Text Documents (files) - Word or Note Pad

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Guest

Under my Windows directory, I have about 50 or more text documents (files)
that seem to create themselves thru out the year. They take up a lot of room
on my hard drive. I want to delete them (like I do my temporary files), but
am afraid the
files serve a purpose. I read my "help and support". There's not much
information there about the programs, but they hinted that text documents are
created to write programs and edit files - but what is their purpose? Just
to make a readable record of the action or what? Are they really necessary?
If so, for what? What do they do? I like to keep my hard drive clean on a
regular basis. And anything that takes up room, I like to hunt it ou and
delete it. When I was a real computer newbie - it took me a year before I
realized I could delete temp. files. While we're on the subject, what else
can I safely delete?
 
koalagirl said:
Under my Windows directory, I have about 50 or more text documents
(files) that seem to create themselves thru out the year. They
take up a lot of room on my hard drive. I want to delete them
(like I do my temporary files), but am afraid the
files serve a purpose. I read my "help and support". There's not
much information there about the programs, but they hinted that
text documents are created to write programs and edit files - but
what is their purpose? Just to make a readable record of the
action or what? Are they really necessary? If so, for what? What
do they do? I like to keep my hard drive clean on a regular basis.
And anything that takes up room, I like to hunt it ou and delete
it. When I was a real computer newbie - it took me a year before I
realized I could delete temp. files. While we're on the subject,
what else can I safely delete?
Click to expand...

Worried about disk space? Get a bigger drive.
As for the text files - what is creating them? That's the only way to know
if they are important.

Find out what might be using the space..

Do you have hidden and system files visible?
How's your system restore settings?
Used Disk Cleanup?
Is hibernate turned on and do you use that feature?
Uninstalled unnecessary applications lately?
Moved things to external media?


Other ways to free up space..

SequoiaView
http://www.win.tue.nl/sequoiaview/

DX Hog Hunt
http://www.dvxp.com/en/Downloads.aspx

JDiskReport
http://www.jgoodies.com/freeware/jdiskreport/index.html

Those can help you visually discover where all the space is being used.


If you are comfortable with the stability of your system, you can delete the
uninstall files for the patches that Windows XP has installed..

http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spack.htm


You can use an application that scans your system for log files and
temporary files and use that to get rid of those:

Ccleaner (Free!)
http://www.ccleaner.com/


You can run Disk Cleanup - built into Windows XP - to erase all but yuor
latest restore point and cleanup even more "loose files"..

How to use Disk Cleanup
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310312


You can turn off hibernation if it is on and you don't use it..

When you hibernate your computer, Windows saves the contents of the system's
memory to the hiberfil.sys file. As a result, the size of the hiberfil.sys
file will always equal the amount of physical memory in your system. If you
don't use the hibernate feature and want to recapture the space that Windows
uses for the hiberfil.sys file, perform the following steps:

- Start the Control Panel Power Options applet (go to Start, Settings,
Control Panel, and click Power Options).
- Select the Hibernate tab, clear the "Enable hibernation" check box, then
click OK; although you might think otherwise, selecting Never under the
"System hibernates" option on the Power Schemes tab doesn't delete the
hiberfil.sys file.
- Windows will remove the "System hibernates" option from the Power Schemes
tab and delete the hiberfil.sys file.


You can control how much space your System Restore can use...

1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
2. Click the System Restore tab.
3. Highlight one of your drives (or C: if you only have one) and click on
the "Settings" button.
4. Change the percentage of disk space you wish to allow.. I suggest 5% or
higher.
5. Click OK.. Then Click OK again.


You can control how much space your Temporary Internet Files can utilize...

Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to a
size between 128MB and 512MB..

- Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer.
- Select TOOLS -> Internet Options.
- Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section, do the
following:
- Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK)
- Click on "Settings" and change the "Amount of disk space to use:" to
something between 128MB and 512MB. (Betting it is MUCH larger right
now.)
- Click OK.
- Click on "Delete Files" and select to "Delete all offline contents"
(the checkbox) and click OK. (If you had a LOT, this could take 2-10
minutes or more.)
- Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer, re-open Internet
Explorer.
 
That's a lot to think about and check out. Thanks. I will get back to you
or someone else, I'm sure. I do use Disk Cleanup regularly. I used a
program for a couple of years I bought online called ....Powers... or
something like that, but it started screwing up my computer, so I deleted it.
So I'm kind of leery about them now. I believe I turned hibernate off
because it was using up memory or something like that, but I'll check again.
The other stuff, I will check out. Thanks
 
Shenan Stanley said:
Worried about disk space? Get a bigger drive.
As for the text files - what is creating them?
That's the only way to know if they are important.
Click to expand...
Find out what might be using the space...
Click to expand...
Do you have hidden and system files visible?
How's your system restore settings?
Used Disk Cleanup?
Is hibernate turned on and do you use that feature?
Uninstalled unnecessary applications lately?
Moved things to external media?
Click to expand...
Other ways to free up space...
Click to expand...
Visually discover where all the space is being used.
Click to expand...
DX Hog Hunt
http://www.dvxp.com/en/Downloads.aspx
Click to expand...
You can use an application that scans your system for log files and
temporary files and use that to get rid of those:
Click to expand...
Ccleaner (Free!)
http://www.ccleaner.com/
Click to expand...
You can run Disk Cleanup - built into Windows XP - to erase all but your
latest restore point and cleanup even more "loose files"...
Click to expand...
You can turn off hibernation if it is on and you don't use it...
Click to expand...
You can control how much space your System Restore can use...
Click to expand...
You can control how much space your Temporary Internet Files can utilize...
Click to expand...
Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to a
size between 128MB and 512MB...
Click to expand...

----------------------------------------------------------------

Great ideas, SS! I did just about everything on your list, with the
exception of deleting the uninstall files. I do have a couple of questions,
though. When you perform the disk cleanups, is it wise to do so on the hard
drive, too? I did it to my C drive, but wasn't sure about the D drive. And
with the C drive, there's the option to compress files while you're at it.
Is this a good idea, too?
What about Virtual Memory? I think that's about the only thing you may have
missed. Maybe it should be left at the default settings, huh? I'm certainly
not the person to voice an opinion about this kind of thing. Just thinking
out loud.
Here's the big question for anyone to answer. Peruse the following:

From the following page:
http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=310994

The Windows XP startup disk allows computers without a bootable CD-ROM to
perform a new installation of the operating system. The Windows XP startup
disk will automatically load the correct drivers to gain access to the CD-ROM
drive and start a new installation of Setup. You cannot upgrade from a
Windows XP startup disk.

Windows XP Home Edition startup disks will not work for Windows XP
Professional installations and vice-versa. Windows XP SP2 startup disks are
not interchangeable.

Create the Setup disks:
There are six Windows XP Setup boot floppy disks. You must have the files
and the drivers that these disks contain to access the CD-ROM drive and to
start the Setup process. To create these disks, you need to provide 6 blank,
formatted, high-density disks.

Use the Setup disks:
After you create all six disks, insert the first disk in the floppy disk
drive, and then restart the computer. The computer must be configured to boot
from the floppy disk drive. You may have to modify the BIOS settings on your
computer to do this.

The Setup process starts. Insert the other floppy disks as you are prompted
to do so. You must use the Windows XP CD-ROM to finish the Setup process.

Download the Setup disk program file:
Windows XP original release
Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1)
Note Windows XP CD-ROMs that include SP1 have the text "Includes Service
Pack 1" on the CD-ROM.
Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)

This offers the original, SP1 and SP2 versions and makes a point of stating
that Pro won't work with Home and 'vice-versa' so does it also imply that if
I originally bought my computer with Windows XP original release, is THAT the
one I should use to make these disks with? I have a disk to install SP2 and
have used it when I restored my system before. In other words, if you bought
a computer with Windows XP SP1, you should choose THAT version? Also
assuming then, you would upgrade afterwards to SP2 the same way I did when I
used the System Recovery last month?
What about this 'bootable CD-ROM' business? I have a CD-RW, but I have no
system disks. Can't I make some floppys as explained above? If not, then
how?
I think I understand it, I just want to be sure that I can't choose the SP2
version because my system didn't originally come like that, right? It sure
would be a lot easier if I could. The last time I did a non-destructive
recovery, I had to install 60+ updates, not to mention the SP2 disk and my
printer, etc., etc.
Thanks for your concern with this. As far as you go, SS, you were very
informative. I'm sure I'm not the only one who got something out of your
reply to 'koalagirl'. You guys really know your stuff!

Mel Anne

PS: I downloaded DX Hog Hunt, as well as CCleaner. Thanks for the head's up!
 
Shenan said:
Worried about disk space? Get a bigger drive.
As for the text files - what is creating them? That's the only way
to know if they are important.

Find out what might be using the space..

Do you have hidden and system files visible?
How's your system restore settings?
Used Disk Cleanup?
Is hibernate turned on and do you use that feature?
Uninstalled unnecessary applications lately?
Moved things to external media?


Other ways to free up space..

SequoiaView
http://www.win.tue.nl/sequoiaview/

DX Hog Hunt
http://www.dvxp.com/en/Downloads.aspx

JDiskReport
http://www.jgoodies.com/freeware/jdiskreport/index.html

Those can help you visually discover where all the space is being
used.


If you are comfortable with the stability of your system, you can
delete the uninstall files for the patches that Windows XP has
installed..

http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spack.htm


You can use an application that scans your system for log files and
temporary files and use that to get rid of those:

Ccleaner (Free!)
http://www.ccleaner.com/


You can run Disk Cleanup - built into Windows XP - to erase all but
yuor latest restore point and cleanup even more "loose files"..

How to use Disk Cleanup
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310312


You can turn off hibernation if it is on and you don't use it..

When you hibernate your computer, Windows saves the contents of the
system's memory to the hiberfil.sys file. As a result, the size of
the hiberfil.sys file will always equal the amount of physical
memory in your system. If you don't use the hibernate feature and
want to recapture the space that Windows uses for the hiberfil.sys
file, perform the following steps:

- Start the Control Panel Power Options applet (go to Start,
Settings, Control Panel, and click Power Options).
- Select the Hibernate tab, clear the "Enable hibernation" check
box, then click OK; although you might think otherwise, selecting
Never under the "System hibernates" option on the Power Schemes tab
doesn't delete the hiberfil.sys file.
- Windows will remove the "System hibernates" option from the Power
Schemes tab and delete the hiberfil.sys file.


You can control how much space your System Restore can use...

1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
2. Click the System Restore tab.
3. Highlight one of your drives (or C: if you only have one) and
click on the "Settings" button.
4. Change the percentage of disk space you wish to allow.. I
suggest 5% or higher.
5. Click OK.. Then Click OK again.


You can control how much space your Temporary Internet Files can
utilize...

Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores
to a
size between 128MB and 512MB..

- Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer.
- Select TOOLS -> Internet Options.
- Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section,
do the following:
- Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK)
- Click on "Settings" and change the "Amount of disk space to use:"
to something between 128MB and 512MB. (Betting it is MUCH larger
right now.)
- Click OK.
- Click on "Delete Files" and select to "Delete all offline
contents" (the checkbox) and click OK. (If you had a LOT, this
could take 2-10 minutes or more.)
- Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer, re-open
Internet Explorer.
Click to expand...
Great ideas, SS! I did just about everything on your list, with the
exception of deleting the uninstall files. I do have a couple of
questions, though. When you perform the disk cleanups, is it wise
to do so on the hard drive, too? I did it to my C drive, but
wasn't sure about the D drive. And with the C drive, there's the
option to compress files while you're at it.
Is this a good idea, too?
Click to expand...

Some of disk cleanups functions will work fine on other drives. You can use
it - yes.

Do not compress. If you get to a point where you need to compress - you
actually need a new and larger hard disk drive. Compression is putting your
faith in a software process and will slow you down.
What about Virtual Memory? I think that's about the only thing you
may have missed. Maybe it should be left at the default settings,
huh?
Click to expand...

I let Windows Manage the Virtual memory...
I'm certainly not the person to voice an opinion about this
kind of thing. Just thinking out loud.
Here's the big question for anyone to answer. Peruse the
following:

From the following page:
http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=310994

The Windows XP startup disk allows computers without a bootable
CD-ROM to perform a new installation of the operating system. The
Windows XP startup disk will automatically load the correct drivers
to gain access to the CD-ROM drive and start a new installation of
Setup. You cannot upgrade from a Windows XP startup disk.

Windows XP Home Edition startup disks will not work for Windows XP
Professional installations and vice-versa. Windows XP SP2 startup
disks are not interchangeable.

Create the Setup disks:
There are six Windows XP Setup boot floppy disks. You must have the
files and the drivers that these disks contain to access the CD-ROM
drive and to start the Setup process. To create these disks, you need
to provide 6 blank, formatted, high-density disks.

Use the Setup disks:
After you create all six disks, insert the first disk in the floppy
disk drive, and then restart the computer. The computer must be
configured to boot from the floppy disk drive. You may have to
modify the BIOS settings on your computer to do this.

The Setup process starts. Insert the other floppy disks as you are
prompted to do so. You must use the Windows XP CD-ROM to finish the
Setup process.

Download the Setup disk program file:
Windows XP original release
Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1)
Note Windows XP CD-ROMs that include SP1 have the text "Includes
Service
Pack 1" on the CD-ROM.
Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)

This offers the original, SP1 and SP2 versions and makes a point of
stating that Pro won't work with Home and 'vice-versa' so does it
also imply that if I originally bought my computer with Windows XP
original release, is THAT the one I should use to make these disks
with? I have a disk to install SP2 and have used it when I
restored my system before. In other words, if you bought a
computer with Windows XP SP1, you should choose THAT version? Also
assuming then, you would upgrade afterwards to SP2 the same way I
did when I used the System Recovery last month?
What about this 'bootable CD-ROM' business? I have a CD-RW, but I
have no system disks. Can't I make some floppys as explained
above? If not, then how?
I think I understand it, I just want to be sure that I can't choose
the SP2 version because my system didn't originally come like that,
right? It sure would be a lot easier if I could. The last time I
did a non-destructive recovery, I had to install 60+ updates, not
to mention the SP2 disk and my printer, etc., etc.
Thanks for your concern with this. As far as you go, SS, you were
very informative. I'm sure I'm not the only one who got something
out of your reply to 'koalagirl'. You guys really know your stuff!
Click to expand...

As far as which floppioes to make... What is the version of your actual
Windows XP Installation Media?

If it is RTM (no service packs) - you get that version.
(Windows XP original release)
If it is SP2 (integrated) - you get those...
(Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1))
If it is SP2 (integrated) - you get those...
(Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2))

Does not matter if you received the CDs from Microsoft to install just SP1
or SP1+some patches or SP2... It matters what the actually windows xp CD is
you will be using to do the install from scratch with.

You can integrate SP2 and all patches post SP2 into your CD and burn a new
installation CD - most of the time.. if you have a real install CD and not
a "recovery set". =)
 
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