Where's mah space?

I've been using my desktop (Windows XP) for about 3 1/2 years; I got it from a renter place, so it's really about 4 years old.

The computer runs well enough, but I'm constantly running short of space (anime and porn addiction). I look at the statistics, and the computer can hold about 53 GB. I'm using about 25 GB, counting everything in My Documents and on my desktop (everything I download and make goes in one or the other). I should have about 25 GB of free space, but I only have 10 GB free.

I'm no computer whiz, of course. I just want some answers as to what is taking up all my space and what I can do to get it back.

You can compress your hard drive to make space. Right click your C:\ Drive to.

>>1
Other stuff such as Windows and all its malware take space. If you use Internet Explorer, chances are that you have many MB in malware you got from it.

Defragmentate

Thanks for the actual info guys. Not used to that on 4chan.

Anyways >>2 I do compress files (done through Performance and Maintenance on Control Panel). It gives me some good space when I do it, but I did it before I got to 10 GB.

>>3 I don't use Internet Explorer, but I do have it installed, just in case. Some things don't work on Firefox or Opera. How would I get rid of the malware?

>>4 I do defragment. Just did the other day, actually.

>>2
that space is used for the ofrmat optins of the hard drive. either that or you have a 15 GB partition that windows isnt reading
(the format might a linux-swap)
just download Knoppix & see if you can see the partition.
www.knopper.net

first off, turn compression off, it fucks up performance.

http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Utilities/Disk_Analysis_Utilities/Piechart_Disk.html try that, it'll give you a graphical representation of disk space usage, makes it easier to track stuff like that down.

ten bux says it's temp files and system restore.
-To take care of most temp files: http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/files/ImproveDiskCleanup.zip , patch your registry with this so it doesn't go through all that "lol disk compression" bs
-make sure you remove all but the most recent restore point, and figure out how to turn down the maximum percentage of disk space it can use (or turn it off) because I think I've done enough for you already.

>>3
Get a life and stop reading so much linux/mac propaganda, fag

>>6

Good advice, but playing with linux can be hard if you've never done it before. I dont know if the OP has any experience.

Start Menu -> Control Panel -> Administrative tools -> Computer Management. Then in the left window you should see Disk management click on that and it should show all the partitions of the drive. Im pretty sure that a linux partition would show up in there although it might show "unknown" under file system


Also, this program says it will recognize linux and window paritions there is a trial download just install it and see what it finds if the above doesn't work

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/diskdirector/partitioning.html

post back with results im curious

>>8
 6 was my post

instead of doing the whole "Start Menu -> Control Panel -> Administrative tools -> Computer Management"
you can just press start & right-click on my computer & click manage. its an easier way to get there.

http://mahspace.com

Where's mah threads that don't suck?

This is OP:

Alright, I followed >>9's advice and could get the manager thing up, but I don't know what to do. It says there are two partitions, one being my C drive with 10+ GB free and the other being an unnamed thing that only takes up 31 MB maximum.

I downloaded the piechart thing and scanned the disk. I've found a folder called "Complete" in Documents and Settings of the C drive that takes up 14 GB. It seems to be full of little pieces of porn that takes up 522.5 KB each.

Here's a pic: http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k292/shaggyjebus/comp.png

Uh follow >>6 advice and do the disc clean up thingy unless you absolutely need all those porn cookies. Or just shift + delete the whole folder

>>13 I can't access the folder. I've gone to where it should be, but it won't come up.

I will try the knopper thing though.

Maybe I won't try to knopper thing if it's Linux.

This is OP. Major update:

Looking at the piechart, I saw a folder which was taking up a lot of space called "Complete." I tried looking for it on the C drive but couldn't find it. I finally got the idea to use Google, and something actually came up. The Complete folder was apparently a virus or something which uploaded tons of useless shit to my hard drive. I accessed the folder and deleted all the crap, and now I have almost 30 GB free.

Thanks for all the help, guys. I got more than I ever expected out of 4chan.