System (C:) is almost totally full - how to free memory?

[uli87]

My windows 7 64 bit is installed on my C: drive. I have one 250GB hard disk that I partitioned into C: and D:. I was told that C: should only contain about 30-40GB so i set it to 37GB. for some reason C: has gotten so full recently i only have 500MB free on it and it shows up in red. I checked the actual files on the drive and my user folder has 12GB of space on it, but when i check each folder individually I can only find afew hundred MB - 1-2 GB... I have no clue where all that memory is being stored!

anyone have a clue of how to free up that memory?

 

[centaur78]

First off all its not memory.... its harddisk space !!!

use WinDirStat to see which files are the largest....

Install and run it.... wait for it to finish and then post a snapshot here..

 

[Britton30]

Welcome to SF uli87.
When you install program you are likely installing to C:\ which takes the space. You probably have lots of temporary files as well.
Try this http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/818-disk-cleanup-open-use.html#post5564 and see how much space you gain.
Windirstat is helpful too as centaur78 said to point to big files.

 

[karlsnooks]

Uli87,
Welcome to SevenForums.

You may find this program better at showing you what is using how much space were:
You want Tree Size Free:JAM Software - Windows Freeware

I've used both programs and prefer the simpler approach of tree size free.

 

[karlsnooks]

Uli,
With that out of the way, then let's first get you a little working room.

Win 7 has a program built-in which will help you:
CLEANMGR.EXE

We have a tutorial also explaining some of the more advanced features thereof:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/818-disk-cleanup-open-use.html

My favorite "cleaner" is CCleaner. this is probably the most popular free program.

Link for CCleaner is in my signature.

After the cleaning, then please post the following:
HOW TO POST A SNAPSHOT OF DISK MANAGEMENT DISPLAY
Run disk management:
WIN | type DISKMGMT.MSC | ENTER
This method gives you a display without the unneeded navigation pane.
WIN=key with Microsoft logo on top.

Maximize the output of Disk Management:
Maximize the output of Disk Management:
ALT-Spacebar key combo | X key (selects Maximize) |
Drag the field separators (such as between Status and Capacity) to show entire field.


Make a snapshot:
WIN | type SNIPPING | ENTER | New
Drag the cursor around the area you want to snip.
File | Save as | select save location and name | Save


Post the snapshot:
Post a File or Screenshot in Seven Forums

------------------------------------------------
====================================

thanks,
karl

 

[uli87]

Wow - very helpful forum

Thanks for all the replies. One thing I did to try to cleanup was check the recycle bin. it had some big files in there so I already cleared like 3GB! haha

Before using cleanup tools I decided to download TreeSize Free and checked my User folder:
95% of the storage is located in a folder that I don't see when I open the User folder normally called AppData.

AppData contains two subfolders Roaming and Local. Roaming folder shows me Apple Computer, mobile sync, backup... So I figured iTunes is taking up a whole lot of space. I will uninstall and reinstall in D:

Local shows me a bunch of folders with the majority of the space in Microsoft and Google folder - don't think ill touch these they are only 4GB.

another question I have is how much free space in C: do i need for windows to operate normally without any lagging?

 

[karlsnooks]

what you need to do is:
1. Run CCleaner
2. run CLEANMGR.EXE ( a win 7 program)
3. post the snip of disk managment display.

1 and 2 will make you more space.
with 3, some of your questions can be answered and you can be correclty advised.

I've got many things to do. If you do not desire to follow directions, then so inform me and I'll be gone.

 

[x BlueRobot]

When you installing new programs or saving files, remember to change the file path, whereby the program is going to be installed or file is being saved.

Hope this helps,

Harry

 

[karlsnooks]

Harry,
I'll be offering a much cleaner approach after he complies.

 

[uli87]

Karl, i'll do as you say as soon as I can, thanks.

 

[uli87]

Here is the snapshot of disk management:

 

[karlsnooks]

That looks promising.

Now did you run CCleaner?

Did you run Cleanmgr.exe?

Don't go charging off yet. some work remains to be done.

Do NOT install programs anywhere except on C:

do not install programs, yet.

I need those answers and I need to show you what still needs to be done.

 

[uli87]

This pic was taken after using CCleaner and Cleanmgr.exe

 

[karlsnooks]

Excellent.

Now you have:
a Documents folder,
a Pictures folder
a Music folder
a videos folder

Where are those folders presently located?
That is, for each one of those, I would like to know if the folder is on C or on D.

 

[uli87]

Computer > system c > users has all those folders, but I don't keep anything there (atleast when im saving things manually). I'm saving all my files to D: so i dont cramp up C:

 

[karlsnooks]

Uli,

On you D drive, create following folders:
Documents
Pictures,
Music,
Videos

After creating the folders,
Move everything from
C:\users\Uli\Documents to D:\Documents
c:\users\Uli\Pictures to D:\Pictures
c:\users\uli\Music to D:\Music
C\users\uli\Videos to D:\Videos

You have LIBRARIES.

A LIBRARY is NOT a folder.

A Library simply holds pointers to where the "books" really are.

Your next step after all of the moving is to tell the LIBRARIES where the "books" are really located.

WIN + E this opened Windows Explorer

On the left hand side, do you see a "Navigation Pane"?
Here's what mine looks like:


You will notice, under Libraries, Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos

Our objective is to tell each of these libraries to look on the D drive
For example,
Right-click on Documents
Choose Properties
You will see something similar to:


With the "Include a Folder" button, you would add D:\Documents
After adding, then
Highlight the entry for D:\Documents
Click on the Set Save Location button.
You will notice that I've also removed the normal entries.
the removal is not necessary if you have emptied the contents.

Remember,husk, to click on the OK button.

 

[karlsnooks]

Oh yes, substitute your actual User Name where I put Uli.

In case you are wondering the answer to a precious question was C:

 

[uli87]

Done. Thanks for your time..!

How much space should be left vacant on C: for windows to run optimally? (If I run out of space on D

 

[karlsnooks]

I recommend that leave your C partition the size that it is.

You really should consider:
1. moving some of your files from D to an external drive. You will probably find that you are not accessing more than 10% with any kind of regularity
OR
2. Getting a bigger drive.

I have a much larger drive than I need, but that's what came with the laptop.

Here is a pic of my disk management:

 

[Britton30]

If I may jump back in. A fully updated w7 installation will be about 15-18GB, add to that all of your installed programs. As Karl stated the C:\ partition is fine, but a bigger drive should be in your future.