My Windows folder contains 8.3GB, help!

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Pete_O

My Windows folder contains 8.3GB, and almost fills my C drive. Ther are about
130 blue files, from 1-8MB, with names mostly like $NtUninstall, $Uninstall,
NtServicepackuninstall, and one called $hf_mig$ (with 505MB).
Others, non-blue, are Microsoft.net (1.65GB - Folders:Framework) and
system32 (890 MB). My PC is badly slowed-down. Can I get rid of any of all
this stuff?
 
If 8.3GB is approaching the capacity of your hard disk, friend, you need
a larger hard disk. 8.3GB is not unusual for a Windows XP installation.
Hard disks that are ten times the size of yours are very inexpensive.
Then again, if your hard disk is that small, your PC may be of a vintage
where it's no longer cost-effective to add hardware. Up to you.

While you're shopping for that new hard disk, try the Disk Cleanup
Wizard (and do /not/ choose to compress old files.) As well, a web
search with this search term:

free hard disk space

will provide lots of information.
 
Pete_O said:
My Windows folder contains 8.3GB, and almost fills my C drive. Ther
are about 130 blue files, from 1-8MB, with names mostly like
$NtUninstall, $Uninstall, NtServicepackuninstall, and one called
$hf_mig$ (with 505MB).
Others, non-blue, are Microsoft.net (1.65GB - Folders:Framework) and
system32 (890 MB). My PC is badly slowed-down. Can I get rid of any
of all this stuff?
Click to expand...

It's not likely slow *just* because of your hard drive being close to full -
although that may be contributing and having an 8.3GB C:\ (or even just
slightly larger) is just going to continue biting you in the bum.

Worried over disk space?

If you are comfortable with the stability of your system, you can delete the
uninstall files for the patches that Windows XP has installed...
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spack.htm

Used Disk Cleanup?
Is hibernate turned on and do you use that feature?
Uninstalled unnecessary applications lately?

You can run Disk Cleanup - built into Windows XP - to erase all but your
latest restore point and cleanup even more "loose files"..

How to use Disk Cleanup
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310312

You can turn off hibernation if it is on and you don't use it..

When you hibernate your computer, Windows saves the contents of the system's
memory to the hiberfil.sys file. As a result, the size of the hiberfil.sys
file will always equal the amount of physical memory in your system. If you
don't use the hibernate feature and want to recapture the space that Windows
uses for the hiberfil.sys file, perform the following steps:

- Start the Control Panel Power Options applet (go to Start, Settings,
Control Panel, and click Power Options).
- Select the Hibernate tab, clear the "Enable hibernation" check box, then
click OK; although you might think otherwise, selecting Never under the
"System hibernates" option on the Power Schemes tab doesn't delete the
hiberfil.sys file.
- Windows will remove the "System hibernates" option from the Power Schemes
tab and delete the hiberfil.sys file.

You can control how much space your System Restore can use...

1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
2. Click the System Restore tab.
3. Highlight one of your drives (or C: if you only have one) and click on
the "Settings" button.
4. Change the percentage of disk space you wish to allow.. I suggest moving
the slider until you have just about 1GB (1024MB or close to that...)
5. Click OK.. Then Click OK again.

You can control how much space your Temporary Internet Files can utilize...

Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to a
size between 64MB and 256MB..

- Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer.
- Select TOOLS -> Internet Options.
- Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section, do the
following:
- Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK)
- Click on "Settings" and change the "Amount of disk space to use:" to
something between 64MB and 256MB. (It may be MUCH larger right
now.)
- Click OK.
- Click on "Delete Files" and select to "Delete all offline contents"
(the checkbox) and click OK. (If you had a LOT, this could take 2-10
minutes or more.)
- Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer, re-open Internet
Explorer.

You can use an application that scans your system for log files and
temporary files and use that to get rid of those:

Ccleaner (Free!)
http://www.ccleaner.com/

Other ways to free up space..

SequoiaView
http://www.win.tue.nl/sequoiaview/

DX Hog Hunt
http://www.dvxp.com/en/Downloads.aspx

JDiskReport
http://www.jgoodies.com/freeware/jdiskreport/index.html

Those can help you visually discover where all the space is being used.

If you are concerned over less than 5GB of space total at any given time
being freed up on your hard disk drive - then something is wrong and
you would be better off spending $100 and putting in a drive that is likely
3-8 times as large as what you have not and not concerning yourself over
such a small amount of space OR you seriously need to consider what you
really need on the system and what should be archived.

Basic housekeeping 101... - in an actual home, if your storage area gets
full - you either have to decide what you really should have in the storage
area and what could go or you have to find a new place to store stuff
that will accommodate everything you need. You don't walk into a
warehouse of cars, look at the filing cabinet in the corner where
you keep all the records for the cars and decide that if you move it out of
the warehouse - you will have more room for cars. ;-)
 
My Windows folder contains 8.3GB, and almost fills my C drive. Ther are about
130 blue files, from 1-8MB, with names mostly like $NtUninstall, $Uninstall,
NtServicepackuninstall, and one called $hf_mig$ (with 505MB).
Others, non-blue, are Microsoft.net (1.65GB - Folders:Framework) and
system32 (890 MB). My PC is badly slowed-down. Can I get rid of any of all
this stuff?
Click to expand...



Several points:

1. How full the drive is not what is slowing down your computer. What
is *running* affects performance, not how much is stored on the drive.

2. These are the uninstall files for hotfixes you've installed. They
can be safely removed, although if you do, you will never be able to
remove the associated hotfix.

My personal practice is never to remove them. Although I've never
needed one, I am more comfortable having them there, just in case.

3. If you are short of disk space and removing these (which aren't
terribly large) helps, my guess is that it will just turn out to be a
stopgap measure. Sooner or later (probably sooner than later) you will
need to bite the bullet and buy a bigger drive.
 
Pete_O said:
My Windows folder contains 8.3GB, and almost fills my C drive. Ther are
about
130 blue files, from 1-8MB, with names mostly like $NtUninstall,
$Uninstall,
NtServicepackuninstall, and one called $hf_mig$ (with 505MB).
Others, non-blue, are Microsoft.net (1.65GB - Folders:Framework) and
system32 (890 MB). My PC is badly slowed-down. Can I get rid of any of all
this stuff?
Click to expand...

The blue files are compressed. Those folders starting with $NT contain
removal software for various installed updates. You can delete them if you
never expect to remove the update.
You should copy the folders to CD before deletion thought.
Leave $hf_Mtg$ alone. Leave system32 alone unless you want to slow your
computer to a stop.
Microsoft.net is an optional package that nevertheless is needed for various
programs. Leave them alone.

Your computer may be slow because XP is having a hard time finding places to
put things. While 8.3GB is by no means unusually large, the fact that
Windows takes up almost the entire drive
means that you need a much much bigger one. This laptop has a 60GB drive
and works good enough. By the way, Windows and its assorted camp followers
take up 12 GB.
Jim
 
Pete_O said:
My Windows folder contains 8.3GB, and almost fills my C drive. Ther are about
130 blue files, from 1-8MB, with names mostly like $NtUninstall, $Uninstall,
NtServicepackuninstall, and one called $hf_mig$ (with 505MB).
Others, non-blue, are Microsoft.net (1.65GB - Folders:Framework) and
system32 (890 MB). My PC is badly slowed-down. Can I get rid of any of all
this stuff?
Click to expand...
It sounds like you have partitioned your hard disk and created a small C
drive. This works well in theory, but theory goes out the window if you
install bloat like .NET, and/or allow Windows Update to continue to update
your computer without slipstreaming and re-installing every year or so.

Unlike the others here who have parroted the Microsoft line, I would suggest
that you clean out your C drive as much as possible and then defragment it.
You should first determine whether you use any programs that require .NET (I
avoid such programs like the plague). If you do not, uninstall .NET. Second,
you should visit the following site:

http://www.bold-fortune.com/forums/index.php

The is the best site on the internet for descriptions of what is contained
in the WINDOWS folder. After reading the descriptions, it is up to you to
decide whether to remove any of the files. To get you started, if you
slipstream and re-install, none of the "blue" folders will be needed.

Have fun, and remember, it is YOUR hard disk, not Microsoft's! You have the
right to ask "Why is this file on MY hard disk?"!
 
<snipped>
Entire post - including my initial response...
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...59d95dad522/35fdc9a2c7ab5ccd#35fdc9a2c7ab5ccd



It sounds like you have partitioned your hard disk and created a
small C drive. This works well in theory, but theory goes out the
window if you install bloat like .NET, and/or allow Windows Update
to continue to update your computer without slipstreaming and
re-installing every year or so.
Unlike the others here who have parroted the Microsoft line, I
would suggest that you clean out your C drive as much as possible
and then defragment it. You should first determine whether you use
any programs that require .NET (I avoid such programs like the
plague). If you do not, uninstall .NET. Second, you should visit
the following site:
http://www.bold-fortune.com/forums/index.php

The is the best site on the internet for descriptions of what is
contained in the WINDOWS folder. After reading the descriptions, it
is up to you to decide whether to remove any of the files. To get
you started, if you slipstream and re-install, none of the "blue"
folders will be needed.
Have fun, and remember, it is YOUR hard disk, not Microsoft's! You
have the right to ask "Why is this file on MY hard disk?"!
Click to expand...

mhc,

Explain to me how I 'parroted the Microsoft line' with my advice...

Yes - I point out the logic that if you are starting to worry over a small
amount of space just to keep your machine going - and it is causing you
issues - it's likely time to buy a new hard drive instead of patching it
with bubble gum and duct tape... As far as I know that is *my* opinion, not
Microsoft's - and it is based of years of experience with machines and the
way people utilize them. How is that giving anything but logical advice on
the matter?

I did that AFTER pointing out how to clean up the machine in a safe and
complete manner - freeing up all sorts of space.
 
Shenan said:
mhc,

Explain to me how I 'parroted the Microsoft line' with my advice...

Yes - I point out the logic that if you are starting to worry over a small
amount of space just to keep your machine going - and it is causing you
issues - it's likely time to buy a new hard drive instead of patching it
with bubble gum and duct tape... As far as I know that is *my* opinion, not
Microsoft's - and it is based of years of experience with machines and the
way people utilize them. How is that giving anything but logical advice on
the matter?

I did that AFTER pointing out how to clean up the machine in a safe and
complete manner - freeing up all sorts of space.
Click to expand...

You make a good point. That sentence should have read:

"Unlike most of the others here who have parroted the Microsoft line, I
would suggest that you clean out your C drive as much as possible and then
defragment it."

However, telling the person to buy new hardware IS parroting the Microsoft
line: leave everything alone and buy more, more, more to let us bloat your
system more and more and more.

The solution to this person's problem is to slipstream and re-install
Windows, and remove .NET if possible. That will solve his space problem. I
prefer to solve problems, with telling the person to buy something as a last
resort. For all we know, the person may not have $80 to buy a new hard disk.
And as I said above, it's also quite possible the person created a small C
partition for performance reasons. Telling someone to spend money for
something they may very well not need is foolish at best and unscrupulous at
worst.
 
<snipped>
Entire post - including my initial response...
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...59d95dad522/35fdc9a2c7ab5ccd#35fdc9a2c7ab5ccd



It sounds like you have partitioned your hard disk and created a
small C drive. This works well in theory, but theory goes out the
window if you install bloat like .NET, and/or allow Windows Update
to continue to update your computer without slipstreaming and
re-installing every year or so.
Unlike the others here who have parroted the Microsoft line, I
would suggest that you clean out your C drive as much as possible
and then defragment it. You should first determine whether you use
any programs that require .NET (I avoid such programs like the
plague). If you do not, uninstall .NET. Second, you should visit
the following site:
http://www.bold-fortune.com/forums/index.php

The is the best site on the internet for descriptions of what is
contained in the WINDOWS folder. After reading the descriptions, it
is up to you to decide whether to remove any of the files. To get
you started, if you slipstream and re-install, none of the "blue"
folders will be needed.
Have fun, and remember, it is YOUR hard disk, not Microsoft's! You
have the right to ask "Why is this file on MY hard disk?"!
Click to expand...

Shenan said:
mhc,

Explain to me how I 'parroted the Microsoft line' with my advice...

Yes - I point out the logic that if you are starting to worry over
a small amount of space just to keep your machine going - and it is
causing you issues - it's likely time to buy a new hard drive
instead of patching it with bubble gum and duct tape... As far as
I know that is *my* opinion, not Microsoft's - and it is based of
years of experience with machines and the way people utilize them. How is
that giving anything but logical advice on the matter?

I did that AFTER pointing out how to clean up the machine in a safe
and complete manner - freeing up all sorts of space.
Click to expand...
You make a good point. That sentence should have read:

"Unlike most of the others here who have parroted the Microsoft
line, I would suggest that you clean out your C drive as much as
possible and then defragment it."

However, telling the person to buy new hardware IS parroting the
Microsoft line: leave everything alone and buy more, more, more to
let us bloat your system more and more and more.

The solution to this person's problem is to slipstream and
re-install Windows, and remove .NET if possible. That will solve
his space problem. I prefer to solve problems, with telling the
person to buy something as a last resort. For all we know, the
person may not have $80 to buy a new hard disk. And as I said
above, it's also quite possible the person created a small C
partition for performance reasons. Telling someone to spend money
for something they may very well not need is foolish at best and
unscrupulous at worst.
Click to expand...

I appreciate the change - but I still see the advice of 'just clean it up
and you'll be fine' as short-sighted, at best. (That is my opinion.)

It will __temporarily__ solve the space problems if the hard drive is small
enough that 8.3GB is making a difference and you must know this - even in
your stubborn resolve. That is exactly what I told them and I cannot see
how that is wrong. If they used up the space once - they are likely to use
it up again. It may not be Microsoft that is using the space up - it may
very well be other things - and my advice will uncover what that is.

As for buying the new drive and your assumption... They may not have the
money now - but they have a computer and thus they had enough money at some
point to get that and to pay the electricity bill to continue using it. If
they save a few dollars each month - by the time they need to get the
drive - they can. Even my $100 may be an over-estimate - as that would give
them a 300+GB HDD. They are worried over 8.3GB now - I think even a 20GB
drive would be an improvement - but let's go with a 60GB... $35-$45,
shipped.
http://www.pricewatch.com/hard_removable_drives/

There is negligable (if any) performance benefit to having a small C drive
PARTITION. If that is what they did - then I would point out they could use
something like BootItNG to combine the partitions - but that they should
first backup their important data...

It is not 'parroting the Microsoft line'. Every OS since the beginning has
done nothing but grow and grow in size. Not one has shrunk. Yes - there
are particular builds that have been reduced to their bare essentials - but
for all but the geekiest techs - those are all but unused. It is presenting
common sense. That's why I use the end story I do about the cars and garage
and removing the one filing cabinet.

They have to decide what is important - not you decide for them. Everyone
else gave them choices on what they could do... Some suggested the best
suggestion would be to buy a drive, but they ALSO said they could clean it
up some. You then come around and find a chance to attack everyone instead
of just saying - you could just clean it and do a fresh install. Instead
you said everyone else was parroting some Microsoft suggestion - and I am
telling you my suggestion has nothing to do with Microsoft - if Microsoft
goes away today, I'll get over it tomorrow and be making similar common
sense suggestions wherever I can help.

The point is to give them ALL the advice they might need and that you might
be able to provide - not to give them the 'temp' advice and move on.

They may never move from Microsoft Windows XP or that computer - but I bet
they keep getting email, want to visit a web page that uses Flash,
Shockwave, Quicktime, Real Player, Windows Movie Player 11 or even the new
Adobe Media Player that is being introduced... I bet they enjoy listening
to those songs, watching those videos or just keeping their financial
records in OpenOffice. Maybe they like to use Firefox and Opera - so those
are installed. Maybe they want to try out a few things so they install
them. Maybe they have pictures of their children, their grandchildren, etc.
Maybe they needed something to start making DVD movies of those times in
their lives. Perhaps to use their video card or that DVD burning
application - they need .NET X.X (that would be up to whomever wrote said
software - not Microsoft.)

Their storage space usage is UNLIKELY to shrink - denying that would be
foolish.

So my advice stays the same - they can clean it up using all the tips I
gave - and probably clear up a few GB of space. Once that is done - they
need to think about how they use their space and if this is just going to be
a never-ending and losing cycle until they actually do not have enough
space...

Maybe they could archive stuff to CD/DVD/external media and get their space
back.... Maybe not. They will have to weight their OPTIONS and decide
whether or not they can afford the $40-$100 or if they can live with the nag
of losing space and cleaning it up every couple of weeks/months. They may
decide to buy, they may decide to save and get a whole new computer, they
may decide just to cleanup and everything will be good... It's up to them.
;-)
 
It sounds like you have partitioned your hard disk and created a small C
drive. This works well in theory,
Click to expand...


Not *my* theory. I don't think it's a great idea at all.

but theory goes out the window if you
install bloat like .NET,
Click to expand...



Bloat? The .net framework is tiny, and barely uses a few pennies worth
of disk space, even if you have all the versions installed.

and/or allow Windows Update to continue to update
your computer without slipstreaming and re-installing every year or so.
Click to expand...


The idea of reinstalling "every year or so" is nonsense.

With only a modicum of care, it should never be necessary to reinstall
Windows (XP or any other version). I've run Windows 3.0, 3.1, WFWG
3.11, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and now
Windows Vista, each for the period of time before the next version
came out, and each on two machines here. I never reinstalled any of
them, and I have never had anything more than an occasional minor
problem.

It's my belief that this mistaken notion stems from the technical
support people at many of the larger OEMs. Their solution to almost
any problem they don't quickly know the answer to is "reformat and
reinstall." That's the perfect solution for them. It gets you off the
phone quickly, it almost always works, and it doesn't require them to
do any real troubleshooting (a skill that most of them obviously don't
possess in any great degree).

But it leaves you with all the work and all the problems. You have to
restore all your data backups, you have to reinstall all your
programs, you have to reinstall all the Windows and application
updates,you have to locate and install all the needed drivers for your
system, you have to recustomize Windows and all your apps to work the
way you're comfortable with.

Besides all those things being time-consuming and troublesome, you may
have trouble with some of them: can you find all your application CDs?
Can you find all the needed installation codes? Do you have data
backups to restore? Do you even remember all the customizations and
tweaks you may have installed to make everything work the way you
like? Occasionally there are problems that are so difficult to solve
that Windows should be reinstalled cleanly. But they are few and far
between; reinstallation should not be a substitute for
troubleshooting; it should be a last resort, to be done only after all
other attempts at troubleshooting by a qualified person have failed.

Unlike the others here who have parroted the Microsoft line, I would suggest
that you clean out your C drive as much as possible and then defragment it.
You should first determine whether you use any programs that require .NET (I
avoid such programs like the plague).
Click to expand...


Why? There is zero disadvantage to using such programs. If such
programs do what's valuable to you, use them. If not, don't use them.
The technology they use is completely irrelevant.

If you do not, uninstall .NET.
Click to expand...


Nonsense. Even if you don't use it now, you may use it in the future,
and having it ready for later use if you should need it doesn't hurt
in the slightest.
 
If you want to keep up with computer technology - whether Microsoft's or
anyone else's - eventually it's going to cost something in the way of
upgrades. Of course, no one is forcing anyone to keep up with technology.
 
Ken Blake said:
The idea of reinstalling "every year or so" is nonsense.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. I had an argument with a "techie" (sic) support person at Acer
when my restore CDs failed after one re-install and he told me that "he
re-installed once a MONTH.......!!!!!!" (Some "techie"....)
 
Do >>NOT<< get rid of system32 (meaning C:\windows\system32). Many files
contained therein are required to run XP and/or installed applications.

That said, the number of DLL type files in system32 tends to increase with
time, if you install/uninstall many programs. Some of these file are not
needed, simply left-overs from past programs. But, unless you know which
are which, it is very dangerous to clean system32.

That said, there are some programs that can track down which are used and
which are not, and then remove the ones that are not used. Check out some
of the programs at:

http://www.windll.com/

http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Best/_dll-cleaner-xp.html

The $NtUninstall... files get generated every time you patch XP, about once
a month. But, some months have more poatches than others. Check the dates
and get rid of all but the last couple of months, in case yuo need on
uninstall the associated patches. As time passes, delete more of them.
Leave the $hf... file.

As others have said, use the built-in XP cleaner, and also get CCleaner
(free).

Move personal files off the PC, onto ZIP, CD, external USB, etc.

Run CHKDSK C: /F and reboot.

Then, run defrag.

As far as slowness goes, any PC that came with 8.3 Gig is probably a fairly
old machine, maybe Pentium II or III. While XP will run on such PCs, it may
not run well. But, CPU speed is not the really important thing for XP. RAM
seems to dominate its performance, at least if you do not have enough. If
the PC can handle it, install at least 256 Meg of RAM, and more is better up
to 512 Meg or even 1Gig (depends on the applications you run). But, before
installing RAM, check the PC manual (may be PDF or on-line) or the
motherboard manual (if home-built) to be sure that you do not exceed the
maximum amount of supported RAM. While XP can handle 4Gig of RAM, many
older PCs can not work with even 1/10 of that.

And, as others have said, disks are cheap, so maybe the solution to space is
to simply get more. Note that I said "get", not necessarily "buy". Find a
friend with a 20+ Gig disk, who is upgrading, and maybe your new disk is
free. But, if an old PC, try to stay under 32 Gig, or you may run into BIOS
limitations. Note that most 40 Gig disks and even some 80 Gig disks have
jumpers you can set to limit them to 32 Gig.
 
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