Loss of Free Space

[FrogEh]

my pc has a 20gb HD and it is partitioned into two drives - Drive C is 5 GB and Drive D is 15 GB. I use Win2K NTSF on both drives.

Drive C is mainly for software and booting and Drive D is for data files.

For some reason I do not understand, the Drive C continues to lose space on a regular basis although I am not materially changing the content. In fact, to create more space, I have transferred all MP3 files and other data type files to the D drive. Despite this, I continue to notice the amount of free space on Drive C continually shrinking, sometimes to less than 10 mb of free space. For example, two days ago, I erased several programs which left me with over 100 mb of free space. After a couple of reboots, it was down to 10 mb - nothing was added to this drive.

Any idea of what could be causing this free space leakage or corruption ?

 

[ReddLefty]

Move your swap file to your D: drive. It's probably too small and uses up whatever it finds when you boot. So when you clean up 100Megs, the swap file will eventually use it up if it's not big enough to start with.

Since your D: drive is large, move it on to that one and it will free up space on your C: on top of that.




"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[8humhum8]

yes ReddLefty is probably right. another solution is to limit the swap files size, and not let win2k manage it.

also check the size of your account's profile, those like to increase in size. you can limit the profile's size in the Local Computer Policy, user configuration, administrative templates, system, logon/logoff. there, set the Limit profile size.

if i were you though, i would increase the size of your c drive to 7GB at least. 5GB is barely enough for win2k. i assume you use dynamic partitions; if so, there should be no problem changing a partition's size. dont forget that your temp folder and many other temporary file caches are on drive c. you can change the path to your temp folder too, in the Enviromental Veriables section under Perforemance tab in System. hope that helps.

 

[euston]

I cannot imagine what benefits accrue from having two partitions on one physical drive. It seems like a recipe for unnecessary and excessive r/w head movements.

A separate HDD just for a fixed size paging file and occasional data storage (e.g. copies of data files) works great.

 

[TonyBose]

8humhum8,

Where did you get the idea that 5GB is barely enough for 2K?


...Mac

Humpty Dumpty was pushed!!

 

[8humhum8]

from the A+ cert exam guide by mike meyers. whatever microsoft is telling people about 2GB is minimum requirement, 7GB is what you actually need.

 

[TonyBose]

Well that explains it. Bill told ya so.

I have a machine running here on a 3GB partition with 2K taking up less than 1 gig. It still only takes 1.9 gig even with all the unnecessary progs I have loaded into it ! Where did you get this idea?

There's a reason why "Microsoft Certified Technicians" are looking for jobs as Fork Lift Drivers.

...Mac

Humpty Dumpty was pushed!!

 

[TonyBose]

I just went checking through you....you have no idea what a certfied tech is !

You are a gamer...THE END.

Go to techtv/lochergnome. That's where the other children hang out.



...Mac

Humpty Dumpty was pushed!!

 

[euston]

Cool it boys or I'll hit you with my handbag.

 

[CitizenBleys]

Agreed about the swap file; Microsoft reccomends a swap file sized 1.5 times your amount of physical RAM on a partition other than your system partition if possible (I have one on every partition EXCEPT my system partition )

Another possibility is that you've developed a worm; Are you finding one file with the same name in every directory? (The time I got wormed it was riched20.dll, and there were eudora mail files all over the place, too).

Try updating your virus scanner, and if you're running a web server, stop it (When I got a worm, it was attaching through a vulnerability in the SMTP component of IIS), and then do a full system scan.

 

[8humhum8]

oooh... u make me cry!

hey kiddo you better start treating people with respect here, you already pushed it a little too far.

 

[ReddLefty]

Optimizing your swap file: faq96-3876



"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[jawan]

we must respect every body. some body have more knowledge and some not. i could be wrong, you could be wrong, any body can be wrong. How we increase our knowledge... with experince, books, friends or some thing else. even any body can be much better but at some place they are wrong too. I request every body please do not insult any body, if some body is wrong or do not have knowledge just help him. if me or you are any body is very perfect then what the hell we are doing in this forum.

Please do not insult any body... just correct them if they are wrong and help them to solve the problem.

Thanks

 

[CamaroLT]

As far as what msoft suggests as far as what HDD space is required for XP, I agree with BOTH people. It depends on what its being used for.

XP Home, default install takes around 1.5gig. Removing all the additional apps, you're looking at about the 900meg.

For the average home user, 5 gig for XP isn't enough, but it WILL work and function properly. After some heavy use, some internet browsing, etc, etc, 5 gig is going to get chewed up really quick. 7gig isn't all that much either, but I'd say very satisfactory for "light use" user. 10+ for the "heavy use" users, meaning users who do a little bit more than just browse the net.

Thats my 10 cents.

BTW... I did the cert courses... Gates did "NOT" set the standards. Gates signs the pay cheques to the people who sign the pay cheques. He's been long outta the software development arena. The certs, of any flavour, I feel, are mostly guide lines. It comes right down to experience of the use of a system, but thats not saying that I found the courses to be a waste of my time.