ChatterBank1 min ago
Low disk space
19 Answers
Please help - my computer is showing low disk space ( I cant even load a few photos to my pictures folder ) and telling me to clean up my files - I have the defrag on --- set every wednesday night - I have emptied my recycle bin and I Think I have cleared my temporary downloads from the internet - I can't find the files that show how much disc space I have and I have no idea how to free anymore up - what do I do ?? - I have an external hard drive but I am afraid to transfer files in case the computer stops working - also I have an icon on my side bar saying windows have blocked some start up programs when I view this list it gives me the option of removing blocked programes but again they look to important - please help - thank you
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One thing that can take up a lot of space is Restore Points.
Every so often Windows "saves" loads of important files so you can go back to them if anything goes wrong. These are called Restore Points and eventually you can finish up with quite a few of them, taking up a lot of space.
I suggest you turn off System Restore (to delete all the old points) then turn it back on again.
If you dont know how to do this search the help within Windows. This option will often be on the main Windows menu under "Help and Support"
Every so often Windows "saves" loads of important files so you can go back to them if anything goes wrong. These are called Restore Points and eventually you can finish up with quite a few of them, taking up a lot of space.
I suggest you turn off System Restore (to delete all the old points) then turn it back on again.
If you dont know how to do this search the help within Windows. This option will often be on the main Windows menu under "Help and Support"
Regarding Restore Points above.
On some versions of Windows (certainly 7 and maybe Vista) you can delete Restore Points this way.
Click on the Circle in the bottom left to display the Windows menu.
In the search field in the bottom left type Clean
At the top of the menu it will display "Disk Cleanup". Select this.
When it asks you what disk select C and press OK.
On the window that is displayed select "Clean up system files" at the bottom.
You are asked what disk so select C again.
On the window that is displayed (Disk Cleanup), select the More Options tab.
At the bottom it says "System Restore and Shadow Copies"
Press the "Clean Up" button
On the "Are You Sure" window select Delete.
This will delete all but one of your restore points, and also delete some other large system files.
This should free up some space.
On some versions of Windows (certainly 7 and maybe Vista) you can delete Restore Points this way.
Click on the Circle in the bottom left to display the Windows menu.
In the search field in the bottom left type Clean
At the top of the menu it will display "Disk Cleanup". Select this.
When it asks you what disk select C and press OK.
On the window that is displayed select "Clean up system files" at the bottom.
You are asked what disk so select C again.
On the window that is displayed (Disk Cleanup), select the More Options tab.
At the bottom it says "System Restore and Shadow Copies"
Press the "Clean Up" button
On the "Are You Sure" window select Delete.
This will delete all but one of your restore points, and also delete some other large system files.
This should free up some space.
-- answer removed --
>What we dont know here is 'how big is the disk' 'how many files or photos are currently stored'. It could just be time for something bigger.
True, but one assumes the disk had plenty of room on it when it was bought so something has filled up the free space.
This can either be Windows system files, of which you can delete some by using various methods, or the users personal files, which can be moved across to an external hard drive.
If the user has downloaded lots of movies, mp3 files, digital pictures etc then these could all be moved across to the external hard drive.
True, but one assumes the disk had plenty of room on it when it was bought so something has filled up the free space.
This can either be Windows system files, of which you can delete some by using various methods, or the users personal files, which can be moved across to an external hard drive.
If the user has downloaded lots of movies, mp3 files, digital pictures etc then these could all be moved across to the external hard drive.
You may wish, when you have sufficient space cleared, to download & run CCleaner.
Meanwhile it is fairly easy to get over the problem temporarily as you suggest yourself. Simply move files from your C: drive to another drive to give you some space to work with. But make them your data files as otherwise something may stop working. Anything in your "my documents" file should be fine.
If Windows have blocked something and the PC still operates fine, then the blocked things are not likely to be important. But post the names of the blocked stuff here for someone to explain further.
Meanwhile it is fairly easy to get over the problem temporarily as you suggest yourself. Simply move files from your C: drive to another drive to give you some space to work with. But make them your data files as otherwise something may stop working. Anything in your "my documents" file should be fine.
If Windows have blocked something and the PC still operates fine, then the blocked things are not likely to be important. But post the names of the blocked stuff here for someone to explain further.
To free up a bit of space .. Go into System restore .. R-click My Computer/Properties/System Restore ..
Back off the slider in settings to around 10% and when rebooted, you will find quite a bit of space available (depending on size of HDD)
The computer will be fine ..
In Windows Explorer, COPY the files to new/spare drive or partition.
Once they are ok, delete the old ones.
Back off the slider in settings to around 10% and when rebooted, you will find quite a bit of space available (depending on size of HDD)
The computer will be fine ..
In Windows Explorer, COPY the files to new/spare drive or partition.
Once they are ok, delete the old ones.
-- answer removed --
You (almost) certainly don't have 64GB RAM! RAM is your computer's memory, not its hard disk. The usual comparison is with a desk and a filing cabinet. You keep lots of paper files in a filing cabinet, just like you keep lots of digital files on a hard disk. The bigger the filing cabinet, the more files you can keep in it.
But, in order to work with a file, you need to bring it out of the filing cabinet and open it on your desk. When you open a document on your computer, that's exactly what happens - it is fetched off the hard disk and opened in memory. The bigger your desk is, the more files you can have open at the same time.
But, in order to work with a file, you need to bring it out of the filing cabinet and open it on your desk. When you open a document on your computer, that's exactly what happens - it is fetched off the hard disk and opened in memory. The bigger your desk is, the more files you can have open at the same time.
God .. You people don't make it easy for the lady ...
Memory:
My Computer .. Right Click t .. Properties .. Read off memory available on the General tab.
Disk space: Double Click My Computer .. R Click the one that says Windows .. or local disc and Properties .. Display will show you what's used and what's free. It's important to use the correct measurement .. like Tb Gb or Mb!
Memory:
My Computer .. Right Click t .. Properties .. Read off memory available on the General tab.
Disk space: Double Click My Computer .. R Click the one that says Windows .. or local disc and Properties .. Display will show you what's used and what's free. It's important to use the correct measurement .. like Tb Gb or Mb!
Thanks to everyone - turns out I got in the experts and they said my machine - a Toshiba likes to split the memory in to two and hide half - So now I have a completely empty disk E/: Drive they also cleaned C/: Drive up and cleared loads of space so now I have a pie chart stating 75% Empty Yeh
Thanks for all the advice tho
Thanks for all the advice tho
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