Windows question, where did it all go?

[another view]

Thanks guys - I am running Norton Anti-Virus (although my annual subscription lapsed about 2 weeks ago hmm...) and did a Spybot search last week.

I'll try that with "properties" and see what happens.

[Michael Fanelli]

Thanks guys - I am running Norton Anti-Virus (although my annual subscription lapsed about 2 weeks ago hmm...) and did a Spybot search last week.

I'll try that with "properties" and see what happens.

Did you figure this out?

[dmm96452]

Did you figure this out?

Curious about that as well.

[greghalliday]

Checking the hidden files is probably the first thing to do. My desktop has 4GB of RAM. If you have your computer set to enable hibernation, then that "hibernation file" is allocated 4GB of space. Also if windows is managing your pagefile it will usually set 1.5x the amount of RAM you have. Thus 6GB for the pagefile. 10GB right there that are completely invisible unless you check the show hidden files box.

Hope that helps,
Greg

P.S. I did once have a problem with a LARGE file delete. I had saved 2 DVD movies on an external drive. They took up about 8GB. When I deleted them, the file system somehow corrupted and it didn't give me back the 8GB even though the files were gone and I had to reformat the partition to regain the space.

[danag42]

First off, search for all files such as *.tmp and delete them. Searrch the whole drive.

You can't really defrag a drive unless it has 15% free space.

Also periodically get rid of all the files in the Temporary Internet files folder, if you use IE, or set Mozilla to clean out all cookies and trash when you close the application. You'd be supreised how much junk you can accumulate just using the Internet.

[another view]

Sorry for the suspense... I figured it out. It was in the hidden files, there was a lot of temporary stuff built up that I didn't notice before. I think the main one was one (or a few) Photoshop files but not sure what they were and why they were so big. I didn't really take the time to figure it out - I found them and zapped them.

Thanks!

[Harry Hing]

Sorry for the suspense... I figured it out. It was in the hidden files, there was a lot of temporary stuff built up that I didn't notice before. I think the main one was one (or a few) Photoshop files but not sure what they were and why they were so big. I didn't really take the time to figure it out - I found them and zapped them.

Thanks!

Download something called tracks Eraser. Besides the obvioius, it does a remarkable job on tempory files. you can always run the windows disk clean up wizard, if you have a few hours to spare

[Harry Hing]

Thanks guys - I am running Norton Anti-Virus (although my annual subscription lapsed about 2 weeks ago hmm...) and did a Spybot search last week.

I'll try that with "properties" and see what happens.

If you go to the download portion of my website, you will find some links to some free software that will help you out here www.nottspcservices.co.uk