W7 prep - Vista reinstall - missing 10GB

[Wallyburd]

Hi all,

My Vista over the last 1-2 years has been performing badly, I mean *really* badly. Think my HD was a bit messed up. Anyway, in prep for W7 install, I decided to get a new (blank) internal HD. I installed Vista Ultimate onto a 50GB partition (it took a lot of time and effort since I only have the Vista upgrade disc, so had to install trial version first, then the full version over it).

It took 3 days of installation and the joy of experiencing 113 updates, but alas all is well and, shockingly, Vista is performing grandly on my new HD (I am relishing boot up of less than 7 minutes!).

Anywho, I noticed that of my original 50GB partition, it says I only have 18GB free (i.e., 32GB used). However, the entire Windows folder only has 22GB in it. So what is taking up the other 10GB? Where did it go? I cant find it anywhere or account for it. I of course already deleted "Windows.old" which had the Vista Trial version on it.

Before my W7 install, I want to account for all of my drive space. Does anyone have thoughts what or where that 10GB is?

P.S. as of now everything is total stock install, no 3rd party apps etc.

Thanks in advance!

 

[whs]

See my post in this thread. It may give you an idea where the 10 gigs went.
Any Software to Analyze Hard Disk Capacity? - Vista Forums

 

[Wallyburd]

Hmm, ok that helps a lot. It says I have used 5.952GB shadow storage space, with 7.32GB max.

That accounts for about 60% of my "missing" 10GB and I guess I am OK with that. I just thought maybe there was a hidden folder or something I can delete.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Jordus]

Did you install Vista and then SP1 or SP2? If so...

If you are on SP1

1. Open an elevated Command Window,
2. Type:
   
   vsp1cln
   
3. Type Y to start the clean up process.

If you are on SP2

1. Click Start>All Programs>Accessories>Command Prompt or click Start>Run and type cmd to open Command Prompt
2. Execute the command “Compcln.exe”. The path is “c:\Windows\System32\compcln.exe”.
3. Users will be prompted a question whether to keep Vista SP2 permanently in the system
4. Once users type “Y” and press enter, the system will start performing the windows components clean.

​

 

[whs]

vsp1cln is a good cleaning action and deltes the SP1 uninstaller as well as some temporary files. And whilst your in cmd, you can also use the powercfg.exe -h off command. That will delete the hibernation file which is useless - unless you use hibernation.

 

[Wallyburd]

Jordus, whs, thanks much! for the tips.

I didnt use cmd prompt, but somehow I found the hibernation file and deleted that (it was about 3GB!).

After my (re)install of Vista onto the new (blank) HD, I allowed it to do all the updates (I think it was about 110 of them, took almost 12 hours!) so I must have sp2. The only updates now avail are for the language packs and the ultimate extras garbage which I dont want/need. I will try the SP2 clean method after work.

I have another question, this may not be the correct thread but here goes...on my new 500GB HD, there is 465GB "usable." I made a 50GB partition for the Vista reinstall, and currently about 30GB are used (19GB free). When I get my W7 "upgrade" disc I hope to do a "custom" (aka, clean) W7 intall to replace Vista. From what I understand, Vista will then be moved to the "windows.old" folder.

I would like to do the clean W7 install onto the same 50GB partition, but I am not sure if there will be enough space if windows.old is kept on that partition as well. I dont think I can install W7 onto a new partition since it is the upgrade disc.

Any suggestions/thoughts? (maybe to 50GB partition can be "extended", W7 installed, windows.old deleted, and the partition then shrunk again?) :sarc:

 

[Jordus]

If you have an external HDD that is big enough to hold your current Vista install, you could do a Complete PC Backup (builtin tool of vista) which creates a VHD of your system. Then once you install 7 you could mount that VHD and pull data off.

Or you could use Easy Transfer Wizard to migrate data.

I am not positive if you can install to a seperate partition during the upgrade sequence or not, as I never do upgrade installations.

 

[Wallyburd]

Well all of my data/files etc. are backed up, so, a total "wipe" of the Vista reinstall is quite ok. After I get W7 installed (hopefully a "clean install") I will then move my files/data back from the backup.

It's just the last 3 years with Vista have been such a nightmare, I dont want any remnants left over to much up the new W7 (I heard W7 is mostly Vista architecture, but nonetheless, I want Vista banished from my system!).

I think I have to just wait and see if I can do the clean install onto the same partition, and if not, if the install disc will let me extend the 50GB partition, and if not, then figure something else out.

As for install from upgrade disc onto a blank drive or partition, with Vista it was only possible by installing trial Vista onto the blank HD, then from within the trial version installing full Vista (again using the same upgrade disc). I haven been able to tell if this circuitous route will be possible with W7 upgrade disc. In any event, it took a loooooooooong time (over 2 days) to accomplish with Vista, but it worked.

 

[sup3rsprt]

then from within the trial version installing full Vista (again using the same upgrade disc). I haven been able to tell if this circuitous route will be possible with W7 upgrade disc.

It probably won't work.

 

[Wallyburd]

Yeah I sensed as much.

 

[whs]

Backup your own files and remove them. Uninstall a maximum of programs. Then remove the shadowstorage. That should get Vista down to less than 20GBs. Check it with WinDirStat ( WinDirStat - Windows Directory Statistics ) before you do the Win7 installation.

 

[Wallyburd]

hmm...i have tried running compcln from cmd prompt and it says that this is not a recognized internal or external command, operable program or batch file

i was using an elevated "administrator" cmd prompt; i also followed the path into my windows32 folder and that compcln.exe file isnt there as far as i can see