windows 7 size on ssd

[baccini]

Hi all Ive just took delivery of a custom built pc with a 90gig ssd drive as the boot drive and it seems like windows has took up almost half 40 gig plus, now i know it should be around 25gig so how do i find out what taking up all that space.I ran clean up system files that came back with very little any help please

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Check the size of your page file.

Check how much space is devoted to System Restore.

Turn off hibernation if you do not use hibernation.

Download WinDirStat, a program that should show you where the space is going.

 

[baccini]

Thanks ive just got hold of WinDirStat run it tomorrow,strange because i clean installed windows 7 to my old pc's ssd drive and it took up less than 20gig

 

[gregrocker]

Did you install it yourself? If so if there was another OS on the HD and you didn't boot the installer then it might have archived the entire old OS in a windows.old folder you can delete.

If not then you should know what you installed so far? What is that?

 

[edwar]

If all you have on that SSD is the OS then whoever built it dod something wrong, or loaded a bunch of junk on it, or included some type of recovery. But even then clean install should take up less then 20GBs. I have 7 installed on a 120GB SSD partitioned into 2 partitions, 46 for OS the rest for programs and some files, and have a ton of programs installed and only using 27GBs of that 46GB partition. I do have most of the programs installed to the D: drive but even then every program loads something on the C: (System) partition.

 

[baccini]

this is a ready build with nothing but windows 7 and panda antivirus on the ssd

 

[baccini]

hi ive Turned off hibernation which used 11.9 gig windirstat states tha page file sys is using 15.9 gig which is windows managed how do i reduce this to something smaller i have 16gig ram

 

[ignatzatsonic]

control panel/system/advanced system settings/performance settings/advanced/virtual memory/change

Try setting it to a custom size of 1024 MB minimum and 2048 MB maximum.

 

[baccini]

Ok thanks that done the trick its now 22gig with all my programs on great cheers

 

[gregrocker]

I'd move your data to a secondary HD and use the System managed paging file for best performance, as well as the modern Power functions including Hibernate which allows you to walk away from your work for days without having to worry about saving it.

The best methods for linking data is simply including it in the related Library or actually moving the active User folders: Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums
User Folders - Change Default Location

If you move User folders then Win7 backup imaging may want to include the data HD in the image since they're viewed as System files. An alternative is to use free Macrium - Image your system. Linking them to Library avoids this, however some files will go into the User folders on SSD.

 

[flinchn]

....use the System managed paging file for best performance, as well as the modern Power functions including Hibernate....

Wait, you are saying to blow 32gig of primary SSD space on these two Windows functions for a 16GB Ram system, for example, at the expense of have your programs and data sit on a slower HDD = optimal performance?

 

[edwar]

I'd move your data to a secondary HD and use the System managed paging file for best performance, as well as the modern Power functions including Hibernate which allows you to walk away from your work for days without having to worry about saving it.

Greg while I agree with most of your posts this one I must take note with.

IMHO there is no reason to have a System managed pagfile, especially when it will use 16GBs of SSD space, on a system that has 16GBs of RAM installed. That is just a waist of SSD space. And if the system ever needs to use all of those 16GBs of pagefile space you need more RAM or you should shut down some programs.
As for Hibernate that too is just a waist. If you are going to walk away from your computer for days, Save your work and Shut It Down.

Two things I do when first setting up a computer. Adjust the page/swap file size and turn off the hibernate feature.

As for the rest of your post about the Library features in 7 I find MS moving more towards the Apple Mac system where everything is by default Installed, Saved you name it to the User area of the drive. Yes I'm old school and even though I own a Macbook Pro I can't stand Apple and the way they want to try and make me use a computer.

 

[gregrocker]

If the optimal way to run Win7 was to shut down the page file and hiberfile then the OS would be set that way. It isn't. It is set so that crucial performance and modern convenience features are available to use.

Granted that having more physical memory is always best, but having an SSD adequate to use the System's paging file and enable Hibernation if desired is also optimal.

I also suspect the bias against the Hibernate feature which is perfected in Win7 is leftover XP oldthink and if/when it is being reinforced here then I wish to air another view, that's all.

You are welcome to agree or disagree with me any time - this is how we learn and develop best practices.

 

[edwar]

No where did I say to shut down the pagefile.
Just because MS sets it that way by default does not mean it has to stay that way. That is why there is a GUI option to change it.

You do what you like and I will do the same. I was just pointing out that there is a reason for that option to change it. One size does not fit all.

 

[whs]

I always set my pagefile to 2GB and get rid of the hiberfile. Works very well for me.

I rarely disagree with my friend Greg, but I fail to see the necessity of a hiberfile and a large pagefile on a system with very, very few hard page faults. Yes I will not get a full system dump in case of a BSOD without a full pagefile. But first I never had a BSOD on any of my 6 systems (all running on small SSDs) in the last 5 years and second I would not bother to even look at it. I just pull in 'yesterday's' image.

 

[gregrocker]

Most of the experts here would probably run their Systems as you say, unless they are enamored of Hibernate as I am, however what we're advising is being used by the average consumer who has no way to gauge if performance problems ensue as a result of trimming the page file from what Win7 wants it to be.

Likewise so many end consumers here are being advised to turn off their Hiberate file before even sampling the modern Power options that I'd only like to offer a different testimonial from a satisfied consumer.

Pardon me, Edwar, I realize now you didn't say to turn off the Paging file, just trim it back from what Win7 wants. Is this known to be far too much? I've never seen that.

 

[DavidE]

why i like sleep and hibernate.

I use hybrid sleep and it works very well for me.
On my primary, I re-boot for patch Tuesday and maybe 1-2 times more per month.
I keep all my normal apps open all the time.
The PC wakes up in ~5 seconds with all apps running using a spinner HD.
If power goes out while it's sleeping, hibernate kicks in and nothing is lost.
If a storm pops up i can put the PC to sleep, turn off the power, and pull the power cord.

I do re-boot my test box much more, but that's where i test new programs, configurations, etc.
The test box also uses hybrid sleep and often sleeps for days at a time...
It's just nice for me to wake it up and see what i was working on before.

 

[gregrocker]

I like to walk away and leave my work without having to even think twice about whether I saved it and turned off the computer.

With Hybrid Sleep set at 30 minutes it writes the desktop to RAM and HD so that it resumes instantly using mouse or Enter key. An hour later Hibernate is set to save my open work from desktop to HD and shut down the computer. Whenever I come back it starts up much faster with everything in place just like I left it - whether 3 hours or 3 months later.

To me this is useful automation and a valued feature which has been perfected flawlessly in Win7. So when users are given the blanket old school advice to turn off Hibernate I like to say my piece. I'm amazed at the blowback I can get.