Re: Fresh install of XP Pro using lots of space

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

Wow, thanks for all the info.

I don't use hybernation on any of my machines, I have never had good luck
with it. I leave the System Restore at the default level... it is set to 12%.
I regularly use disk clean up in Windows. I typically have all system files
visible. The system was fresh and I had not even loaded all the programs that
I normally use when I noticed how much space was being taken.

I kind of wish I would have waited but I did not. I went ahead and
reformatted and re-installed windows for the 5th time in a week. I set up
RAID 0 (like I originally wanted to) and installed XP Pro with all the
updates and did not have one problem worth mentioning until the GPU
driver/software and that was minimal... just a "Windows did not start
correctly" and then it restarted and was fine. Not one stop error. What a
huge relief. To think all those hours were "wasted" because of that Nvidia
Network Access Manager. Well I got here and now I know how to set up RAID,
BIOS, and XP Pro (blindfolded), and recovery console, etc... :-) And I know I
must do more research before installing new items. Although there were some
people who claimed that Nvidia firewall was good, so how could I have really
known without experiencing it myself.

The disk space discovery tools look great and I will probably not need them
but you never know. It is always a benefit to have proper tools. I am at the
same place during installation as I was last night and I am only at 8 GB
used... that is much more what I expect to see so I was quite suprised at the
amount that was used on the previous install. I am quite sure I somehow
neglected to delete the Windows install from the HDs (I had RAID 1 mirror
setup prior) as I was tired and frustrated so most likely installed right
next to the other installation.

I really appreciate you taking the time to share the information. Thanks
again.

--
Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.


"Shenan Stanley" wrote:

Rob wrote:
Update:

After searching and searching and continueing to have problems with
error/restarts I found the suggestion to not install the Nforce
Firewall by Nvidia... yeah... the software that came on the CD with
my new ABIT motherboard. I un-installed that firewall software and
that seems to have solved my error/restart IRQ_not_less_or_equal
issue.

What a huge waste of time over the past week... if I had just not
installed that the very first install would have been fine. UGH!
thousands down the tube because of a lame piece of software! Lovely.

I still have the issue with the amount of space being used on the
drive if anyone has a suggestion but at this point I may start over
since it seems the core problem seems to have been uncovered...
here we go again :-)

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?

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.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html



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