Hard Drive full -I have tried everything I know, what next?

[Guest]

Dear Windows XP experts,

Recently I had my PC upgraded. My computer came with a 20GB hard drive when
it was new in 2001 - hard to believe I know. Anyway, I have new 160GB
internal drive where I have moved all my user files such as Favorites,
documents and photos, ad deleted them off C. I also have a 100 GB external
drive for backups. However I cannot keep my C drive from filling up. When I
got the new internal drive, the tech said it was only for storage and I can't
run programs off that disk, I have to use the original boot disk (C). Now I
have looked at all the programs that are installed, and they don't add up to
anything close to the disk space that is in use on my C drive - what the heck
is on there? I do disk cleanup every few days, and I have deleted everything
I don't use - still it keeps filling up. Is there anything I can do other
than re-format it and reinstall Windows? I would hate to lose all those
programs and have to redo everything.

Anotrher question - can I empty the Windows folder called Old Data or is
that something I need? The program files are in another folder but they seem
to be in this folder as well along with other things I don't know the purpose
of. I could free up over 3 GB if I can safely delete what's in there.

I would really appreciate any suggestions on what to do next.

 

[xy2z]

Dear Windows XP experts,

Recently I had my PC upgraded. My computer came with a 20GB hard drive
when
it was new in 2001 - hard to believe I know. Anyway, I have new 160GB
internal drive where I have moved all my user files such as Favorites,
documents and photos, ad deleted them off C. I also have a 100 GB
external
drive for backups. However I cannot keep my C drive from filling up.
When I
got the new internal drive, the tech said it was only for storage and I
can't
run programs off that disk, I have to use the original boot disk (C).
Now I
have looked at all the programs that are installed, and they don't add
up to
anything close to the disk space that is in use on my C drive - what
the heck
is on there? I do disk cleanup every few days, and I have deleted
everything
I don't use - still it keeps filling up. Is there anything I can do
other
than re-format it and reinstall Windows? I would hate to lose all
those
programs and have to redo everything.

Anotrher question - can I empty the Windows folder called Old Data or
is
that something I need? The program files are in another folder but they
seem
to be in this folder as well along with other things I don't know the
purpose
of. I could free up over 3 GB if I can safely delete what's in there.

I would really appreciate any suggestions on what to do next.

System restore takes up space, deleting restore points can free up
space, Also empty the recycle bin. Run chkdsk and defragment the HDD
after u run the cleanups. Check out this link and see if anything
helps.
http://pcworld.about.com/magazine/2007p162id97442.htm

 

[Guest]

Maybe you should run a spyware scan using Spybot and/or Ad-Aware. Sounds to
me like you might have a worm or something filling up your hard drive.

 

[Guest]

Thank you both - I have tried all that - I am going to run a Trojan Horse
scan - I did that already but maybe I have something else going on now. I run
anti-spyware scans regularly, and I have my PC set up to delete temporary
Internet files at startup. I also reset my System Restore per a previoius
posting on this forum by someone with a similar problem.

I cannot defrag my hard drive right now - it requires a certain amount of
disk space to be free, and I don't have it!

 

[Guest]

Well, I figured out part of it on my own - my sister also uses the computer -
she has been using AOL for years though she is ditching it soon, to my
relief. Turns out that all the previous versions were still on the hard disk
but NOT showing as taking up any space in the list of installed programs. She
uninstalled all but the current version - I gained almost 2 GB right away!
Soon the whole thing will be gone. That will buy me some time. I knew the old
AOL stuff was a problem but not how much of one.

Eventually I am going to have to clone the disk to my new 160GB internal
drive - it's what I wanted to do when I had it upgraded but they said they
could not do it - now I know the truth. Another related post in this forum
led me to explore imaging systems and cloning software, which showed me I can
do it myself. Why they told me it was not possible is beyond me - the ability
to do it has been available for a long time. They did not even suggest that I
do it myself when I asked why they did not do it! I have had to learn a lot
in a short time - if I can go from complete idiot end-user to cloning my own
hard drive successfully I will really feel like I have made a lot of
progress!