"Startup repair" failing - hard disk space issue?

[AnnaNYC]

I'm hoping this is a simple fix. I'm trying to fix my elderly uncle's Asus laptop. System Repair pops up and fails. I booted to command prompt and found out it may be hard disk space. 400+ GB Hard drive (only one drive) and there's only 1024kb Free. I'm thinking that could be the issue. Hardware was checked out at the computer store and is fine. But they were going to charge him $200 to fix this failure to boot up issue. I told him to let me try first.

Can I possible "compact" this drive from the command prompt screen?


Note: I have no other Win 7 systems, so can't create a disk, and I have no original disks.
Also, no restore point has ever been set, and there are no partitions on the drive.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Normally, I'd tell you to download a program or two to examine what's using the space or to clean up unnecessary files.

But with only 1024 kb of space, you probably can't install anything.

So--try this:

Start button, search box, type in "disk cleanup" and then poke the disk cleanup listing that shows up.

Let it clean up the drive and report back with how much space you then have.

You'll see an option in disc cleanup where it asks if you want to clean up system files as well. Say yes.

It should calculate how much space it will recover.

Let it run to completion. Might take a few minutes.

Then check your recycle bin to see if it's empty.

Report back with available space.

 

[AnnaNYC]

Normally, I'd tell you to download a program or two to examine what's using the space or to clean up unnecessary files.

But with only 1024 kb of space, you probably can't install anything.

So--try this:

Start button, search box, type in "disk cleanup" and then poke the disk cleanup listing that shows up.

Let it clean up the drive and report back with how much space you then have.

You'll see an option in disc cleanup where it asks if you want to clean up system files as well. Say yes.

It should calculate how much space it will recover.

Let it run to completion. Might take a few minutes.

Then check your recycle bin to see if it's empty.

Report back with available space.

Thank you. I'm sorry I wasn't more clear. I can't get into Windows at all. Startup repair starts automatically upon powering up. It fails and the only options I'm given are to restart or shut down. I can boot up to BIOS using the F8 button. But "Safe Mode" doesn't work (Startup Repair starts automatically and fails).

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Excuse me. I overlooked the fact that you can't boot at all.

Let me think a bit.

 

[AnnaNYC]

Excuse me. I overlooked the fact that you can't boot at all.

Let me think a bit.

Take your time. I appreciate it!

 

[ignatzatsonic]

How recent is this non-boot behavior?

Did it boot fine a week ago when he likely had very little free space?

Did it boot fine yesterday?

I'm just wondering if the lack of space is necessarily the cause. If low boot space can cause boot issues, I'd think the issues would show up before it got down to only 1024 kb free.

Provide as much detail as you can about recent history.

Anything new installed?

When did the PC last have, say, at least 1 GB free? Is that known?

Does he make any attempt at maintenance?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Two more questions:

How do you know there are no system restore points?

How (exactly) did you decide the free space is 1024 kb? What commands did you issue at the prompt?

 

[AnnaNYC]

Hold on. Trying to post screenshots for you. I was able to access the drive details from the command screen. As far as recent activity, I just spoke with him and yes, he was getting "low disk space" warnings for about two weeks before it would no longer boot up to Win7.

 

[AnnaNYC]

Here's the hard drive info (photo) I found via commands...

 

[AnnaNYC]

And no, he made no attempts at maintenance. I don't think he knows how. He writes emails, plays games and buys movies and downloads them. He said he has close to 100 movies and even more games downloaded. No wonder he's out of hard drive space!

 

[ignatzatsonic]

And no, he made no attempts at maintenance. I don't think he knows how. He writes emails, plays games and buys movies and downloads them. He said he has close to 100 movies and even more games downloaded. No wonder he's out of hard drive space!

Yeah, no wonder.

Which of his downloaded movies or games is he willing to sacrifice?

I'd delete something sizable that I could replace at little or no cost and see if the machine will then boot.

He may not even know where stuff he downloads is stored, but it's likely somewhere under his C:\users\his-user-name-whatever-it-is directory if he just uses defaults.

Does he acknowledge that his hard drive cannot store an infinite number of items?

Will he entertain the notion that he may have to either buy a new hard drive or start deleting stuff?

He could always get an external drive.

I assume he has no interest in backing up any of this and is willing to lose it all when his hard drive fails, as they all do---possibly not in his lifetime, given "elderly".

 

[ignatzatsonic]

vssadmin list shadowstorage

Enter the above command at a command prompt and post a screen shot of the output.

 

[AnnaNYC]

Exactly. He already told me I can delete any/all of the movies, and he understands he needs to do that from now on. I just don't know how to do that without getting into windows. I don't see how I can delete anythinb from the command prompt screen. As soon as I manage to get into Windows, I'll set up auto system restore points, etc. -- plus I'm giving him easy written instructions on how to delete things and empty the recycle bin.

 

[AnnaNYC]

vssadmin list shadowstorage

Enter the above command at a command prompt and post a screen shot of the output.

Great! Thank you. I'll try it.

 

[AnnaNYC]

States: "is not recognized as an internal or external command"
(The vssadmin... command) I'm trying the C drive / username command now

 

[AnnaNYC]

Hmmm - not working either. I'm researching a bit to find any other commands that may work to access files, or a command to compress the drive... something.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I'm trying the C drive / username command now

It's not a command.

It's a location on the C drive.

Do you know how to navigate at a command prompt?

 

[Layback Bear]

Two options if you can do them to get a little free space.
Window 7 likes at least 10% free space to work properly.
Disable Hibernation and reboot. Doing these tutorial might give Windows 7 a little working room.
Both by Brink.


http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/166102-shadow-copies-delete.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/819-hibernate-enable-disable.html

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Get to a command prompt.

enter this:

cd..

That's cd followed by two dots.

Hit the enter key.

Do it again and again until the prompt appears as

C:\

and nothing more.

Advise when you are sitting at C:\ for a prompt, not some sub directory.

 

[AnnaNYC]

No, I have no idea how to use commands to navigate the hard drive. I'll post when I'm at the C prompt. I need a little while on this end.