Running out of space already (need help freeing it up)
Last response: in Storage
I was told that Windows 7 takes up about 20GB of space when it's all set-up. I also noted that most of my good modern games take up about 12GB each, so I got myself a 128GB SSD thinking I'd have room to install a good... 8 at least.
I didn't take into consideration the amount of space that would be eaten up by things like Chrome, Firefox, Foxit, Steam, VLC, MSN, the drivers for my mouse... driver updates for the motherboard... I also have 3 games, but just one of them is a serious one. Starcraft 2, which eats up about 12 or 14 GB of space. I'm not sure what's eating up all the other space but I've used up about 73GB by now. It seems like it just keeps going up. I realize now I should have been saving a lot more stuff on my mechanical drive. It's a nice roomy 2 TB. Problem is... now that they are all installed on my SSD, I'm not sure how to move things over onto the HDD. I tried to drag and drop folders from Program Files over to the mechanical, but I get these error messages like "You require permission from TrustedInstaller to make changes to this folder." Is there some special trick to remove all the fluff I've installed in such a way that it will still be able to work?
Also... maybe some kind of tool that helps me track what I have on my SSD that's taking up all this space? So I can know what I should get rid of?
EDIT: My used data was at 85GB before I removed Dead Space, game controls weren't working so I uninstalled it. Now I'm at 73GB used space. Still above normal I think.
I didn't take into consideration the amount of space that would be eaten up by things like Chrome, Firefox, Foxit, Steam, VLC, MSN, the drivers for my mouse... driver updates for the motherboard... I also have 3 games, but just one of them is a serious one. Starcraft 2, which eats up about 12 or 14 GB of space. I'm not sure what's eating up all the other space but I've used up about 73GB by now. It seems like it just keeps going up. I realize now I should have been saving a lot more stuff on my mechanical drive. It's a nice roomy 2 TB. Problem is... now that they are all installed on my SSD, I'm not sure how to move things over onto the HDD. I tried to drag and drop folders from Program Files over to the mechanical, but I get these error messages like "You require permission from TrustedInstaller to make changes to this folder." Is there some special trick to remove all the fluff I've installed in such a way that it will still be able to work?
Also... maybe some kind of tool that helps me track what I have on my SSD that's taking up all this space? So I can know what I should get rid of?
EDIT: My used data was at 85GB before I removed Dead Space, game controls weren't working so I uninstalled it. Now I'm at 73GB used space. Still above normal I think.
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I always recommend these websites for SSD users:
The SSD Review - The SSD Optimization Guide
The SSD Review - Windows 7 Optimization Guide
OCZ Blog - SSD Tips and Tweaks
OCZ Forum - Windows 7 Ultimate Tweaks & Utilities
You don't have to do them all, or any. They are just tips. But several of them save drive space, and others help optimize the SSD for Windows.
The biggest one is turning off System Restore, and deleting it's Restore points!
I know you're already installed, but here is a great guide:
Sean's Windows 7 Install & Optimization Guide for SSDs & HHDs
The SSD Review - The SSD Optimization Guide
The SSD Review - Windows 7 Optimization Guide
OCZ Blog - SSD Tips and Tweaks
OCZ Forum - Windows 7 Ultimate Tweaks & Utilities
You don't have to do them all, or any. They are just tips. But several of them save drive space, and others help optimize the SSD for Windows.
The biggest one is turning off System Restore, and deleting it's Restore points!
I know you're already installed, but here is a great guide:
Sean's Windows 7 Install & Optimization Guide for SSDs & HHDs
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128GB is HUGE, dude!
You should install everything to the SSD, why have it if you won't use it?
You CAN NOT move installed programs! You have to install them to a different place, else serious errors will occur!
The only thing you can (and you should) drop and drag is your Libraries (i.e. My Docs, Music, Pics, Vids). Change the location from your User folder to the root of the HDD (e.g. C:User\you\My Documents to D:My Documents).
THe "How-to" is in Sean's Guide: Optimizations after System Setup
You should install everything to the SSD, why have it if you won't use it?
You CAN NOT move installed programs! You have to install them to a different place, else serious errors will occur!
The only thing you can (and you should) drop and drag is your Libraries (i.e. My Docs, Music, Pics, Vids). Change the location from your User folder to the root of the HDD (e.g. C:User\you\My Documents to D:My Documents).
THe "How-to" is in Sean's Guide: Optimizations after System Setup
Quote:
move them as administrator,something is haeting your drive i use 51 gig and have few games and browser the complete office and win 7 + more of those software total of 98 program files in the x86 and 39 in the 64 sectionQuote:
You should install everything to the SSD, why have it if you won't use it?Quote:
The only thing you can (and you should) drop and drag is your Libraries (i.e. My Docs, Music, Pics, Vids). Change the location from your User folder to the root of the HDD (e.g. C:User\you\My Documents to D:My Documents)Quote:
lower the restore point from 12 to 3 on your ssdBest solution
Google is your friend.
From google on restore points: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/5482/make-system-restore...
Have you disabled hibernation. Hibernation stores a Hidden file = to the size of your ram so if ram = 8 gigs you have a (forgot the name).sys file that's 8gigs of wasted space, SSDs are fast enough that you don't really need it.
From uSoft:
To make hibernation unavailable, follow these steps:
1.Click Start, and then type cmd in the Start Search box.
2.In the search results list, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as Administrator.
3.When you are prompted by User Account Control, click Continue.
4.At the command prompt, type powercfg.exe /hibernate off, and then press ENTER.
5.Type exit and then press ENTER to close the Command Prompt window.
Have you taken control of your Virtual memory (Page file). thats a file that is about 1.5 x ram (8 gigs of ram = 12 gig page file. Always set page file min and max to the same size, for 8 gigs ram I use 1024 mb - THAT saves about 11 gig!!. Push come shove you can set it to None on C-drive (Your SSD) and put it on D-drive your HDD.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/Change...
From google on restore points: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/5482/make-system-restore...
Have you disabled hibernation. Hibernation stores a Hidden file = to the size of your ram so if ram = 8 gigs you have a (forgot the name).sys file that's 8gigs of wasted space, SSDs are fast enough that you don't really need it.
From uSoft:
To make hibernation unavailable, follow these steps:
1.Click Start, and then type cmd in the Start Search box.
2.In the search results list, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as Administrator.
3.When you are prompted by User Account Control, click Continue.
4.At the command prompt, type powercfg.exe /hibernate off, and then press ENTER.
5.Type exit and then press ENTER to close the Command Prompt window.
Have you taken control of your Virtual memory (Page file). thats a file that is about 1.5 x ram (8 gigs of ram = 12 gig page file. Always set page file min and max to the same size, for 8 gigs ram I use 1024 mb - THAT saves about 11 gig!!. Push come shove you can set it to None on C-drive (Your SSD) and put it on D-drive your HDD.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/Change...
Actually... I have 16 GB of RAM. I didn't know it would effect my hard drive so I loaded it to full capacity. I didn't want to have to worry about buying more down the road. If this is true... it could explain a lot. I disabled the hibernation I think... I'm not very good with the command prompt. But I still haven't figured out how to control my virtual memory page file, let me do a reboot to see if the hibernation thing helped at least.
I did a break down of my C drive (the boot drive, which is my SSD at the moment).
Intel: 0.99 MB
PrefLogs (no idea what this is): 0 bytes
Program Files: 390 MB
Program Files (x86): 11.6 GB
ProgramData: 411 MB
Users: 3.93 GB
Windows: 15 GB
Even with the abnormally large x86 folder size, that still only amounts to 31.4 GBs. I even told the folder to show me hidden items. I deleted all my games except for Starcraft 2. And I found that the SC2 installer had been left on my hard drive (it's not needed to play the game and takes up over 7 GB all on it's own). But that still leaves me with 63 GB of used space. So nearly half of the data on my boot drive is hidden from me.
EDIT: Fantastic... I'm down to 51 GB of used space. These are the kinds of things that are super obscure and unknown... but you really have to know what it is and where it is and how it works to fix it... I mean I had never even heard of this consequence before... You'd think they would put a memo on particularly large RAM dimms, or on particularly small capacity hard drives. Thank you Chief! I'm going to try the Virtual thingy now.
I did a break down of my C drive (the boot drive, which is my SSD at the moment).
Intel: 0.99 MB
PrefLogs (no idea what this is): 0 bytes
Program Files: 390 MB
Program Files (x86): 11.6 GB
ProgramData: 411 MB
Users: 3.93 GB
Windows: 15 GB
Even with the abnormally large x86 folder size, that still only amounts to 31.4 GBs. I even told the folder to show me hidden items. I deleted all my games except for Starcraft 2. And I found that the SC2 installer had been left on my hard drive (it's not needed to play the game and takes up over 7 GB all on it's own). But that still leaves me with 63 GB of used space. So nearly half of the data on my boot drive is hidden from me.
EDIT: Fantastic... I'm down to 51 GB of used space. These are the kinds of things that are super obscure and unknown... but you really have to know what it is and where it is and how it works to fix it... I mean I had never even heard of this consequence before... You'd think they would put a memo on particularly large RAM dimms, or on particularly small capacity hard drives. Thank you Chief! I'm going to try the Virtual thingy now.
There is NO problem with your 16 gigs of ram, I also have 16 gigs. It's the side effect, Windows should (but doesn't) recognized the fact that above a set amount of ram you need LESS, not More, vircual memory. If you want hiberantion then that has to equal ram, But as I said with an SSD you really don't need hibernation.
16 Gigs of ram is good, but the side effect on space is BAD, about 30 gigs worth of space in just thoes two items - OUCH.
16 Gigs of ram is good, but the side effect on space is BAD, about 30 gigs worth of space in just thoes two items - OUCH.
Treesize is a good utility for finding out how much each folder is using, you can drill down into each folder and find out exactly where that space is being used in your user profile or wherever. Sometimes I'll find some massive .iso or video file or whatever that belongs in an external drive, or nowhere at all, or find my kid's profile has a few GB in Internet Temporary Files.
The current version has a trial period IIRC, usually I use version 1.5 from 1999 that has a clean, simple interface, and if you scan any drive over 2 GB it will say you must be a professional user and you ought to buy a license.
Another way to go, that will at least find giant files, is to search for *.* on the harddrive, go get your beverage of choice, then sort by size (assuming you have already selected the "Details" view).
The current version has a trial period IIRC, usually I use version 1.5 from 1999 that has a clean, simple interface, and if you scan any drive over 2 GB it will say you must be a professional user and you ought to buy a license.
Another way to go, that will at least find giant files, is to search for *.* on the harddrive, go get your beverage of choice, then sort by size (assuming you have already selected the "Details" view).
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