[Malinka]

My computer thinks it has NO free space, yet there is almost nothing on my computer. I recently restored it to manufacturer's setting after being plagued with viruses, one of which I thought was a fake no free space bubble. The only things I installed on it were Microsoft Office 2007, Firefox, Skype, and McAfee. I've added less than 100 pictures and less than 100 songs since then. I have run several virus scans, disk cleanup, toggled the warning bubble on and off. When I defragmented I ended up with less free space than when I started. When I get down to no free space, I'll delete more photo's or songs until my free space falls again and repeat the process. I don't know what to do and I'm running out of things to delete. Please please help!

Oh and I'm using XP

Volume ACER (C:)
Volume size= 25.74GB
Cluster size= 16KB
Used space= 25.46GB
Free space= 288MB
Percent Free Space= 1%

Volume Fragmentation
Total Fragmentation = 11%
File Fragmentation = 16%
Free Space Fragmentation = 6%

File Fragementation
Total Files = 47 477
Average File Size = 524KB
Total Fragmented Files = 521
Total Excess Fragments = 5 094
Average Fragments per File = 1.10

Pagefile Fragmentation
Pagefile Size = 756MB
Total Fragments = 1

Folder Fragmentation
Total Folders = 4 025
Fragmented Folder = 23
Excess Folder Fragments = 48

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base on what you said you have installed you should have used between 5 to 8 go only

but if you look at total files (47 477) and the average file size (524 kb) it gets you to about the 25 go used

I would try to use a program that shows you a detail distribution of your files and their size so you can try to see which one takes all the space (program files, windows folder, documents and setting ect) and then determine exactly which ones in particular.

Also have you checked if your recycle bin is full, would surprise me but you never know.

[Alzeimer]

base on what you said you have installed you should have used between 5 to 8 go only

but if you look at total files (47 477) and the average file size (524 kb) it gets you to about the 25 go used

I would try to use a program that shows you a detail distribution of your files and their size so you can try to see which one takes all the space (program files, windows folder, documents and setting ect) and then determine exactly which ones in particular.

Also have you checked if your recycle bin is full, would surprise me but you never know.

[The Skeptic]

Cluster size in your HD (16K) is four times the normal for NTFS file system (4K). It's either that you formatted it to FAT or you did something wrong during the installation. Have a look at here to learn more.

[rshaffer61]

Go to Start then to Run
Type in compmgmt.msc and click Enter
On left side click on Disk Management
On right side you will see you hard drive.
Now I need you to take a screenshot and attach it to your next reply. Do the following to take a screenshot while the above is open and showing on your desktop.

To do a screenshot please have click on your Print Screen on your keyboard. It is normally the key above your number pad between the F12 key and the Scroll Lock key
Now go to Start and then to All Programs
Scroll to Accessories and then click on Paint
In the Empty White Area click and hold the CTRL key and then click the V
Go to the File option at the top and click on Save as
Save as file type JPEG and save it to your Desktop


Attach it to your next reply

[Malinka]

[rshaffer61]

What I would suggest is Uninstalling All Programs you don't need or don't want anymore through Add/Remove Programs

Do this by going to
Start and then to Control Panel
Click Add/Remove Programs
Carefully choose the program(s) you don't need
Click on each Program then click Change/Remove and Follow the Uninstall Instructions

You may be prompted to Restart your computer.
Restart once you have all the programs you don't need uninstalled.
Be careful not to remove anything needed by your computer, some of which you may be unfamiliar with the name,

The next issue you need to be aware of is to Backup your Data Files.
For this I would suggest using a External Hard Drive Enclosure. This will allow you to keep your Important Data safe and Separated from the main system in case of problems.
The cost for this kind of Backup System has come down a lot. I would suggest a 500 Gig capacity for your needs.
Since you will only be Backing Up Data Files Only this should be sufficient to do that for you. Follow the next two links to see examples of the price you will be looking at.
[list]
 HERE
 HERE
[/list
I suggest going to Microsofts Backup Tutorial[/b] and follow the steps to do a Backup to a External Drive and also it will guide you on how to do a Scheduled Backup even at night.

Another way you can do a Backup is by using DVD’s. This method is just as effective and can be done using the same steps as above.
Please let me know if I can answer any further questions you may have as I am always happy to assist.


Also backing up and [b]music, movies, videos and data that is not needed on the system to cd's or dvd's will also help open the free space on your system.

[diabillic]

Lets download WinDirStat from my signature and post up a screenshot. This will tell us what is taking up space where.

[Malinka]

There's not much I can uninstall. Like I said I just have basic stuff and not much else. There's also not much to backup. I really just want my space back. I feel like I should have at least 15GB free, given what I have on my computer.

Oh it might also help to say that the folder sizes lie. I have some folders with nothing in it (a victim of deleting stuff to get more space) yet when the mouse is over it it says there's x amount of kb in it. Or a folder with several pictures in it might say it's got a few kb.

Attached Thumbnails

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Edited by Malinka, 08 June 2010 - 08:39 AM.

[123Runner]

If you add up what is visible in the upper right of the screen shot of winDirStat you have about 23gb.
In the screen shot of the drives you show 3 partitions. 1 is the recovery partition. The 2nd is your C drive (full). The 3rd is a D drive labeled Acerdata that is empty.

There are a couple things you can do.
1. Combine the 2 partitions (C and D) into 1 partition.
2. Shrink the D drive and expand the C drive.
3. Uninstall some of the programs you have and then reinstall them to the D drive.

I would suggest uninstall and reinstall to D as a better option.

[Malinka]

Hmm, just looking at what it's saying, and I don't have 5GB of jpeg. My pictures come to about 500 MB, as does my music. I think I have one video, no more than a minute in length.

[123Runner]

I would do a search for *.jpg and see what comes up.

We can also look using the following.
Download Tree Size Free from my signature.

Install and run the program.
The first scan should scan the C drive. If it does not, then at the top click on scan
Select the C drive option.
The program will scan the entire drive and populate to show what is in every folder on the drive.

Take a screen shot and attach it to your next reply

[Malinka]

The jpeg search came back with 195 files, none of which are a suprise, and I also did a .mp3 search and it came back with 115 files.

As for the TreeSize... um. I took a little initiative and expanded the files that appear to be taking up space. A lot of these I've either never heard of or have deleted a long time ago.

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[123Runner]

The 2 programs are reporting close to the same.
You will have to look at the individual folders and see whats in them.

Lets see if we can get you a little wiggle room.

Please download ATF Cleaner by Atribune.
Double-click ATF-Cleaner.exe to run the program.
Under Main choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
If you use Firefox browserClick Firefox at the top and choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.
If you use Opera browserClick Opera at the top and choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.
Click Exit on the Main menu to close the program.
For Technical Support, double-click the e-mail address located at the bottom of each menu.
[/list]

[diabillic]

It may be time to invest in a bigger drive.

[Malinka]

No no no, this is perfect. I just have to figure out how to view hidden files and delete everything in that list. It's like my computer copied all this random stuff from several friends computers and buried it in a mess of hidden files. I just need to delete everything from S-1-5-31-128....... down and problem solved.

Thanks guys!

EDIT: Problem is I can't find S-1-5-31...etc. anywhere, whether going through folders manually or doing a search, and yes the show hidden folders option is turned on.

Edited by Malinka, 08 June 2010 - 09:59 AM.