Solved disk full???

[Dramx]

What I want to do at the end of the day is simply have a machine with a disk that is not on the edge of usability. I wanted to clone the system before I realized that the system is somehow corrupt. Exactly right that I need to fix that first, before I do that clone!

System is HP Pavillion a4327.

Windows update is certainly enabled. I have no problem killing that off, but at some point I would like to enable updates, and I have to clean off the disk anyway.

As I said, I inherited this machine from someone who was a novice, but didn't hesitate to try things. So I inherited all the problems along with it.

 

[torchwood]

COOL

please run the tool i asked.
from that i will be able to provide a genuine W7 SP1 link and the correct version, home/pro/etc.
you can either burn it to a disc or transfer it to a USB, min 4gb

Transfer any private data to an external device and reinstall after your new system is set-up
once i have the info i will get you links to show you how to clean install
IMPORTANT can you read the key on the COA sticker

PLEASE NOTE
NO EXTERNAL DEVICES ARE TO BE CONNECTED while installing

 

[Dramx]

I have run the MGADiag tool. It provides a lot of diagnostics. Which are you interested in? See below for the Win page. [DELETED]

I have already moved all user data to the backup drive.

There is Windows Home Premium sticker on side of the the chassis. It gives Product Key: [DELETED]. THat's somewhat different than what is on the MDADiag tool

 

[torchwood]

Delete that key now

 

[Dramx]

Delete that key now

Done.

 

[torchwood]

Hi Dramx,

link for W7 SP1 X64 English
https://software-download.microsoft.com/sg/Win7_HomePrem_SP1_English_COEM_x64.iso?t=23784c5e-7798-4c03-af4f-62c9fea0c779&e=1509991368&h=07b782f5725b17ae240c925421cdb752

ONLY VALID FOR 24 HRS

if you are going to install via usb you will need this tool
Windows USB/DVD Download Tool - Microsoft Store
download the Iso run the tool import the Iso

Note
change your BIOS to load from either dvd or usb FIRST, your choice REBOOT to update
(please check its NOT set up as UEFI, different tutorial required)
clean install tutorial
Clean Install Windows 7 - Windows 7 Help Forums
there is NO bloatware on this download

Roy

 

[torchwood]

follow up

DO NOT CLONE make an>>> image <<<< most here use Macrium free


Roy

 

[Dramx]

Now, I only have 2.6GB available on my hard disk. Am I going to be able to download that 3.1GB install media? Help!

 

[torchwood]

Hi Dramx,

OK
you can download the Iso link to another drive with space on it, backup G has plenty of room according to your disc managemnt screenshot
not sure which browser your using but with firefox you can send it where ever you want
then pull it into the usb from there or burn it to create a disc

or
remove programs and run the MS disk cleanup tool


Roy

 

[Dramx]

Oh, excellent point about saving it to my backup disk. That's easy. From there, I'll burn it to a DVD, and then boot from that DVD.

 

[Dramx]

OK, I have the installation DVD disk made, and I think I set the BIOS with Boot Priority #1 as "CD-ROM". (I saw nothing about UEFI). I boot, and I end up with the usual login screen. I log in, and everything is the same. Never saw a "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD" message. Although I heard the DVD spin up, it evidently didn't boot from it. What am I doing wrong???

Let me understand. I just copied the "7 SP1 X64 English" file I downloaded to the DVD, and I'm trying to boot from it.

 

[torchwood]

Hi DRamx,

after changing boot order - (insert disc) REBOOT.

please read the instructions from the usb/dvd link

Roy

 

[Dramx]

OK, sigh. What I did was to put the ISO file on a DVD and tried to boot from that. Obviously (in retrospect) that doesn't work. You need to use the USB/DVD Download Tool to create the bootable DVD or USB! So I was asking it to boot on a DVD that it couldn't boot from. As a result, it just automatically switched to booting from Drive C.

I've got Win7 reinstalling now. Thank you! Of course, now I have to reassemble my accounts, programs, and user files, the latter of which I have backed up on my external drive.

 

[Dramx]

Well, c**p. After doing the new installation (custom, everything written over, etc.), chose account names, etc., but before downloading ANY non-Win7 programs, I look at the disk space, and drive C reads "12.0GB free of 287GB". It's still full of junk! This is utterly bizarre. Was I supposed to have purged that C disk before doing the new installation??? I thought EVERYTHING was going to be erased.

 

[Ranger4]

Might be time to junk that HDD & replace it with an SSD. Then reinstall Windows & you will very surprised how much faster the computer runs.

 

[Dramx]

Agreed. It's evidently a hardware problem, and not a software problem. Many thanks for bearing with me on this.

 

[Dramx]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. It turns out that after reinstalling Win7, a HUGE amount of disk space was being taken up by old Windows versions. I tossed those, and I'm now looking at my C drive with "236 GB free of 287 GB."

Success!!!

Thanks again, Roy, for your assistance and patience. Big thumbs up here.

 

[Ranger4]

Just as a matter of interest did you reformat the HDD & do a Full Reinstall or did you just do a Repair Install. It seems strange that if you did a full reinstall which usually involves a reformat this did not happen.

Reformatting the HDD would have completely cleaned any info from the HDD.

 

[Dramx]

Well, the point is, as I said, all that junk is now gone. I did indeed to a full install, not just an "upgrade". What was fooling me into thinking that the junk was still there was the large oldWindows folders.