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Clearing up hard disk space

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  • 27-10-2012 4:15pm
    #1
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,273 ✭✭✭✭


    I have a c (60GB) and d drive (250GB) on my laptop. The c drive obviously contains all program files, downloads etc.

    I have tried to move all my music, photos etc to the d drive. Which has over 200 GB free. The C drive has 60 GB capacity and just 2 GB free. Its defragmented regularly.

    However no matter what I do, I cant seem to free up much space on c drive and its driving me bats! I want to install windows 8 and I cant because of space issue.

    Am I being absolutely fick?

    ( oh and now I cant find the recycle bin. emptied it earlier but need to do so again)


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    #2
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,858 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    on a 60GB drive you'd need at least 10-15% free just for day to day use
    never mind installing a new OS

    2GB free means constant disk trashing as it looks for free space


    use spacemonger / sequoia view to locate large files
    ccleaner is handy to remove temp stuff

    move page file / hibernate files to D:


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    #3
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,273 ✭✭✭✭fits


    I have been trying to do this and cant figure out what i can delete or move!

    Of the 60GB windows takes up 25.5, Users (that my stuff, takes up 10.7 gb even though i have already moved most of my stuff.

    Rest is program files (4.6 gb), 'files' 6.8gb, recycle bin which the link to has mysteriously disappeared.. 3.9 gb. The rest is assorted crap.

    Why is c drive so friggin small anyway! And I really dont understand why its full, given that i'm a *reasonably* conscientious and informed pc user.

    edit: I have 4 gb free now and cannot identify what else to move. /fedup


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    #4
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,273 ✭✭✭✭fits


    running c cleaner, will see how we get along with that


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    #5
    28064212
    Registered Users Posts: 10,501 ✭✭✭✭28064212


    Download WinDirStat, run it on C:. It will show you exactly where the space is taken up

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    #6
    marco_polo
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 10,079 Mod ✭✭✭✭marco_polo


    There isn't a large pagefile.sys or hybernate.sys files hiding in c: by any chance?

    The appdata folder in users is a very likely culprit as well, you may need to move this off the SSD. (Google how to create junction points in windows)


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    #7
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,858 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    marco_polo wrote: »
    SSD.

    Do not defrag an SSD, there is zero benefit , all that will happen is that you will wear it out sooner.

    You can reduce system restore size - but handy to have so I would not set to zero unless you are in the habit of regular full system backups.


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    #8
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,273 ✭✭✭✭fits


    marco_polo wrote: »
    There isn't a large pagefile.sys or hybernate.sys files hiding in c: by any chance?

    The appdata folder in users is a very likely culprit as well, you may need to move this off the SSD. (Google how to create junction points in windows)

    Yes, yes and yes! 3 main culprits left.


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    #9
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,273 ✭✭✭✭fits


    what do i do with pagefile.sys and hibernate.sys?


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    #10
    Torqay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,835 ✭✭✭Torqay


    I don't swap onto my SSDs. I use a RAM disk as virtual memory instead. And these babies boot so fast, who needs hibernation?


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    #11
    Torqay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,835 ✭✭✭Torqay


    fits wrote: »
    what do i do with pagefile.sys and hibernate.sys?

    If you don't want hibernation, open a command prompt with admin rights and use the following command:
    powercfg /h off

    and hiberfil.sys will be gone.

    On will re-enable it, if required.


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    #12
    Torqay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,835 ✭✭✭Torqay


    And speaking of RAM drives, there are more good reasons to use one in connection with SSDs. I use it as location for the system temp folder and as a container for the browser sandbox.

    Anything that reduces write requests to the SSD will prolong its lifetime.


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    #13
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,273 ✭✭✭✭fits


    Rah, I dont even know what an SSD is, but I now have enough hard drive space and am installing windows 8.

    Thanks for the help!


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    #14
    Torqay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,835 ✭✭✭Torqay


    Marco Polo and the Capt'n were talking about solid state disks (SSD).


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    #15
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,858 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Torqay wrote: »
    Marco Polo and the Capt'n were talking about solid state disks (SSD).
    only 'cos Marco brought it up ;)


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    #16
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,273 ✭✭✭✭fits


    Well I'm up and running. ITs a little buggy so far but I'm sure it will settle down. Been using WP7 for last 18 months so I love the live tiles.


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    #17
    marco_polo
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 10,079 Mod ✭✭✭✭marco_polo


    Capt'n Midnight wrote: »
    only 'cos Marco brought it up ;)

    Oops sorry all made an incorrect assumption based on the size of the c drive :p


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    #18
    marco_polo
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 10,079 Mod ✭✭✭✭marco_polo


    fits wrote: »
    what do i do with pagefile.sys and hibernate.sys?

    See hibernate has been dealt with but you can reduce the pagefile size or move to the larger drive, on phone so can't detail steps but a quick google will show how.


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    #19
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,273 ✭✭✭✭fits


    I changed the pagefile size to min 800 and max 1200 mb or something like that.

    I didnt touch hibernate as I do use it.


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