Low disk space
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From: Stan on 9 Apr 2010 20:48 Sister-in-laws laptop (XP Pro) getting low disk space and low virtual memory messages. 6gig HDD, I uninstalled 3 apps totaling nearly 800 MB but C: properties (there's just one partition) lists no change in free space. (71MB free). Addendum: Virtual mem increased now down to 9 MB free space. Did manage to run 2 online virus scans, (can't update AVG not enough free space) and a updated Spybot s&d, and no malware found. I'm currently trying to find a diagnostics for this Toshiba HDD but just started looking. Can't defrag not enough free space. Error checking reports: 10152 bytes free. Sys info reports: Total VM 2GB Available VM 1.96 GB Page file space 386.82 MB (system managed) Windows folder size= 4.04 GB Size on disk= 4.08 GB Program Files folder = 521 MB 528 MB Anyone know why the 800 MB doesn't show as free space?
From: Stan on 9 Apr 2010 21:53 Seagate for DOS passes. "Stan" <bhrichREMOVE(a)aol.com> wrote in message news:OyqaRfE2KHA.3568(a)TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > Sister-in-laws laptop (XP Pro) getting low disk space and low virtual > memory messages. > > 6gig HDD, I uninstalled 3 apps totaling nearly 800 MB but C: properties > (there's just one partition) lists no change in free space. (71MB free). > Addendum: Virtual mem increased now down to 9 MB free space. > > Did manage to run 2 online virus scans, (can't update AVG not enough free > space) and a updated Spybot s&d, and no malware found. > > I'm currently trying to find a diagnostics for this Toshiba HDD but just > started looking. > > Can't defrag not enough free space. > > Error checking reports: 10152 bytes free. > > Sys info reports: Total VM 2GB > Available VM 1.96 GB > Page file space 386.82 MB (system managed) > > Windows folder size= 4.04 GB > Size on disk= 4.08 GB > > Program Files folder = 521 MB > 528 MB > > Anyone know why the 800 MB doesn't show as free space? >
From: Paul on 9 Apr 2010 23:41 Stan wrote: > Sister-in-laws laptop (XP Pro) getting low disk space and low virtual memory > messages. > > 6gig HDD, I uninstalled 3 apps totaling nearly 800 MB but C: properties > (there's just one partition) lists no change in free space. (71MB free). > Addendum: Virtual mem increased now down to 9 MB free space. > > Did manage to run 2 online virus scans, (can't update AVG not enough free > space) and a updated Spybot s&d, and no malware found. > > I'm currently trying to find a diagnostics for this Toshiba HDD but just > started looking. > > Can't defrag not enough free space. > > Error checking reports: 10152 bytes free. > > Sys info reports: Total VM 2GB > Available VM 1.96 GB > Page file space 386.82 MB (system managed) > > Windows folder size= 4.04 GB > Size on disk= 4.08 GB > > Program Files folder = 521 MB > 528 MB > > Anyone know why the 800 MB doesn't show as free space? > > Have you reviewed the software in usage on the computer ? Is there something like Norton GoBack ? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norton_GoBack ******* In terms of reviewing what is currently on the disk, you can use a graphical tool such as SequoiaView. http://w3.win.tue.nl/nl/onderzoek/onderzoek_informatica/visualization/sequoiaview// http://www.win.tue.nl/cgi-bin/usr/sequoia/download3.cgi ftp://ftp.win.tue.nl/pub/home/sequoia/Sequoia1_3XPInstall.exe (AV scan of the installer) http://www.virustotal.com/reanalisis.html?15d83cd0e68404925a986b05e5f830973fd842b46545db6ffa7c4d0f4346ab83-1270865559 Perhaps you'll be able to spot some usage of the disk that is relatively large in the graphical display. I use SequoiaView for spotting "file hogs" on my C: partition. ******* The Process Monitor tool, is supposed to be able to watch file system activity. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-ca/sysinternals/bb896645.aspx In the example here, you can see the usage of the File Summary, to get some idea of what was going on. http://ask-leo.com/i_have_constant_disk_activity_and_i_dont_know_why_how_can_i_tell_what_program_is_doing_it.html There used to be a tool called FileMon, which concentrated on files, but that has been replaced by ProcMon. I found it slightly easier to get FileMon to produce useful output. In ProcMon, when you start the program, a "Filter" dialog will pop up. Add an entry to that, which says "Operation" "Is" "WriteFile". The WriteFile item is at the very end of a long menu. Once you apply at least one filter condition in that dialog, and commence capture, then you'll see a log of ongoing activity. If there are multiple green entries, they might all be in effect at the same time. You can add or remove them, in the Filter dialog. What I'd be looking for on ProcMon is: 1) Remove a small file from the system. (Toss in wastebasket) 2) Let ProcMon capture activity while you're deleting that item from the wastebasket. 3) Some process on the computer will be watching for blank space to appear, before it starts writing again. 4) Give it some time, and then stop the trace (control-E) in ProcMon and see what ended up doing writes to the file system. That process could be the thing using up the disk. ProcMon produces tons of data, and so the trick is filtering it effectively. It took me quite a while, to figure out the filter event I was looking for (to emulate FileMon) was the Operation one. It may take you more than one attempt, to track down the culprit. For example, maybe "WriteFile" is not the way that the space is getting eaten. There is another program, called Handle, that is supposed to show what files are open. So the sysinternals pages do have a wealth of tracing tools of one sort or another. (Sysinternals was bought by Microsoft, and the two principle staff members now work for Microsoft.) I hope you find a solution, before you run out of files to discard :-) If you go to the System control panel, you might try disabling System Restore if it is currently enabled. That could be used as a way to free up some space. The space used for that, is in C:\System Volume Information. Mine currently has about 2.6GB in it. Of course, a "rabid writer" will quickly eat up the freed space, so I expect this will only help you the one time. System Restore is a useful function, and I don't expect on such a small drive, that the space used amounts to much. HTH, Paul
From: Bob Willard on 10 Apr 2010 05:32 Stan wrote: > Sister-in-laws laptop (XP Pro) getting low disk space and low virtual memory > messages. > > 6gig HDD, I uninstalled 3 apps totaling nearly 800 MB but C: properties > (there's just one partition) lists no change in free space. (71MB free). > Addendum: Virtual mem increased now down to 9 MB free space. Do you really mean 6GB, or is that a typo? If you are running XP Pro on a 6GB HD, then your real problem is that the HD is way to small. I suggest getting a large new HD, possibly wrapped up in a new laptop. -- Cheers, Bob
From: DL on 10 Apr 2010 07:00
Start > Run. %temp% Delete all files found (some may be in use) Internet Options Delete all temp files, & set temp size to 50mb But at the end of the day the HD is too small, I find it hard to believe your Tosh was originally supplied with winxp "Stan" <bhrichREMOVE(a)aol.com> wrote in message news:OyqaRfE2KHA.3568(a)TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > Sister-in-laws laptop (XP Pro) getting low disk space and low virtual > memory messages. > > 6gig HDD, I uninstalled 3 apps totaling nearly 800 MB but C: properties > (there's just one partition) lists no change in free space. (71MB free). > Addendum: Virtual mem increased now down to 9 MB free space. > > Did manage to run 2 online virus scans, (can't update AVG not enough free > space) and a updated Spybot s&d, and no malware found. > > I'm currently trying to find a diagnostics for this Toshiba HDD but just > started looking. > > Can't defrag not enough free space. > > Error checking reports: 10152 bytes free. > > Sys info reports: Total VM 2GB > Available VM 1.96 GB > Page file space 386.82 MB (system managed) > > Windows folder size= 4.04 GB > Size on disk= 4.08 GB > > Program Files folder = 521 MB > 528 MB > > Anyone know why the 800 MB doesn't show as free space? > |