Windows 7: Insufficient memory or disk space with 700GB unused in 2 500GB HDs

I received the "Insufficient memory or disk space" message on my laptop after the OS (C:) Hard Drive reached capacity. I had to remove programs and I have been unable to load anything new due to this situation. There are over 700GB of unused memory between 2 hard drives listed as follows:

Model: Asus Notebook N73SV
OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2630QM CPU @ 2.00GHz
Memory: 8GB SODIMM

Hard Drives
1. ST9500420AS 465.78GB w/ 3 Partitions
2. ST9500420AS 465.76GB w/ 2 Partitions

Logical Disks (1-4 Local Fixed Disk)
1. C: OS NTFS 197.55GB w/ 8.85GB Free
2. D: Data NTFS 243.21GB unused
3. E: SDATA1 NTFS 232.88GB unused
4. F: SDATA2 NTFS 232.87GB unused

I know the answer is basically in this and other forums and I assure you that I researched setting up partitions and this error message with multiple confusing results. I am fairly capable with a computer, but I do not wish to loose any data nor crash the system by doing the incorrect process in order to use all of my usable memory. Please assist me if possible or direct me to where I may find the correct process. I know that Asus tech support wasn't the right way to find the answer. I appreciate your help.
If this thread is in the wrong category please let me know and I will move it immediately.

Post a full picture of your Disk Management. Then we'll see what can be done about that.

Btwe: "Memory" is RAM. Here we are talking about disk space.

Here is my Disk Management screen shot. I was told by Asus to partition the drives again and that I would loose my data by doing so and I also read that I should just move data to the other drives and leave the partitions alone. I appreciate the help.

How did you get 2 hard drives in a laptop. also is there any data on partition 1, disc 1?

Acording to your snip D:, E: and F: have nothing on them? Why partition your drive(s) and then not use the space? If you want free up some space you could do this,
User Profile - Change Default Location or this
User Folders - Change Default Location

Quite a few high end laptops will support 2 hard drives.

You have quasi no more space on Disk0. Follow the previous suggestion and move your user files to Disk1 - all that space is unused now. Then you will have plenty of space on C.

As was pointed out by WHS, the message says that you have "run out of room on C". Your screenshot shows only 8GB free in your 200GB C-partition. So 190GB or so is in use. That's an awful lot of data on your C-drive (in \Users, like documents, pictures, videos, backups, "system image", etc.) given that Windows 7 itself along with even lots and lots of your installed 3rd-party programs shouldn't be anywhere near close to using 190GB of space.

Since each of your other three partitions D, E and F are currently showing 100% unused, why not use them for what you obviously intended them to be used for... namely holding "data" (not programs). Just MOVE the "data" off of C and into specific named folders on the other three partitions, and you will thus free up the original space on C formerly used by that data now located elsewhere. And you can use either of the partitions on your second physical drive as the target folders for "system image", which is a very good idea.

Note that you don't need to use Windows-like names (e.g. "My Pictures") for any data folders you create anywhere. Just name the parent high-level folders whatever makes good sense for holding that type of data. It will be far simpler in the future when you go to browse or use that data, if the parent folder names shown in Windows Explorer are intuitive.

I'm sure that's what you had in mind when you partitioned your two drives as you did. But surely your C-drive couldn't really be 192GB of Windows + programs, could it? There's got to be at least 140GB of data, I'm sure, that should be moved to either D, E or F since you've been blessed with that option.

Having "data" on non-C drives also means it's "immune" to consideration when/if you ever have to reinstall Windows from scratch. Makes it much easier to bite the bullet and do it, should it become necessary.


One more note... it sounds like you're just getting started with this fresh install. You should probably configure the amount of space allowed for Windows to take "restore points" down from its initial default. This item if left unaltered can really waste lots of disk space (especially on C) that really is an"unproductive" use of that capacity.

I myself have set an 8% of my C-partition as the limit for what Windows can use for "restore points" before it begins to delete the oldest ones to make room for newer ones. But my C-partition is fairly small. Since you have a 200GB C-partition you'd probably want to allow no more than say 6% (in my own opinion, but others may feel differently).

Thanks dsperber, WHS and all so much for the info. It seems I need to learn a lot more about Windows and this site looks to be the place to do it. I have not done anything to this laptop since I received it as a birthday gift and so it is as it came from Asus apart from adding Firefox and Kaspersky Pure.

I have not done any partitions or re-installations at all. I have simply uploaded my pictures, videos, docs, etc. and incorrectly assumed the hard drives would each fill as needed . I will follow your advice and move the data and also configure the restore point percentage.

If you have any other suggestions or could point me to the forum areas/pages best suited to getting this laptop in shape I'd be grateful.

As others have said with all the space on the other drives, you could make one of the partiitions for Music, one for Pictures, and the D:/ for all your user data. That way C:/ is for OS and Programs. Hope this helps and Welcome to SevenForums, the best place on the web.