How Big Should it Be?

[CGV]

I installed XP Pros, then downloaded all the latest updates, including SP1.
I have it loaded on a 3.0 gb partition. I now only have ~500 mb of free
space left (all data and programs are on another partition). Is XP Pro
really 2.5 gb in size? Does anyone know of any places to look for large, no
longer needed files? I did tell SP1 to save a roll-back file (or whatever
it is called. Thanks.

 

[Tech]

Yes, Windows XP Pro takes at least 2gb

 

[Michael Stevens]

I installed XP Pros, then downloaded all the latest updates,
including SP1. I have it loaded on a 3.0 gb partition. I now only
have ~500 mb of free space left (all data and programs are on another
partition). Is XP Pro really 2.5 gb in size? Does anyone know of
any places to look for large, no longer needed files? I did tell SP1
to save a roll-back file (or whatever it is called. Thanks.

At least 8 to 10 gig. Turn of hibernate, system restore, if you upgraded
remove the uninstall XP files.
My advice would be to purchase a larger hard drive and clone the current
hard drive to the new one.
--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Bill James]

A lot of that space is probably being taken up by the pagefile. If you have extra space on the other partition you can place most of the pagefile there, but leave a little pagefile on C: to avoid problems.

Another setting that takes a lot of disk space is hibernation, since the file must be large enough to hold everything in memory at the time the computer is put into hibernation. If you never use hibernation, check to see if it is enabled and turn if off if so.

You can also use TweakUI to move some of the shell folders to the other partition to pick up a little space.

Also, if you have installed SP1 and all the MS Critical Updates you have quite a few uninstall backups stored in the Windows folder. If your system is running with no problems, you might want to remove those backups. MVP Doug Knox has a utility on his web site to make that job easier, Remove Hotfix Backup Files: http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_hotfix_backup.htm. Personally, I recommend waiting to run that tool until you have not installed any hotfixes in the past 2 weeks or so since an occasional update will cause problems and need to be uninstalled. You can manually remove selective hotfix backups -- search this newsgroup for instructions on that.

You should be able to run XP with a 3 GB C: drive with a little basic tweaking. Probably too much trouble for most users, though. 5GB is a lot less hassle.

--

Bill James
Microsoft MVP - Shell/User

Win9x VBScript Utilities » www.billsway.com/vbspage/
Windows Tweaks & Tips » www.billsway.com/notes_public/

 

[GSV Three Minds in a Can]

I installed XP Pros, then downloaded all the latest updates, including SP1.
I have it loaded on a 3.0 gb partition. I now only have ~500 mb of free
space left (all data and programs are on another partition). Is XP Pro
really 2.5 gb in size? Does anyone know of any places to look for large, no
longer needed files? I did tell SP1 to save a roll-back file (or whatever
it is called. Thanks.

3GB is not really enough, given that the user profiles, temporary
internet folders, pagefile, system restore points, and more, also show
up on that volume (at least by default). Don't be mean - the OS
probably cost you $200+ and you've tried to cram it into $3-worth of
hard disk space.

You =can= make it work in that little, but you'll be continually
tweaking with it, you'll have to dump the roll-back and un-install
information, and tidy up temporary files and the recycle bin way more
often that you probably want to. Defragging will also be a PITA (you
need ~15% free space for defrag to work nicely).

My Windows folder is 1.7GB, my documents and settings is .8GB, and
System Volume info is another .6GB .. so your 3.0 Gb is exceeded (and
I've got my pagefile on another harddrive).

 

[Plato]

I installed XP Pros, then downloaded all the latest updates, including SP1.
I have it loaded on a 3.0 gb partition. I now only have ~500 mb of free

Read the docs next time. MS recommends AT LEAST a 10 gig partition for
XP.

 

[Testy]

Where does MS recommend that? I never heard of it before! Besides I have XP
on a 3.5 gig partition and it still has 57% FREE space after using it for 2
years.

Testy

 

[Alex Nichol]

I installed XP Pros, then downloaded all the latest updates, including SP1.
I have it loaded on a 3.0 gb partition. I now only have ~500 mb of free
space left (all data and programs are on another partition). Is XP Pro
really 2.5 gb in size?

Things that will take space:

Pagefile, which may be larger than needed, and which *could* be mostly
relocated, though this in not as efficient if on the same physical drive
(if you *do* move it, have a minimal 2 max 50 left on C or the system
may take things into its own hands

hiberfil.sys - to dump RAM if you hibernate, and therefore the size of
RAM - if you do not use hibernation, turn off in Control Panel - Power
Options

Restore Points - you may have made quite a lot and on a 3GB drive may
have up to about 400MB. This is a fairly sensible amount, but you
*could* cut it down to 200

The Windows\$NTUninstallQnnnnnn$ folders of files needed to *uninstall*
all those updates, If you do not intend to uninstall, delete them -
also the $NTServicePackUninstall$ folder if you backed up when doing SP1

Also Temp Internet Files may be taking more than you need - which will
be in C:\Documents and settings unless you move it in INternet Options,
click Settings, click Move Folder (or cut the size down, same place,
50MB should be enough

Also there is Windows\ServicePackFiles which contains the service pack
file versions for use in preference to ones from the original CD if
needed by File Protection/SFC/New Hardware etc. On an NTFS drive a
useful amount of space can be saved by compressing it. What you can do
if you have a CD burner is burn the complete folder to a CD, then run
regedit.exe and at

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup

Change the value of ServicePackSourcePath in the right pane to reflect
the drive. Best if you have 2 drives, and can have the original
SourcePath on one and this on the other

But that said, quite a lot ends up in Program FIles whether you like it
or not, and my Windows folder is 1.75 GB. 3GB I would regard as a bit
small - I ran well enough though on 4

 

[John E. Carty]

I installed XP Pros, then downloaded all the latest updates, including SP1.
I have it loaded on a 3.0 gb partition. I now only have ~500 mb of free
space left (all data and programs are on another partition). Is XP Pro
really 2.5 gb in size?

Things that will take space:

Pagefile, which may be larger than needed, and which *could* be mostly
relocated, though this in not as efficient if on the same physical drive
(if you *do* move it, have a minimal 2 max 50 left on C or the system
may take things into its own hands

hiberfil.sys - to dump RAM if you hibernate, and therefore the size of
RAM - if you do not use hibernation, turn off in Control Panel - Power
Options

Restore Points - you may have made quite a lot and on a 3GB drive may
have up to about 400MB. This is a fairly sensible amount, but you
*could* cut it down to 200

The Windows\$NTUninstallQnnnnnn$ folders of files needed to *uninstall*
all those updates, If you do not intend to uninstall, delete them -
also the $NTServicePackUninstall$ folder if you backed up when doing SP1

Also Temp Internet Files may be taking more than you need - which will
be in C:\Documents and settings unless you move it in INternet Options,
click Settings, click Move Folder (or cut the size down, same place,
50MB should be enough

Also there is Windows\ServicePackFiles which contains the service pack
file versions for use in preference to ones from the original CD if
needed by File Protection/SFC/New Hardware etc. On an NTFS drive a
useful amount of space can be saved by compressing it. What you can do
if you have a CD burner is burn the complete folder to a CD, then run
regedit.exe and at

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup

Change the value of ServicePackSourcePath in the right pane to reflect
the drive. Best if you have 2 drives, and can have the original
SourcePath on one and this on the other

But that said, quite a lot ends up in Program FIles whether you like it
or not, and my Windows folder is 1.75 GB. 3GB I would regard as a bit
small - I ran well enough though on 4



--
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
Bournemouth, U.K. (e-mail address removed)

Not to mention the Recycle Bin, which reserves 10% of your drive space by
default

 

[Bee]

I installed XP Pros, then downloaded all the latest updates, including SP1.
I have it loaded on a 3.0 gb partition. I now only have ~500 mb of free
space left (all data and programs are on another partition). Is XP Pro
really 2.5 gb in size? Does anyone know of any places to look for large, no
longer needed files? I did tell SP1 to save a roll-back file (or whatever
it is called. Thanks.

I have 4 partitions on my 40GB HD divided into 5, 3, 5, 27.

2nd partition 1st partition
3GB 5GB
WinXP Home WinXP Home
Protection software Protection software
Internet dial-up Internet dial-up
.NET framework
DrvImagerXP
SP1, *all* crit/security updates
All 'necessary' application pgms

Configurations: taking default settings except Syst Restore is turned off in
the 3GB partition, where the internet connection is also disabled ---
enabled only for updating protection software.

Capacity: 2.93GB 4.88
Free space: 1.06 2.55
Occ space: 1.87 2.33

These are working fine.