DSL/ IE7
BitDefender AV 2008
CCleaner
Norton Utilities 2002/Norton Disk Doctor ver. 6.00.20g (leftover from Norton AV I once used)

Thanks so much for your help!
~Suzanne

 

thats strange, u moved the media to another hdd then what else is taking up the hdd space? You tried right clicking on the hdd and going to properties and seeing how much free space it calculates there?

 

Exactly how did you move your media to the other drive?
If you just Right Clicked and used Send To, it just copies to the destination drive and the original remains on your source drive.

 

Hello Dacads,

Doing what you desribe:
*Local Disk>C:>Properties:
Used space- 12.9 GB
Free Space- 1.07 GB

I did a right-click and chose "System Information" for more tabs/details. (the "Drive" tab showed as above)

Under the "Memory" tab:
(below green/blue pie): >System Information - Memory:
Total Physical Memory: 1024 MB
Total Windows Memory: 1330 MB
(green box): Free: 924
(blue ") Used: 407
(red ": Selection: 0 KB)

Of course, I wasn't able to de-frag last night because a defrag requires more than 7% free space. I even un-installed the over 200 MB Microsoft Works program that came embedded with the PC to try and retrieve some defragging space..and restarting didn't change anything.


Hello hrlow2,

I opened up the containing folder in C:\ and also the destination folder in the H:\ drive and dragged them in. Now, for instance, in my "Start" menu I can see that "My Documents" says the target is D:\.

I've tried to find the right way to do things via Googling...I hate asking for help unless I've exhasted all other recourse, plus I learn more that way

Thanks ~

 

hrlow2,

Sorry ..I just realized I talked about moving my files to the external hdd (H and then gave an example by referring to an item (My Documents) that is on my D: drive..

Some files I put on the external drive (H and some items to the D:. Only photo and music files go to H:. This is all a bit too exsasperating for my aged brain, hah.

 

You said:

Used space- 12.9 GB
Free Space- 1.07 GB

Thats strange as you say tou have a 110GB HDD but the computer is saying you only having 14GB.

It could be a visual bug or something.

 

Unless they mistake hard drive space for RAM.

 

im quiet confuse with this one..

 

Oh goodness...sorry, I don't know where the "118 MB" came from..there seems to be 42 different ways to view "system infomation" as well as the many systems-and-informations variably contained therein..yes, visual bug it is! haha Different windows look/say (to me) different things depending on where one right-clicks, or left clicks.

Via Norton's: "System Information" >"System" it shows:
"Hard disks-111.79 GB 298. GB

As far as RAM .. From the Start menu: Under "My Computer" > "Properties" it shows:
Sony Electronics Inc.
UCV080XEUM
Intel(R)
Pentium(R) 4CPU 2.66GHz
2.66 GHz, 1.00 GB of Ram .. can't find where it says specifically how much "RAM" I have..

 

doh! - that "298 GB" is referring to my external drive! But it doesn't tell me that....
In yet another clicky place..: via the desktop Norton Sys Doctor monitor - right click on the Sensor- C: and it says "C: -13 GB and D: 97 GB" - those I believe are the optimum.

 

plodr - you said to "dump Norton Utilities Disk Doctor from 2002" Do you mean just un-install Norton? Not that it'd be a problem, it's just been a handy utility to have around ( i think) - but I know it's not necessary.

Clicked on "My Computer" - on left column under "Details":
Local Disk (C
Local Disk

File System NTFS
Free Space: 1.12 GB
Total Size: 13.9 GB
(incidently/fwiw our son helped us choose this computer and set it up for us about 6 years ago)

/also, I used NAV for a few years, but switched to BDefender..NAV seem to work fine on my sys then...but have learned Norton can be a beast to get rid of..

/oops sorry for all the edits! - My external "H:" drive is as follows:
My Book
Local Disk

File Sysyem: FAT32
Free Space: 276 GB
Total Size: 298 GB

 

I *do* have a 2nd partition (i think that's what it's referred as) D: drive .. not sure if you realize..

Local Disk (D
Local Disk

File System NTFS
Free Space: 71.7 GB
Total Size: 97.8 GB

 

Lmao we dont realize you have a 2nd partition you never mentioned/told us!!!

Now I'm wondering what the heck your worrying about, you have 1st parition dude it looks like thats where the OS was installed, so the WINDOWS files are in there! it's meant top take up around that much GB depending on the OS!
You are have stressed yourself over nothing! on the 2nd parition which are your documents only like 15% of it is filled and you also have an external HDD!

Discussion over:zzz

 

Wait-a-sec...so all this (Norton's) warning me of "low disk space on C:" is for naught? I can just open up my Photoshop, work-away on my photos as the disk space drains down to nothing and not think twice about it? And why does my systems' Defrag tell me upon attempt "there is not enough space on this drive to perform this operation" or "to defrag this volume" (or somesuch) I have to be able to defrag..

Oh yes..heheh - I'm so sorry I did not include the D: drive in my OS info! I errantly thought it would just be known to be part of the sys I referenced:
Hard disks-111.79 GB, 118 MB -doesn't this plurality point to two volumes? (even though the "118 MB"-part was wrong) - anyhow, lesson learned

Sorry to be such a pain! But glad you had a laff

 

Decads - you said: "it looks like thats where the OS was installed, so the WINDOWS files are in there! it's meant top take up around that much GB depending on the OS!:

Yes, I understand that. It's just that the "pie" used to be much bigger, those "WINDOWS files" did not always take up this much space. In the beginning I would normally see 2000 to 3000 MB showing as "Free Space" on my C: drive. I just want to know what changed.

I'd moved (long ago) my PShop scratch files to D: .. really, anything I found to be "safe" to move OFF the SYSTEM drive I have moved.

Thanks ~

/I meant to say the slice of the pie.

 

Windows Updates also go there and take their own space.

 

I have "Norton Utilities 2002 (6.0)" - it came bundled with the old Norton AntiVirus I used to use. The removal tool you linked to only goes to the 2003..

..I actually have 5 pages printed out and ready-to-go (from Symantec's site) to attempt to remove the Norton Utilities program all-together (NortonDiskDoctor falls under the NU heading) but was hoping to come across something less complicated. It seems I went through a similar process (though not as long) after I'd un-installed NAV from my computer a few years ago (or thought I did) but this part of the package remained and I found it handy to use so kept it, set to run only when I ask for it. After experiencing some sluggishness and weirdness I began firing it up again (a few mos ago) and that's when I saw my disk space was so low, and so began moving things, deleting files.. disabling processes, and whatever I could find out to "safely" do to bring the free space from a consistancy of around 400 MB down to 180 MB up to where it is now (around 1075 down to around 900).

I have photos I'd like to get out there for some groups to see, they are from an Armed Forces Day event that our organization took part in with the Military Salute Project..that was May 16th and it's now nearly June 11th..I need to run them through Photoshop but don't dare fire that program up for this..urg.

I did make some changes in the "Recycle Bin" - apparently NU takes over the recycle bin responsibilities..I was able to reclaim some of them through a few simple steps however I cannot get rid of, or "Purge" the "3001 Norton Protected Files" in there, whatever I do it still says those files are there...these are issues for Symantec I suppose..

I appreciate your advice and instructions plodr!! I will hang on to them, perhaps find someone who knows what they're doing perform them.. I don't how to "partition" or "image" hdd's but have heard of those things.

Question:
Is it a viable option (or addition) to "move less frequently used files" from the front of the C: to back? (not that I know how) NDD allowed me to do a "Speed Disk", there are lots of free-space "white" tiny blocks all over the place. I think Speed Disk is just like de-frag, if it is, it did not require more than the 8% Free Space I had to perform this task..hm.

As far as my son, he's long since married and gone, so no more live-in geek :/
For now I will work on getting rid of NU (that will take awhile..) and see from there what to do next.

Thank you so much,
Suzanne

 

I'm sorry, what do you mean "go there and take their own space"?

This reminds me, a few weeks ago I did go to the Windows update site and was set to download about 14 updates (my sys is set to: "Notify me but don't automatically download") - well only about 6 (or 8?) of them were completed, something happened up during the process and it was incomplete (all windows/programs were closed) - I haven't been back to re-try yet..it might have been just because my low space issue and those other updates were all it would take (?).


Thanks, Suzanne

 

It is ok not to updates windows? mine not updating so far no problems

 

I guess I always thought it a good idea to check in there once in awhile, however, I prefer to see what the updates are about and then pick n choose what I deem "necessary" (as best i can)..I have found "crucial" or "highly important" updates (or whatever it is they say) ..so I dunno, must be good for something.

`

 

Hello Suzanne,

When you brought the computer, did any discs come with it? If so, what are the titles on them?

Or, failing that, do you know if you have access to an operating system CD?

 

Hi collinsl,

Yes, there are 6 Sony disks; 3 "System Recovery" cd's/ 3 "Application Recovery" cd's. Also, a floppy disk: "My Network Settings" / and a cd for my HP 2200 series/officejet dealy bob..and a cd for the Microsoft broadband "Setup and Network Utility" ....

`

 

Hi plodr,

I have done that in the past, gone through the installed stuff in my Add/Remove, I most recently removed the over 200 mb "Microsoft Works" that came with the OS. That didn't do enough, my free space went from 7% to 8%, ha..ha (finally after a couple days!)

You're spot on, I'd read that un-installing/re-installing on to D: was the best practice for moving sys programs (and some others), and it made the most sense - but was (am) afraid to go there just yet. I'm probably overly-cautious about this stuff..and worried that once I un-installed something how/where would I find it again? (naive i know) - now that I've looked again at these OS disks though, I see some possibilities. Another thing, because I am so careful I take forever (researching etc) to do anything, and I don't have that kind of time to sit here all day and night..ah well. I have a niece and and her husband coming next week to spend a few days..maybe they can show me how to do some of these tricks.. both are computer savvy, I believe.

Thanks so much, guys!
Suzanne

`

 

Hello,

How comfortable would you feel with saving your personal data to a separate drive/computer and reinstalling the operating system on a larger partition?

I believe this would be the quickest way for you to get around the issues you are having.

However, this step is not to be taken lightly, as any data you do not save to an external drive/computer will be lost. All your programs, except the ones which came with the computer, will be lost, and the ones that came with your computer will be reset to how they were when the computer was new.

Have a think about this,

 

Hi collinsl,

I will definately take that into consideration, as I have before (frown). One thing I have gotten from all of this is affirmation that I will likely need to do the dreaded (yet come-uppance) task of basically what you describe above. What I'd hoped for was, a way to search out my system for the thousands of reduntant or otherwise un-needed files etc that might have gunked it up and caused the low free space. I've had this computer (my first one) for over 5 years and it's really never given me any problems, from what I've read/seen from others I guess I'm pretty fortunate.

For the next several days I won't have time for this stuff. I'm hopeful that my niece (or her husband) will be able help..til then I wish everyone well, and thank you so much for the help and suggestions!

Have a great weekend -
Suzanne