Windows 7 System Size "Mysteriously Swelling"

[johntkucz]

Hey mates,
I am no where near having the internal HD configuration I envision. Nevertheless, I have tried to optimize the temporary cramped 320gb using into various partitions. I put windows 7 on a 20gb partition. I will be fixing that (realizing it's too much of a headache and unfortunately too small). I'll prob increase it to 40. good to know it is possible to install and use windows 7 on such a small partition. However, I installed some programs onto it instead of apps partition and that pushed it over.

THE QUESTION:
I continually run out of space. If I have 2-3gbs left weird things like
user/appdata/temp fills up. What's with that? Can I prevent that?

The outcome I would like is windows 7 more or less STATIC in hard drive utilization space. It seems to fluctuate greatly. I think when downloading files some of those go to temp folders.

I will increase system partition, but I would really like to have cease "mysteriously swelling" in temp folders or whatever.

Anyone who has insight onto where temp folders exist and most usefully how to relocate them to another partition or redirect various applications to saving all data (including temp files) to another partition would be helpful and illuminating. Cheers thanks

 

[Pyree]

You can try disable restore point by going to advance system setting>system protection>configure>turn off system protection and turn off the protection there. If you do that, you may want to set auto system image backup to run every week.

 

[mcnumpty23]

not sure about the temp folders but you may find its the winsxs folder thats increasing in size it has a habit of doing it and its not recommended to delete stuff in it

i can easily fit windows 7 64bit on an 80gb ssd 74.4gb when formatted including all my software and games by doing a few things to reduce the size of windows

1-disable or reduce the size of system restore
2-reduce the size of the recycle bin
3-delete hyberfil.sys file this is as much as the amount of ram
4-if you have enough ram disable the pagefile--probably only if you have 4gb or more

 

[Pyree]

Forgot to mention, do you already use clean up software? I recommend CCleaner.

 

[13thmonkey]

have a look at it using windir stat, gives a very good overview of what space is consumed where. Have you moved the page file?

 

[johntkucz]

not sure about the temp folders but you may find its the winsxs folder thats increasing in size it has a habit of doing it and its not recommended to delete stuff in it

i can easily fit windows 7 64bit on an 80gb ssd 74.4gb when formatted including all my software and games by doing a few things to reduce the size of windows

1-disable or reduce the size of system restore
2-reduce the size of the recycle bin
3-delete hyberfil.sys file this is as much as the amount of ram
4-if you have enough ram disable the pagefile--probably only if you have 4gb or more

Hey everyone and mcnumpty,

thanks for that list. I found some links and wrote an article and accomplished smaller size by utilizing disk cleanup, putting program files on separate partition, having hiberfil.sys deleted, ensuring TEMP and TMP are relocated, and having the user folder relocated to a separate partition.
still running windows with lots of apps on a 18.6gb partition.

The Recycle bin size reduction I have not tried, but sounds useful (Will look into that), and the pagefil disabling I may do as well.

Thanks!

 

[johntkucz]

Best answer selected by johntkucz.

 

[johntkucz]

"running windows with lots of apps on a 18.6gb partition. "

I have apps/games/program files on separate partition, but windows is on the 18.6 and it works (although a bit cramped and cant' wait to get internal hd size upgrade!