Kevin's Watch

I see. Based on the screenshots you uploaded (great help) I'm not seeing anything in \Users (personal stuff) and I'm not seeing anything in \ProgramFiles (applications installed) and I'm only seeing a bit in \ProgramData (where applications put their data.) There's an \Eric directory, but it doesn't have much. (Stuff for the Educational Resources Information CenterI presume? )

In other words, all of the bloat seems to be Windows. With a tiny bit in ProgramData - you can drill down in that folder and it will quickly be apparent which application that is.

And in the windows, the winsxs seems to be the thing.

Based on the description, this is something that may grow every time Windows applies an automatic update. If it's a pig, this may explain the shrinking disk space.

Not sure how much more I can help. Hopefully the winsxs cleanup that Murrin pointed you to works. Other than that, I would suggest saving some snapshots of your WinDirStat. Later on, if the free space is shrinking, you can start it up again, and maybe notice which folders have grown appreciably.

This hasn't come up, but you can tune the amount of disk space your browser uses for caching temporary files. This limits the maximum amount of space it will use. In IE, it's Tools > Internet Options > Browsing History > Settings > Disk Space to use. This should be set to a couple of hundred MB. Probably is tho. But I figure you're wanting to learn stuff.

Well, I'm trying, Murrin. Your link
www.abdevelopment.ca/blog/reduce-size-v ... sxs-folder
says to put vsp1cln in the search field of the start menu. When I do, no items match my search.

This Andrew Berry guy says "I have UAC disabled on my system, so if it's an issue run cmd first, and run the utility through that." But, uh, what the hell does that mean??


wf, that caching setting is 50 MB. Not the problem, I guess, but yes, thanks for the education.


Here's a question... When I go to Computer from the Start Menu, the C: drive is under/within Computer, which is under/within Desktop. (Which doesn't even make sense to me, because I thought the C: drive was where EVERYTHING is, except for things inserted into other drives, like floppy and DVD.) But WinDirStat only checks the C: drive. Is it missing all the other stuff that is under Desktop and Computer?


BTW, at the moment, I'm up to 2.82 GB free, and out of the red for the first time in several weeks. Don't know what could have done it other than that Error Checking. So thanks again, WF.

Fist and Faith wrote:Well, I'm trying, Murrin. Your link
www.abdevelopment.ca/blog/reduce-size-v ... sxs-folder
says to put vsp1cln in the search field of the start menu. When I do, no items match my search.

This Andrew Berry guy says "I have UAC disabled on my system, so if it's an issue run cmd first, and run the utility through that." But, uh, what the hell does that mean??

Well, more googling gave me a site that says vsp1cln was changed to Compcln. That comes up. It opens a (I guess it's a) DOS window. Which says:

This operation will make all service packs and other packages permanent on this computer. Upon completion you will not be able to remove any cleaned packages from this system.

I assume that doesn't bother me much? It probably wouldn't bother me even if it was a good, newer computer?

OK, I ran it. Now up to 3.85 GB free. Heh. That'll certainly extend the life of this thing. Thanks guys!!!

Yeah, the warning is just what that guy said on the article, that it removes all the old version backups of all the stuff that would allow you to roll back to an earlier windows vista version.

Darn, I was hoping more would be free. What's the winsxs folder down to now?

WinDirStat scans a drive, you only have 1 drive, C, as you know. So WinDirStat makes sense. It's Windows Explorer (Vista-ized) which is weird.

"My Computer" is a fiction created by the Windows Explorer to put all your drives in. It's a fiction in that it's not a real place on a drive any where. (Which is why you can't put files there.)

And then "Desktop" is another fiction on top of that one. It's a place to put My Computer and My Network and Recycle Bin and Control Panel. Also, "Libraries" is there, which is really just a collection of shortcuts to other places. Also "Eric" (or whatever your username is) is there, which is really just a shortcut to C:/Users/Eric. Also, whatever is in C:/Users/Eric/Desktop also appears in Desktop - and if you drag anything to your desktop, it's really going to C:\Users\Eric\Desktop.

Yes, Desktop is a complete abomination.

But the important point is, more or less everything under Desktop is really in the C: drive somewhere, it's just made to look like it's not.

I figured the Explorer cache size wasn't an issue, but worth a check, because if it got set somehow to be gigabytes, it could explain things.

It went from this (from above)




To this:

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand, we're down to 2.78 GB free at the moment. WTF makes it drop a gig while just sitting here??

That might be the page file. If it's happening while you're busy doing stuff, it's size will constantly change.

As I said, I don't know Vista, but have you turned off the system restore thing? That'll pull you back a couple gigs probably.

But really, this is all short-term solutions. Get a 500GB drive and plug it in. Leave the C: drive for windows only.

--A

That winsxs thing still owns 40% of your disk space. Too bad.

Regarding fluctuation, I don't think it's the page file, the page file is reserved space and always the same size. I can't tell you what it might be.

Regarding fluctuation... It's now at 5.15 GB free. Never know with this baby!

OTOH, it's started to be difficult to turn on. Hit the button, and nothing happens. Or maybe a very short jolt of power, then gone. Last couple times, I unplugged it and plugged it back in several times, and it eventually worked.

wayfriend wrote:"My Computer" is a fiction created by the Windows Explorer to put all your drives in. It's a fiction in that it's not a real place on a drive any where. (Which is why you can't put files there.)

And then "Desktop" is another fiction on top of that one. It's a place to put My Computer and My Network and Recycle Bin and Control Panel. Also, "Libraries" is there, which is really just a collection of shortcuts to other places. Also "Eric" (or whatever your username is) is there, which is really just a shortcut to C:/Users/Eric. Also, whatever is in C:/Users/Eric/Desktop also appears in Desktop - and if you drag anything to your desktop, it's really going to C:\Users\Eric\Desktop.

Yes, Desktop is a complete abomination.

But the important point is, more or less everything under Desktop is really in the C: drive somewhere, it's just made to look like it's not.

This is a great explanation, btw. Thanks.

Tx ... but when "abomination" is a "great explanation" for something on your computer, it's not a good sign. If you're confused now, wait until you have Windows 7...

Arg...stupid fake locked folders...

--A

Well, what we did was we went to Wal-Mart and bought an HP for $400.
-AMD Athlon II 240 2.8 GHz
-3GB system memory
-500GB HD
-20" LCD monitor

Not a bad price, for sure.

Now I want to take apart that old one and see what's inside. I've seen the insides of computers, but didn't know what I was looking at. Is there anything worth saving in there?

Probably the new computer lacks a floppy disk drive which your old one had. Do you have any data on floppy disks worth worrying about? If so ... you probably can't move the drive over anyway. But think about it.

Otherwise ... I don't think so.

Congrats Fist. Hope you're not installing Vista on it...

--A

It says I have Windows 7.

I don't think you have a choice any more with a new computer -- it's Windows 7 or the highway (aka Apple ). Congrats on the new machine, Fist!

People talk down Vista and Windows 7 a lot, but just wait until the next version comes out which is being designed heavily around use on mobile devices (yes, they're ending windows mobile and designing a more unified one for both PCs and handhelds)... I have a bad feeling for the future of Windows on PC, given that.