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Windows is too large



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 26th 04, 07:09 AM
Jose
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Windows is too large

I have a HP computer. Recently I undertook the
destructive partition based recovery program deleting all
files and then re-installing windows XP. After having
done this in order to remove viruses, worms and free up
space on my hard drive, I was shocked to find only 3 GB
left on my hard drive. I have a 20 GB hard drive of which
5.5 GB is saved for the XP recovery CD's on the computer.
This should leave me with approximately 14 GB remaining
(14.6 GB to be exact). I have searched my hard drive to
see what is using so much space with a program
called 'DISKdata'. I was surprised to find that the
WINDOWS folder uses up 6.5 GB and the document and
settings folder uses up 4 GB. Is Windows meant to be this
is big or has something gone wrong? Here are some folders
inside the WINDOWS folder that are taking up a lot of
space:

C:\WINDOWS\$NtServicePackUninstall$ - 295,164 KB
C:\WINDOWS\$xpsp1hfm$ - 33,376 KB
C:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB821557$ - 8,224 KB
C:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB828741$ - 6,992 KB
C:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB835732$ - 5,776 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 - 4,354,888 KB

Larger files inside SYSTEM32:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config - 3,719,144 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\dllcacher - 110,772 KB

Larger files inside config:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile - 3,693,428 KB

Larger files inside systemprofile:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS -
1,607,900 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Program Files -
1,163,224 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\I386 - 470,372 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\hp - 410,344 KB

Larger files in WINDOWS, Program Files, I386 and hp

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32
\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 - 763,524 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\I 386 -
432,588 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\H ELP -
139,140 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\D river
Cache - 79,904 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\I NF -
48,348 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Program
Files\Pinnacle - 527,392 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Program
Files\ArcSoft - 223,492 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Program
Files\Sonic - 113,980 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Program
Files\MSPress - 55,996 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\I386\LANG -
102,504 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\I386\DRIV ER.CAB -
74,904 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\I386\WIN9 XMIG -
33,612 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\hp\driver s -
257,980 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\hp\bin - 146,848
KB

Larger files in SYSTEM32:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\S YSTEM32
\dllcache - 312,960 KB

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\S YSTEM32
\config\ - 2,100 KB

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\S YSTEM32
\config\systemprofile - 596 KB

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\S YSTEM32
\config\systemprofile\NTUSER.DAT - 256 KB

Here are the large files in my documents and settings
folder:

C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\WINDOWS -
1,607,900 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Program Files -
1,163,224 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\I386 - 470,372 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\hp - 410,344 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 -
763,524 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\WINDOWS\I386 -
432,588 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\WINDOWS\HELP -
139,140 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\I386\LANG -
102,504 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\I386\DRIVER.CAB -
74,904 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\I386\WIN9MIG -
33,612 KB

I know windows can't be this big and looks as if there
are two copies of windows files, one inside the other.

Could someone please help me figure out how to free up
space on my hard drive? I only have around 1 GB worth of
programs and around 2 GB of personal files so could
someone please help?


Ads
  #2  
Old September 26th 04, 10:55 AM
Strip
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Windows is too large

Jose wrote:
I have a HP computer. Recently I undertook the
destructive partition based recovery program deleting all
files and then re-installing windows XP. After having
done this in order to remove viruses, worms and free up
space on my hard drive, I was shocked to find only 3 GB
left on my hard drive. I have a 20 GB hard drive of which
5.5 GB is saved for the XP recovery CD's on the computer.
This should leave me with approximately 14 GB remaining
(14.6 GB to be exact). I have searched my hard drive to
see what is using so much space with a program
called 'DISKdata'. I was surprised to find that the
WINDOWS folder uses up 6.5 GB and the document and
settings folder uses up 4 GB. Is Windows meant to be this
is big or has something gone wrong? Here are some folders
inside the WINDOWS folder that are taking up a lot of
space:

C:\WINDOWS\$NtServicePackUninstall$ - 295,164 KB
C:\WINDOWS\$xpsp1hfm$ - 33,376 KB
C:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB821557$ - 8,224 KB
C:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB828741$ - 6,992 KB
C:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB835732$ - 5,776 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 - 4,354,888 KB

Larger files inside SYSTEM32:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config - 3,719,144 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\dllcacher - 110,772 KB

Larger files inside config:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile - 3,693,428 KB

Larger files inside systemprofile:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS -
1,607,900 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Program Files -
1,163,224 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\I386 - 470,372 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\hp - 410,344 KB

Larger files in WINDOWS, Program Files, I386 and hp

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32
\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 - 763,524 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\I 386 -
432,588 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\H ELP -
139,140 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\D river
Cache - 79,904 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\I NF -
48,348 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Program
Files\Pinnacle - 527,392 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Program
Files\ArcSoft - 223,492 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Program
Files\Sonic - 113,980 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Program
Files\MSPress - 55,996 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\I386\LANG -
102,504 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\I386\DRIV ER.CAB -
74,904 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\I386\WIN9 XMIG -
33,612 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\hp\driver s -
257,980 KB
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\hp\bin - 146,848
KB

Larger files in SYSTEM32:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\S YSTEM32
\dllcache - 312,960 KB

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\S YSTEM32
\config\ - 2,100 KB

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\S YSTEM32
\config\systemprofile - 596 KB

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\WINDOWS\S YSTEM32
\config\systemprofile\NTUSER.DAT - 256 KB

Here are the large files in my documents and settings
folder:

C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\WINDOWS -
1,607,900 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Program Files -
1,163,224 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\I386 - 470,372 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\hp - 410,344 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 -
763,524 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\WINDOWS\I386 -
432,588 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\WINDOWS\HELP -
139,140 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\I386\LANG -
102,504 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\I386\DRIVER.CAB -
74,904 KB
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\I386\WIN9MIG -
33,612 KB

I know windows can't be this big and looks as if there
are two copies of windows files, one inside the other.

Could someone please help me figure out how to free up
space on my hard drive? I only have around 1 GB worth of
programs and around 2 GB of personal files so could
someone please help?


[GUIDE]: Making your windows folder smaller!
By: Neowin.net

Why would I want to do this?

There are many reasons for making your windows folder smaller, first it
saves space and removes windows features you will probably never use
that are just slowing down your computer.

What can you delete?

That is what this article is about, I will explain everything I know is
safe to delete, and what happens if you do!

Everything I explain in this article has been done on my main system and
my other systems for at least 3 months now, my systems have been
perfectly stable, and I don’t think I have got a fatal error or BSOD yet
this year!

Will this really improve the speed of my system?

I don’t have any results to prove it, but I think it does improve boot
time a little, and after a clean install, it does seem to make the
system slightly faster after deleting these things.

Disclaimer: In no way is neowin.net responsible for what you do to your
system, this is ONLY for advanced users who know a little about windows
and computers and can reinstall/repair a windows installation if
necessary. This has worked for me wonderfully and hopefully will for you to!

Final notes: This has been tested on Windows XP Pro Final and SP1 (Not
home, but it should work fine) Windows 2003 Enterprise Server 3700, RTM,
and The Free Evaluation version (Any 2k3 version should work fine), and
Windows 2000 Pro. If the following folders are not on your 2k/2k3 system
it means they are only in XP and you don’t need to worry about them.

If for some reason you can not delete a folder, just delete the files
inside, I tried to make not of the folders that cant be deleted, but
depending on your system and if you use FAT32 or NTFS it may be different.

All of the paths listed in there are C:\Windows and C:\Program Files, if
your folders have different names (Like C:\WINNT on windows 2k) then you
should use that path instead.

Well, lets get started deleting, these start out ordered from largest to
smallest, but after the first few files they are all fairly small, and
are just in a random order.

1. c:\windows\system32\dllcache\

NOTE: DON’T DELETE THIS FOLDER, JUST ALL THE FILES INSIDE! This folder
uses a LOT of hard drive space, it holds a backup of every system file
that windows uses. Deleting this will cause a SFC error when you replace
a system file instead of windows putting back the original file. For
people who want to mod there system, this is a good thing.

2. c:\windows\servicepackfiles\i386\

NOTE: DON’T DELETE THIS FOLDER, JUST ALL THE FILES INSIDE! This folder
only exists if you installed a service pack on XP, if you did a
slipstream it won’t be here either. This folder is the same as the
dllcache, but has the new files that were updated by a service pack. If
you delete the dllcache, deleting this is just like finishing the job.

3. c:\windows\$Uninstall----$

These $uninstall----$ folders are used whenever you want to uninstall a
windows update. If you delete them, you can not uninstall the update(s),
but if the updates are working fine for you, there should be now reason
to remove them.

4. c:\windows\cursors\

This folder contains some custom cursers for windows, if you are happy
with the default cursers, or use your own set like Blue Curve, then
deleting this wont effect you at all.

5. c:\windows\driver cache\i386\

NOTE: DON’T DELETE THIS FOLDER, JUST ALL THE FILES INSIDE! This is one
you may not want to delete, this takes up a bit of space (about 80mb)
but windows uses if you ever add or remove windows components and things
like printer drivers. If you’re your hardware is already working fine,
you don’t need this folder on your hard drive. For example, if you
delete this folder, and try to install IIS, windows will ask for the CD
or Network share with the files on it, if you don’t need to add or
remove windows components often, deleting this will free up some space
for you.

6. c:\windows\help\

NOTE: DON’T DELETE THIS FOLDER, JUST ALL THE FILES IN SIDE! This folder
contains all of the windows help files. If you are like me, and think
they having 50mb of help files is a waste, then you probably want to
delete it. If you delete this folder and try to view a help file, the
Help and Support center will come up with a 404 error. No harm is done,
you just can’t view the help files (because you deleted them…). There is
also a tours folder inside of the help folder, you can delete everything
in this folder also, but windows won’t let you remove the actual folder.

7. c:\windows\inf\

NOTE: DON’T DELETE THIS FOLDER, JUST ALL THE FILES INSIDE! This folder
contains a lot of windows drivers, if you ever add new hardware, windows
looks in this folder, then on your CD drive for the latest drivers. Any
hardware you might get will probably come with the drivers on a disk, so
this folder is just a wasting space on your hard drive with outdated
drivers. If all of your hardware is working fine, and you don’t plan on
adding any new hardware for a while, deleting this wont effect your
system at all. If you don’t want to delete everything in it, you can go
into the folder, press CRTL+F and search for mdm*.* and delete
everything that comes up. These are all modem drivers, and it is very
unlikely you will ever need them because you either have a modem
installed already, or if you do add one, it will come with newer drivers.

8. c:\windows\srchasst

This folder is the XP Search assistant, if you delete it, windows will
just use the classic 2k style search instead, which is more functional
and easier to use.

WARNING: Some people have reported problems with this, and have not been
able to search, try this at your own risk!!!

9. c:\windows\downloaded installations\

This folder holds the installers for some programs you download and
install, for example, Tweak UI puts its installer in this folder, and so
you can repair it or update its components later. Deleting this folder
won’t harm any programs I have ever seen, but you should look inside
this and see what you are deleting first.

10. c:\windows\media\

These are the default windows sounds, if you don’t want them, deleting
them wont hurt anything.

11. c:\windows\system32\restore\

This is the system restore apps, if you delete this, system restore will
no longer work. Before you delete this, you should go into System
Restore, and delete all your restore points, and then you should go to
the system properties and disable system restore. After that, you can
delete this folder, and not worry about system restore slowing down your
system or sucking up space.

12. c:\windows\system32\usmt\

This folder is the File and Settings Transfer wizard. If you have no
need for it, then deleting this wont have any other effects besides the
File and Settings Transfer wizard not working anymore.

13 A. c:\program files\msn
13 B. c:\program files\netmeeting\

These are the MSN Explorer and Net Meeting applications. If you don’t
need or use them, then you can delete these folders (For net meeting,
you can only delete the files inside) and the only thing it will effect
is that these programs will know longer work.

14. C:\windows\system32\oobe

NOTE: DON’T DELETE THIS FOLDER, JUST ALL THE FILES INSIDE! In this
folder is the Out of Box Experience (The screens you see right after you
have installed XP for the first time), and the XP Product Activation
stuff. If you have a Retail or OEM version of XP, and you think you
might ever need to activate again, DON’T DELETE THIS. So unless you are
using XP or 2k3 CORP, you may still need this folder someday.

15. c:\windows\msagent

This folder holds the MS Agent program. The MS Agent is a gay little
wizard thing that looks like the Office Assistant, I personally hate
this thing, and removing it will get rid of it for good! If windows wont
let you remove the folder, just delete everything inside of it, and
everything inside of the intl folder.

16. c:\windows\java

This is the crappy MS Java components that don’t work well, and MS got
sued over. If you have Windows XP slipstreamed with SP1a you wont have
this because MS no longer distributes it. If you use websites that use
Java Applets, you should keep this, or remove it and install Suns Java VM.

17. c:\windows\mui

This is a little app that allows you to switch between multiple
languages, if you only use one language, then deleting this wont effect
you at all. NOTE: I think this folder only exists on XP Pro because Home
Edition doesn’t support multiple languages.

Post Deletion:

After you have deleted everything you want to, I recommend you run the
Regisrty Cleaner from jvPowerTools ( http://www.vtoy.fi/jv16 ). This
will remove all the references to things you deleted so a window doesn’t
look for the files any more. If you delete the Java Folder, RegCleaner
will find at least 50 reg entries related to it, and can remove them for
you if you want.

What else can I do to make the windows folder smaller?

If you want to make your windows folder even smaller, and you use NTFS,
you can use NTFS compression to make the windows folder smaller.
Although you can compress everything it, compressing EXEs and DLL files
will make you system a little bit slower, so I recommend compressing
everything BUT EXE and DLL files.

Using this guide, you should easily be able to make your windows folder
less then 1gb, but because some programs add there own files to the
windows dir, your results may differ from what other people have gotten
there folder sizes to. After a clean install, it is fairly easy to get
your windows folder less then 700mb so you can put a image file of your
clean install on one CD and be able to restore it easily.

That is all for now, if you have your own, feel free to post them below
and if my system still works well after deleting them, I will add them
to this guide!
 




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