Used space on hard drive

[brian2957]

Hi Guys , looking for some advice again . I re-installed windows XP into my laptop the other day because of problems . I began re-installing my music files after this and the total size of 'my music ' file is 28GB . However when I check the usage in the hard drive it shows up as 74GB of disc space used and I cannot find where the other 46GB of usage is . Can anyone provide me with information on where to find this and how to remove unwanted / unnused files .
Please excuse my ignorance . I was going to take the laptop to a computer shop but thought I would ask here first.
Thanks'
Brian.

[Reid Malenfant]

You using XP? Not sure if other windoze systems employ it but look for "Dr Watson" & delete the bugger

[brian2957]

Aye using XP Mark . Can you please tell me what this is and where I might look for it .
Thanks
Brian.

[Welder]

Briefly, find computer management, through control panel>system and go to disc management.
You should be able to see how your drive is partitioned there.
If it shows Windows and some Unallocated Space or another drive then you'll need to erase the contents of the “other” partition and extend your new Windows partition to make use of the bit you've just cleaned.
It sounds like you didn't re-format your drive before you re-installed windows.

AND DON'T KEEP YOUR MUSIC ON THE SAME DRIVE AS YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM!

It's just asking to lose all your music files. Buy an external drive, two in fact, one for backup and just keep the bare bones operating system on the computer.
Then go to my thread on moving from Windows to Linux and follow the instruction for partition management.

Just remember, if you stuff up with the partitioner you can just reinstall windows and format the complete drive.

[brian2957]

Briefly, find computer management, through control panel>system and go to disc management.
You should be able to see how your drive is partitioned there.
If it shows Windows and some Unallocated Space or another drive then you'll need to erase the contents of the “other” partition and extend your new Windows partition to make use of the bit you've just cleaned.
It sounds like you didn't re-format your drive before you re-installed windows.

AND DON'T KEEP YOUR MUSIC ON THE SAME DRIVE AS YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM!

It's just asking to lose all your music files. Buy an external drive, two in fact, one for backup and just keep the bare bones operating system on the computer.
Then go to my thread on moving from Windows to Linux and follow the instruction for partition management.

Just remember, if you stuff up with the partitioner you can just reinstall windows and format the complete drive.

The computer numpty in me is really taking over now John . I can get as far as control panel-system but don't know how to get into disc management .
I sometimes wonder where I would be if I had listened at school John.

[Welder]

Probably easier to start from scratch Brian and re-install Windows.
BUT, this time when you get the option to format the drive before installation do that; format and then install.

[brian2957]

Thanks John I will give that a go in the morning
Brian.

[Reid Malenfant]

You using XP? Not sure if other windoze systems employ it but look for "Dr Watson" & delete the bugger

Probably easier to start from scratch Brian and re-install Windows.
BUT, this time when you get the option to format the drive before installation do that; format and then install.

It might be the easiest option as John says I have a non standard Windoze defragmentation program (much better than the standard one) & can look for all sorts of things Dr Watson appears to be a standard Windoze program that once it detects an error such as no internet writes a sh*t load of stuff onto your HDD. I have enabled my PC to disconnect the internet & a few times once I rebooted when I accidentally forgot to enable the connection the Dr Watson program has written over 1Gb of data to the HDD It's all bo**ox to...

[howlindawg]

When you've completed your Windows install, installed the drivers and loaded your software and data grab yourself a copy of CCleaner (it's free).

Use it occasionally and it'll blow away the unwanted files that accumulate as well as un-needed files left over after instalations and deletions.

[Alex_UK]

Thanks John I will give that a go in the morning
Brian.

But not before making sure you have backup copies of everything you will want to keep - on another drive or burned to discs, of course... Not wishing to "state the bleedin' obvious" but reformatting is going to wipe everything you had on that computer back to a bare-bones Windows install - you are probably going to have to reinstall drivers for your wireless connection, for instance - so not something to undertake lightly, especially if this is your main or only computer, and you are not confident. Sorry - not meaning to be negative but just want to make sure you are aware of where you are headed with a fresh install.