[MPeg3]

A msg. popped up today saying my C: drive was full. I let it clean it up, but still only have just over 600 MB free out of 15 GB. Only 2.16 GB of this is programs as I have my programs installed on another drive. Looking in my Windows folder, I found 16.8 MB of log (text) files. Can these be removed? Can I turn off whatever is creating them?

I downloaded Disk Size Manager after reading some other messages on this site. It says my C: drive is 12,815.60 MB which should be 15 GB. Where is the just over 2 GB that are missing? Windows uses 4,887.88 MB. Documents and Settings is 3,090.28. Is this normal?

I wish I could move the programs to my D: drive, but I can't find a way. They are only available on my computer restoration disks and it puts them where it wants to instead of letting me decide where I want them. I tried running a free program called Move It!, but it looks like they are moving but they don't. Aghhh!

Any help would be appreciated.
Peg

[POOLPOOL]

The 2 GB you were talking about is taken up by the OS(that's what i think). One of my pc, it's 40 GB, but when i click on the C: Drive i see only 37 GB. I think the operating system and the program installed while installing the OS(Operating System) takes up the space.

I hope this maybe a little of help from my understanding

[steven1350]

Originally Posted by POOLPOOL

The 2 GB you were talking about is taken up by the OS(that's what i think). One of my pc, it's 40 GB, but when i click on the C: Drive i see only 37 GB. I think the operating system and the program installed while installing the OS(Operating System) takes up the space.

I hope this maybe a little of help from my understanding

i am assuming you have a lot of music/video's on your computer. This is prolly where a majority of memory is used

[DoubleHelix]

Deleting 16MB of log files isn't really going to help you, and you could definitely run into problems later if you try to uninstall programs that need those log files. Leave them alone, and keep looking for the stuff that's actually taking up all that space. Music and video files and installed programs you don't use are a good place to start.

If your hard drive is only 15GB in size, you should probably get a larger one.

[JohnWill]

I'd be looking for what's occupying all that space. If it's not the installed applications, it's most likely either temp files or data, either of which could be moved and/or deleted.

[WhitPhil]

A couple of areas to review:

1. System Restore - Reduce the amount of space allocated to the 500-800MB area
2. Browser Cache - If you are using IE reduce the size to 15-20MBs
3. \TEMP folder - Delete all files
4. Empty the Recycle Bin

Download and run CCleaner

[MPeg3]

Will do all the above. As to music or videos, they are all on a separate drive. My preference is to have only my OS on C:, but of course the restoration discs don't do it that way. I was only able to keep my other drives because I have a 40 GB drive set as master as well as the drive that originally came on my computer set as slave. When I restored from my restoration disks, it used the 40 GB drive and didn't affect the larger hard drive. I let it install to C: then I installed all my programs to D:. It had given me 15G on C: and the remaining to D:. I have removed everything it installed that I know I won't use, but there are still a few there than I can't seem to be able to move to my programs drive. However, with them only taking 2.16 GB doesn't seem like that should be the problem for a 15 GB drive.

[flavallee]

Some ways to regain hard drive space:

1. Right-click MY COMPUTER, then click Properties - System Restore(tab). Move the slider from its default value of 12% until there is no more than 1200 - 1500 MB being allocated for restore points. Click Apply - OK.

2. Right-click RECYCLE BIN, then click Properties. Move the slider from its default value of 10% to 3%. Click Apply - OK.

Restart your computer after doing steps #1 and #2.

3. Open the following TEMP folders:

C:\WINDOWS\TEMP

C:\DOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS\(USERNAME)\LOCAL SETTINGS\TEMP

then delete all files and folders from inside both TEMP folders. Don't delete those TEMP folders, just their contents.

Restart your computer after doing step #3.

4. Open Internet Explorer, then click Tools - Internet Options - Delete Files(button) - Delete all offline content - OK. Click Settings(button), change the browser cache size from whatever outrageous size it is to 80 MB for dialup or 20 MB for high-speed. Click Apply - OK, then close Internet Explorer.

(If you read reply #6, you'll see that WhitPhil and myself were on the same train of thought)

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[MPeg3]

Thanks for the help. I now have 2.23 GB free. Should I be emptying the Temp folders on a regular basis as part of my normal maintenance, or just check them if I am notified that I have a problem?

[lexmarks567]

Yes empty your temp files.Also clear cookies on a regular bases also.Don't forget to clear history.You do all that by clicking on tools and clicking on internet options.

[flavallee]

Step #3 should be done on a regular basis. I recommend at least once a week.

Depending on what you do with your computer, temp/junk files can build up to a large number in a short time, so you need to keep on top of it.

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If you browse through the Add/Remove Programs list, you'll probably find several unused or outdated programs that you can uninstall.

After you uninstall them, make sure to delete any leftover folders for them from the C:\PROGRAM FILES folder.

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If you've saved a bunch of music and video files, you might consider burning them to CD-R's and then deleting them from your computer.

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[MPeg3]

Thanks for all the information. I will definitely follow your advice.

[ozrom1e]

Try this it is called treesize and it is good at finding crowded areas on your hard drive.

http://www.jam-software.com/freeware/index.shtml

Do not just go crazy deleting you might delete something that is needed, best to ask before deleting.

[Blackwillow]

I'm a newbie here, very pc illiterate. I've followed the above advice (cleaning up Temp folders, reducing sizes for cache etc) but my drive has gone from 15% to 13%. Not the result I was looking for!

Any more advice please?

[MPeg3]

A program I have used since asking this question is jv16 Power Tools. It works very well, but again be careful. Have you run a registry cleaner like CCleaner? If you haven't used one, that might be helpful. Others here, more informed than I could probably recommend other programs to help out.

jv16 Power Tools http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/index.html
CCleaner http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/