some XP newbie questions

  • Thread starter Thread starter Euc1id
  • Start date Start date
E

Euc1id

1. I just did my first complete system scan on a new XP Home computer with
Norton Anti-Virus. I've been putting it off because I expected it to take a
long time. It did - 42 min 10 sec - 191,259 files scanned. Why so many
files? Is that normal? My Windows 98se computer only has about 25,000 files.

2. Hard drive memory isn't recovered immediately if I delete files. For
example I cleaned up the hard drive by deleting a lot of junk files
yesterday, and here's what hard drive properties has reported as free RAM
subsequently:
10.21 GB free at 15:15pm Aug 26th
11.42 GB free at 21:29pm Aug 26th
13.38 GB free at 07:32am Aug 27th
13.14 GB free at 09:27am Aug 27th
Resetting the computer seems to have no effect on this. Is this delay
normal? What is causing it? Can the free RAM be recovered immediately rather
than delayed? How?

3. I'd like to keep a few selected system recovery points and delete the
others. For example I will probably keep the first one, right after windows
was installed clean. Then perhaps 6 more at various intervals. Is it
possible to set up my own customized automatic system recovery scheme to
suit my preferences? If not, how can I manually delete individual recovery
points? Presumably deleting recovery points will free up a lot of files and
RAM. Is there a delay before that free RAM appears, and how long is the
delay?

Thanks,
 
Your running under a misconception...
RAM is the memory installed in your computer, it has nothing to do with
hard drive space.
Deleting files from your computer, then also emptying the recycle bin
should free up more drive space, but will have no impact on RAM what so
ever.
The only way to increase RAM is to install more.
 
OK, I stand corrected. Thanks. Just a slip of my tongue, or my brain, I
guess. I know the difference between RAM and hard drive memory!

Do you have any answers to my questions?
 
I have never seen a problem where the drive space was not
freed up immediately. Are you using any software that could be
creating large temporary files? Like image editing
or CD/DVD copy or writing?
 
1. I just did my first complete system scan on a new XP Home computer with
Norton Anti-Virus. I've been putting it off because I expected it to take a
long time. It did - 42 min 10 sec - 191,259 files scanned. Why so many
files? Is that normal? My Windows 98se computer only has about 25,000 files.

2. Hard drive memory isn't recovered immediately if I delete files. For
example I cleaned up the hard drive by deleting a lot of junk files
yesterday, and here's what hard drive properties has reported as free RAM
subsequently:
10.21 GB free at 15:15pm Aug 26th
11.42 GB free at 21:29pm Aug 26th
13.38 GB free at 07:32am Aug 27th
13.14 GB free at 09:27am Aug 27th
Click to expand...

RAM and hard drive space have nothing to do with one another.

If you are deleting files and not emptying the recycle bin, the space
will not be restored (the files are still on your computer).
Resetting the computer seems to have no effect on this. Is this delay
normal? What is causing it? Can the free RAM be recovered immediately rather
than delayed? How?

3. I'd like to keep a few selected system recovery points and delete the
others. For example I will probably keep the first one, right after windows
was installed clean. Then perhaps 6 more at various intervals. Is it
possible to set up my own customized automatic system recovery scheme to
suit my preferences? If not, how can I manually delete individual recovery
points?
Click to expand...

You cannot manually delete recovery points. If you did/could, you would
break the chain that the recovery points are based on. It is also a
very bad idea to save recovery points for a very long time (i.e., the
first one right after windows was installed) for the same reason. The
system tracks dynamic changes to your system over time and the further
back in time you go to restore, the more problems you will have.
 
I use a chess program "Shredder 7" from Chessbase (Germany) as my primary
application:
http://www.chessbase.com/
It assigns RAM for its chess analysis calculations called "hash tables".
That is a user-selectable variable. For example I can decided to allow 32MB
for its dedicated hash tables (or whatever). Then presumably it frees it up
afterwards, but perhaps there's a problem in that regard, leaving some
virtual memory in limbo(?). However it works fine on my Windows 98se
computer, and reportedly it works OK with Windows XP too. But it definitely
has some problems with XP, creating a lot of unnecessary hard drive
activity. So I guess that's the source of the problem.

I note that I have several large database related files called "tablebases".
There are 290 of them, and some are up to 2GB in size. The above software
accesses them occasionally, just reads them (they're only reference data).
 
2. Hard drive memory isn't recovered immediately if I delete files. For
example I cleaned up the hard drive by deleting a lot of junk files
yesterday, and here's what hard drive properties has reported as free RAM
subsequently:
10.21 GB free at 15:15pm Aug 26th
11.42 GB free at 21:29pm Aug 26th
13.38 GB free at 07:32am Aug 27th
13.14 GB free at 09:27am Aug 27th
Click to expand...

RAM and hard drive space have nothing to do with one another.

If you are deleting files and not emptying the recycle bin, the space
will not be restored (the files are still on your computer).

Yes, of course I emptied the Recycle Bin. But the free hard drive space does
not appear.
E
 
Euc1id said:
RAM and hard drive space have nothing to do with one another.

If you are deleting files and not emptying the recycle bin, the space
will not be restored (the files are still on your computer).

Yes, of course I emptied the Recycle Bin. But the free hard drive
space does not appear.
E
Click to expand...
Try defragmenting your hard drive: To open Disk Defragmenter, click Start,
point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then
click Disk Defragmenter.
 
Euc1id said:
1. I just did my first complete system scan on a new XP Home computer with
Norton Anti-Virus. I've been putting it off because I expected it to take a
long time. It did - 42 min 10 sec - 191,259 files scanned. Why so many
files? Is that normal? My Windows 98se computer only has about 25,000 files.
Click to expand...
#1 only for me. these are about right for time and file count. Wait until
you get 325,000 (: I do this while, say, fixing and eating supper. I have
a visual on the monitor, the computer does its "thing", I do my "other
thing", and both usually end at about the same time. Just takes a little
planning.

Malv
 
Do a disk cleanup followed by a defrag.
Euc1id said:
RAM and hard drive space have nothing to do with one another.

If you are deleting files and not emptying the recycle bin, the space
will not be restored (the files are still on your computer).

Yes, of course I emptied the Recycle Bin. But the free hard drive space does
not appear.
E
Click to expand...
 
OldKenGoat said:
Try defragmenting your hard drive: To open Disk Defragmenter, click Start,
point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then
click Disk Defragmenter.
Click to expand...

I've already tried that. Defrag has no effect. Nor does computer resets.
After deleting files then emptying the Recycle Bin, that "freed-up" hard
drive space does not appear in hard drive properties for several hours (at
least), perhaps not until the next day.
 
Do a disk cleanup followed by a defrag.

I've already tried that. It has no effect, nor does computer resets. After
deleting files then emptying the Recycle Bin, the associated "freed-up" hard
drive space does not show up in my hard drive's Properties for several
hours, as least, perhaps not until the next day.
 
1. I just did my first complete system scan on a new XP Home computer with
Norton Anti-Virus. I've been putting it off because I expected it to take a
long time. It did - 42 min 10 sec - 191,259 files scanned. Why so many
files? Is that normal? My Windows 98se computer only has about 25,000 files.

2. Hard drive memory isn't recovered immediately if I delete files. For
example I cleaned up the hard drive by deleting a lot of junk files
yesterday, and here's what hard drive properties has reported as free RAM
subsequently:
10.21 GB free at 15:15pm Aug 26th
11.42 GB free at 21:29pm Aug 26th
13.38 GB free at 07:32am Aug 27th
13.14 GB free at 09:27am Aug 27th
Resetting the computer seems to have no effect on this. Is this delay
normal? What is causing it? Can the free RAM be recovered immediately rather
than delayed? How?

3. I'd like to keep a few selected system recovery points and delete the
others. For example I will probably keep the first one, right after windows
was installed clean. Then perhaps 6 more at various intervals. Is it
possible to set up my own customized automatic system recovery scheme to
suit my preferences? If not, how can I manually delete individual recovery
points? Presumably deleting recovery points will free up a lot of files and
RAM. Is there a delay before that free RAM appears, and how long is the
delay?

Thanks,
Click to expand...

2) In addition to system files, some file types (and only in some folders)
are monitored by System Restore. When monitored files are changed or
deleted, copies are made and stored by this utility. When System Restore
hits its upper allotted limit, old restore points are removed to make room
for the new.

System Restore points are stored in a hidden folder named System Volume
Information. You can empty the whole thing by disabling System Restore,
restarting and enabling it again. You can use "More Options" in the Disk
Cleanup tool to remove all but the most recent restore point. Since System
Restore works best as a long term recovery tool, these are reasonable
choices.

You can change the amount of disk space allowed for System Restore in
System Properties. The default is 12% of the total drive with 200MB being
the minimum amount. 12% can be an excessive amount with today's larger hard
drives. On a relatively straightforward setup, 500MB can easily store 5 or
more restore points. A more complicated setup would store a lesser number
of restore points in the same amount of space.

An example : I have 3 hard drives divided into several partitions. I have
System Restore monitoring the drive that holds Windows only and have it
reduced to 500MB. I usually have a month's worth of restore points to
choose from and rarely roll back less than a day or two. Drive Image is
used monthly to make a complete system image. Backup of data is used in
between imaging to protect against loss of personal files.

Somehow, I started out trying to explain one of the reasons why you are
seeing fluctuations in your disk space but ended up talking about backup
instead. Oh well, too much typing to erase it now! Hope you found some of
this useful...
 
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