pie chart of computer memory

[shivvy]

I think my computer is full up!
It is telling me that I am running low on disc space on the C drive. I have removed unused stuff and defragmented but the message remains the same. I think it is prob because of the amount of music that we have on itunes.
Anyhow, I was sure I used to look up somewhere on the machine that showed me the computer space used/available in a pie chart but I cant for the life of me find it now.
Can anyone advise where it is please?
Thanks

[Aprilis]

Click on Start--->My Computer. Then right click on 'Local disk C:, scroll down the drop-down menu and select 'Properties' Et voila! One pie chart.

[figure]

Click >

Start
My Computer
Local Disk C

Information is located on the left side in 'Details.'

[shivvy]

Great - v quick answers - thanks!
The news isn't good however. It says that I have 86.1GB used and 4.24MB unused. That means full up doesn't it?!

[Aprilis]

To make more space on your hard drive you could also compress the contents of some of your folders to increase disk space.

Find the folder you want to compress the contents of and right click on it. Select 'Properties', on the 'General' tab click on 'Advanced'. Then in the 'Advanced attributes' window put a tick in the box that says 'compress contents to save disk space then click on 'OK'. Job done.

Compressing files won't affect your ability to view or use those files.

[shivvy]

Thanks Aprilis. Can I compress itunes files in the way you describe? Will it gain me much space?

[Aprilis]

Not sure about that one shivvy as I've never tried compressing my iTunes library and I don't know if it will affect iTunes ability to retrieve and play the songs, or more importantly, how it would affect them playing on your iPod. Can't see that it should make any difference but I'm no expert and my motto is 'If in doubt....don't!' All the hundreds of music files stored in the 'My Music' folder is compressed on my system though.

[beso]

Just put in another hard drive.

[fo3nix]

Compressing won't get you much; especially not with binary files like music or video.

You have a few options.

1) Remove stuff from your computer. Ideally have about 10GB free.

2) Buy a cheap internal or external hard drive, and move stuff like your iTunes library to that. For �40 you can get a drive with much more space than your current one, that you just connect like you do an iPod.

[shivvy]

We use this laptop as our main computer but we have another one that we dont use so we were thinking of moving itunes onto it, leaving this one free for everything else. Is that a reasonable solution?
Also, 2 final questions . . .
How am I able to check up exactly how much of the 86GB iTunes is using up?
And is 86GB a pretty small amount of memory nowadays - should I consider increasing it even if I move iTunes?
Thanks

[fo3nix]

See here how to move iTunes library to another computer:

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Technology/Comp uters/Question569219.html

And yes, moving it to your laptop is a good idea.

In the above link, see the folder I linked to... documents and settings/username/etc. stuff? Find the iTunes music folder that I mention there on your computer, and right click it and click properties. It'll tell you how much space it's using.

And 86GB is pretty normal for a laptop, still these days.

If you want a cool way to visualise what stuff is taking up all the room, download and use (free) an app called windirstat:

http://windirstat.info/

[shivvy]

Great answer fo3nix - thankyou so much.
About downloading windirstat, I don't think I can cause I don't have enough space!!!!

[eyebrows]

porn.....tell it how it is

[shivvy]

lol eyebrows!

[LeMarchand]

Use the "Web Start" option at http://www.jgoodies.com/freeware/jdiskreport/i ndex.html - should give you an idea of where the space is being used.