How to cleanup HD?

[magineer02]

I have a Dell Dimension 8200 running FF with XP, SP3 , Windows Firewall, Avast antivirus, Spywareblaster, and all the programs work well together and are up to date.

I regularly use Ccleaner, Defraggler and disk cleaner but I’ve noticed that my used portion of my HD is growing although I have not added any new programs. Is there another better way to clean my HD besides disk cleaner so that will remove the excess that is building up?


Thanks,
Robert

 

[Paul]

I have a Dell Dimension 8200 running FF with XP, SP3 , Windows Firewall, Avast antivirus, Spywareblaster, and all the programs work well together and are up to date.

I regularly use Ccleaner, Defraggler and disk cleaner but I’ve noticed that my used portion of my HD is growing although I have not added any new programs. Is there another better way to clean my HD besides disk cleaner so that will remove the excess that is building up?


Thanks,
Robert

You can use SequoiaView, to look for "space hogs".
It gives a visual representation of the contents of the drive.

(Picture of output is shown here.)

http://w3.win.tue.nl/nl/onderzoek/onderzoek_informatica/visualization/sequoiaview//

You can download either the ZIP or EXE version. You should
be able to do the install with either of them. The EXE is
as good as any.

http://w3.win.tue.nl/nl/onderzoek/o...sualization/sequoiaview/download_sequoiaview/

The purpose of seeing the size of the files, is to get some
idea of how to attack the cleanup problem. Not everything
is a job for CCleaner like programs. Sometimes, it's your
user data that is taking up the space.

If it was an emergency situation ("need space fast"),
you can turn off System Restore, and free up maybe 5% of
the disk. Which might be better than nothing, if you're in a hurry.
But them, it leaves you with no Restore Points, if you ever
need to take the system back to a previous date, and fix
a registry issue. But for some posters, this is enough
to solve their immediate problem.

Sometimes, a software package added, something that "protects"
the user from data loss, is storing additional data on the drive,
and chewing up free space. Only you know, what software has
been added to your machine, and we can't guess about stuff
like that for you. Some of that software just keeps eating
and won't stop. And un-installing the software package,
is one way to fix it.

Paul

 

[glee]

snip
You can use SequoiaView, to look for "space hogs".
It gives a visual representation of the contents of the drive.

(Picture of output is shown here.)

http://w3.win.tue.nl/nl/onderzoek/onderzoek_informatica/visualization/sequoiaview/
snip

I find the freeware "Scanner" with its pie chart configuration to be
easier and less confusing for most people to interpret than those
rectangles:
http://www.steffengerlach.de/freeware/

Mousing over the pie sections tells you what's in them.

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per (e-mail address removed):

but I’ve noticed that my used portion of my HD is growing although I have not added any new programs.

That happened on my #2 daughter's PC to the extend that C: was
used up.

Turned out the cause was Windows Updates - which left folders
behind in C:\Windows named like "$NtUninstallKB2501581$".

Those files could be deleted with no impact on the system as long
as nobody wanted to uninstall the corresponding update.


I use a much cruder approach for my system.

- I partition the drive into C: (System) and D: (Data)

- I exercise the discipline of never keeping data
on my system drive - only on the data drive.

- I create a system image at a time when I know the
system is good (uninfected by malware, no
space hogs)

- I keep track of any installs/uninstalls/updates that
have been done since the image was created.

- If I even *think* the system's getting goofy,
I just re-image from the good image, re-install
whatever has changed, and create another "Good"
image. Takes 30 minutes absolute max.

 

[Char Jackson]

I find the freeware "Scanner" with its pie chart configuration to be
easier and less confusing for most people to interpret than those
rectangles:
http://www.steffengerlach.de/freeware/

Mousing over the pie sections tells you what's in them.

Alternatively, if you like bar charts better than pie charts, there's
always the free version of Treesize.
<http://www.jam-software.com/freeware/>

 

[Paul]

Per (e-mail address removed):

That happened on my #2 daughter's PC to the extend that C: was
used up.

Turned out the cause was Windows Updates - which left folders
behind in C:\Windows named like "$NtUninstallKB2501581$".

Those files could be deleted with no impact on the system as long
as nobody wanted to uninstall the corresponding update.

<<snip>>

I've seen claims, that a failing Windows Update, can attempt to
install over and over again, increasing those folders and
taking up space.

In which case, you'd want to resolve the Windows Update issue.

If there is an issue, I think Microsoft provides free support
for Windows Update related issues (because, it's their fault).

Paul

 

[magineer02]

I have a Dell Dimension 8200 running FF with XP, SP3 , Windows Firewall, Avast antivirus, Spywareblaster, and all the programs work well together and are up to date.



I regularly use Ccleaner, Defraggler and disk cleaner but I’ve noticed that my used portion of my HD is growing although I have not added any new programs. Is there another better way to clean my HD besides disk cleaner so that will remove the excess that is building up?





Thanks,

Robert

I should have added that I've separated my HD into partitions with the OS on the C: partition and all my data on the D: partition.

 

[magineer02]

That happened on my #2 daughter's PC to the extend that C: was

used up.



Turned out the cause was Windows Updates - which left folders

behind in C:\Windows named like "$NtUninstallKB2501581$".



Those files could be deleted with no impact on the system as long

as nobody wanted to uninstall the corresponding update.





I use a much cruder approach for my system.



- I partition the drive into C: (System) and D: (Data)



- I exercise the discipline of never keeping data

on my system drive - only on the data drive.



- I create a system image at a time when I know the

system is good (uninfected by malware, no

space hogs)



- I keep track of any installs/uninstalls/updates that

have been done since the image was created.



- If I even *think* the system's getting goofy,

I just re-image from the good image, re-install

whatever has changed, and create another "Good"

image. Takes 30 minutes absolute max.

I think the same thing is happening with me. So how do I delete those files?

Thanks,
Robert

 

[aeroloose]

I think the same thing is happening with me. So how do I delete those files?

Thanks,
Robert

You can use CCleaner to remove them. Select "hotfix
uninstallers" in the "Cleaner / Windows / Advanced" section.
I have almost 700MB on my PC, but I haven't needed to
recover that space yet.

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per (e-mail address removed):

I think the same thing is happening with me. So how do I delete those files?

I just open up c:\Windows, select the directories, and hit
"Delete".

Some systems may hide "System" files and C:\Windows may be a
"System File"... so if you cannot find it, look for an option to
"Show System Files".

 

[glee]

Oh stop wasting time and reformat the HD and start everything again.
You should reformat the HD every two years to clean it out.

Wrong.

 

[glee]

Oh c'mon, Glen. Stop being so descriptive and explanative in your
answer. It might confuse the poor guy. LOL.

OK

 

[magineer02]

together and are up to date.








Oh stop wasting time and reformat the HD and start everything again.

You should reformat the HD every two years to clean it out.

If you don't have anything constructive to add then please don't post. I may not be as computer literate as some but I'm not stupid either.

R

 

[magineer02]

I have a Dell Dimension 8200 running FF with XP, SP3 , Windows Firewall, Avast antivirus, Spywareblaster, and all the programs work well together and are up to date.



I regularly use Ccleaner, Defraggler and disk cleaner but I’ve noticed that my used portion of my HD is growing although I have not added any new programs. Is there another better way to clean my HD besides disk cleaner so that will remove the excess that is building up?





Thanks,

Robert

Many thanks to everyone who responded to my question; I was able to delete the system restore files with no problem.

R