Disk space

[Aragorn]

I'm not sure if I am posting this in the correct
newsgroup, but I still hope someone can help me out.

I partitioned my disk drive into two parts. One part of 3
GB and one for the rest. On the drive with 3 GB, I have
Windows XP installed. However, recently, Windows is
prompting me and saying I don't have enough space on that
drive. But even if I delete files, it doesn't really get
any better. Also, when I right-click on the drive, it
says I have about 100 MB free space (200 is minimum for
running smoothly according to the message). But when I
select all of the files on that drive, only 1.8 GB is
occupied. So over 1 GB seems to be 'lost'. Does anyone
know how to solve this problem?

Thanks.

 

[Tom Swift]

3 GB is too small for a system partition, as you've discovered. The
remaining space is taken up by system files that are normally hidden from
view. (You can see those files if you wish: Open Windows Explorer and go to
Tools > Folder Options > View tab and click on 'Show hidden files and
folders'.)

You need to increase the size of your system partition.

Tom Swift

 

[JAX]

Your OS partition is too small. It will take the 3 Gigs. just for OS to
survive. By the time you have all updates install and the small app's you
will want close to the OS, not to mention app's that install all or partly
to the OS partition, without a choice, you will be pushing 6 Gig's before
you know it. There are ways around the installations, etc, but unless you
really enjoy "shuffling" files, I would suggest that you use at least a 10
Gig. boot partition.

FWIW, JAX

 

[Testy]

Total NONSENSE!!!! I have had XP on a 3.5 gig partition for two years now
and still have 62% free space.

Testy

 

[JAX]

I was talking about the average, pretty well, savvy user. You must have
spent a lot of time setting up your system and must have system restore
disabled, along wither musts. See the line in my post that says,

"There are ways around the installations, etc, but unless you
I have had my machine set-up to operate on a very small OS partition but
after experimenting, I have found the suggestions I made to the OP to be
sound advice for most users.

Also see the line that says,

"I would suggest that you use at least a 10"

Note the word,"suggest".

Also see the closing line, "FWIW, JAX"

My opinions may be, "Total NONSENSE!!!!" to you but, as is often the case,
you have offered no useful advice to the OP!!!

JAX

 

[Tom Swift]

Your righteous indignation is disingenuous - and you're smart enough to know
better - because you don't know what other software the OP has in his system
partition, and we don't know what you have in yours, and you don't know how
the OP has configured his OS and we don't know how you've configured yours.
For all but specialized uses, Jax is 100% correct.

Tom Swift

 

[Testy]

Both of you are 98% WRONG.

Testy

Your righteous indignation is disingenuous - and you're smart enough to know
better - because you don't know what other software the OP has in his system
partition, and we don't know what you have in yours, and you don't know how
the OP has configured his OS and we don't know how you've configured yours.
For all but specialized uses, Jax is 100% correct.

Tom Swift

a

 

[JAX]

Thanks for the re-enforcement Tom.

I got into a real long thread a week, or so, ago. My post was more brief
than this one and many, including MVP's, posted back chewing me because my
post was taken as too conservative. What I had said was, in my usual few
words, intended to mean the same as I said in this one. The whole matter was
just a semantics so, I decided to be more wordy in this one.

Cheers, JAX

 

[JAX]

You have posted again, in your usual argumentative manner, with nothing to
say that would be of any value to anyone.

JAX

 

[Testy]

Better to be silent than to give WRONG advice, have a nice day.

Testy

 

[Tom Swift]

You see, Jax, you just can't win. Whether your post is short or long,
conservative or not, somebody's bound to get on your case (;->

Tom Swift

 

[Unknown]

You only THINK it's on 3.5 gig.

Total NONSENSE!!!! I have had XP on a 3.5 gig partition for two years now
and still have 62% free space.

Testy

 

[Testy]

That is a stupid response. I know what I have on my computer.

Testy

 

[JAX]

It is possible to run XP on that size partition, with that much free space,
I've done it but, it is too complicated for most users to keep it running
that way.

IMHO, JAX

 

[Battleax]

It is possible to run XP on that size partition, with that much free space,
I've done it but, it is too complicated for most users to keep it running
that way.

The original poster could move the swap file to D:, that could free up a few
hunderd megs.
B

 

[JAX]

The original poster could move the swap file to D:, that could free up a few
hunderd megs.
B

 

[JAX]

Moving the page file to a different partition on the same HD causes a
performance hit due to the fact the head is constantly moving back and forth
to write to/read from it.

JAX

 

[Testy]

With the speed of modern HD's it would not be noticeable, unless you can see
milliseconds.

Testy

 

[Tom Swift]

The physical movement of the heads back and forth is what causes the hit, to
say nothing of unnecessary additional wear.

Tom Swift

 

[Testy]

Moving the pagefile is the first thing I do on every system I install. In
15+ years and over 350 installs I have yet to see a HD fail due to this.

Testy