Need help from the computer experts, please

[ndelaware]

I have a 5 yo Vaio pc running XP with a 120G hd. Drive C: is 30G, D: is the remainder. While XP may call it two drives it is actually just one physical drive.


The first thing I did was move the "My Documents" folder to the D: drive. Due to pictures and music, this is the largest single folder on my computer. You can drag and drop it by using Windows Explorer.

Secondly, while I have never tried to copy "Windows" to my D: drive, every time you install a new program, Windows asks where you would like to put it. If you just change the drive letter from C: to D: Windows will create a "Programs File" folder on the D: drive and install the program there and enable you to use the larger part of your hard drive more efficiently.

 

[lynxstch]

I have a 5 yo Vaio pc running XP with a 120G hd. Drive C: is 30G, D: is the remainder. While XP may call it two drives it is actually just one physical drive.




The first thing I did was move the "My Documents" folder to the D: drive. Due to pictures and music, this is the largest single folder on my computer. You can drag and drop it by using Windows Explorer.

Secondly, while I have never tried to copy "Windows" to my D: drive, every time you install a new program, Windows asks where you would like to put it. If you just change the drive letter from C: to D: Windows will create a "Programs File" folder on the D: drive and install the program there and enable you to use the larger part of your hard drive more efficiently.

Have you ever formatted your vaio?...if so, do you remember if it gave you the option of NOT having 2 different drive names?..seems odd, if there's really only 1 large drive (though yours is a lot larger than ours..ours is only 80 G total), that it would have 2 drive letters?...I already dragged documents onto D yesterday...there really wasn't much in there, so it didn't make much of an impact of emptying C at all...and I tried shutting down system restore as someone else suggested..that made no difference at all!
I think my problem is that for the last 2 years..everything except for games still got put on the C drive..and even when I choose D to install them too..when I delete them...I always go to search and type in the game name..and ALWAYS find pieces of them on the C drive also!
Thanks for your time and advice also!..if you think of anything else, please post

 

[ndelaware]

Have you ever formatted your vaio?...if so, do you remember if it gave you the option of NOT having 2 different drive names?..seems odd, if there's really only 1 large drive (though yours is a lot larger than ours..ours is only 80 G total), that it would have 2 drive letters?...I already dragged documents onto D yesterday...there really wasn't much in there, so it didn't make much of an impact of emptying C at all...and I tried shutting down system restore as someone else suggested..that made no difference at all!
I think my problem is that for the last 2 years..everything except for games still got put on the C drive..and even when I choose D to install them too..when I delete them...I always go to search and type in the game name..and ALWAYS find pieces of them on the C drive also!
Thanks for your time and advice also!..if you think of anything else, please post

Yes I have formatted the hard drive. I do it every January, it really helps keep it running like new. It does not give me the option for only recognizing the hard drive under 1 drive letter. It does give me the option for deciding how large the C: drive will be but the only options are 10, 20, or 30GBs.

Usually Windows will try to maintain the "Temporary Files" folder on the C: drive. This can get quite large as it will hold temporary internet files, temporary program files, and various other temp files.

Try doing a "Disk Cleanup" on the C: drive and disposing all of the temp files and program installation files. And go through your C: drive in Windows Explorer and make sure you are moving items to the D: drive and not just copying them.

Don't be afraid to format your hard drive once you have backed up all your important files. It really makes the computer run so much better to get all the unnecessary crap off of there.

 

[themarquis]

And I know where to find him (?..I 'think' you are male..lol)..on the DIS..of course!...I won't hold you liable..at least not totally ,if something goes wrong..lol
as to your recommendations
a)...'somewhat' technically knowledged
b)back up plan IS to put everything back the original way and try again with either a new larger hard drive or wait till we have a new computer (but I have learned , that if I do it that way, I will try and put a lot more of the non necessary programs onto D
c)I already have everything backed up that I want to save..I probably make backups way more often that I need to..but who knows?..lol
d) I don't have this one..but hubby can access internet at work, or I can go to a neighbors house if necessary
NOW~~

your last suggestion is a good one..but I am a little wary of messing with the bios..but I may just try it if it won't screw anything up..just to see if it WILL give me that message and clear that problem up

Thanks again for all your time, help, and suggestions!..now I just need to work up the courage to actually do the process..lol


I still have all the original books and papers that came with the computer..would I by chance be able to find out what keystroke (I assume you mean like F1, F2, F3,etc?) it is to get into BIOS on a Sony Vaio?


thanks again to all of you!

Lol ... her, actually! I know, the nerdiness really screams "male", huh?

I suggested that last thing (trial bios change) because it's less risky than jumping right in. YOu just have to make sure you make a note of what you change and then change it back Most bioses (or all?) have some kind of reset selection in case things go terribly wrong.

But I do reccommend the trial bios change BEFORE starting. I think you have said that you format and reinstall the operating system pretty frequently, no? I hope so, because that would be the "if things go wrong" option.

I actually have another thought for you, along the lines of "doing things safely": this is a slight variation on the method I described before (and is a bit more safe) if you've backed up and you're ready to go, try the trial bios change, ensure that it's booting into (or trying and failing to boot into) that larger hard drive. If so, reboot with the windows disk in the drive and install windows. Follow instructions and ensure that it tells you that you're installing windows onto the 55 gb hard drive (or whatever it was). Let it wipe any partitions and data as it sees fit.

Now ... here is the interesting bit. You have not touched that small hard drive. It is exactly how it was before. At any time, you can reset the bios to boot from the smaller drive and boot right up to your old system. So basically, you can choose -- boot "old system" (windows on small hd) or "new system" (windows on large hd). You basically have two copies of windows on your computer. What is even easier is that you can download a program to give you a "boot menu" -- very simple. When you turn on the computer, boot menu pops up and says "boot hard drive 1?" "boot hard drive2?" and you just pick the one you want. You can keep both of them forever, or you can eventually erase the small drive and do whatever with it.

as to the bios, yeah, you may be able to find info on the stuff they gave you with your computer. Or, look at that screen that first flashes up ... says something like "award bios" or "ami bios" or something and maybe a version. The screen should also tell you the key to push to get into it (gotta be quick). If you want a manual, go online and enter the name and version of the bios and it will tell you all the different commands and whatnot. It should be pretty easy.

 

[lynxstch]

Lol ... her, actually! I know, the nerdiness really screams "male", huh?

I suggested that last thing (trial bios change) because it's less risky than jumping right in. YOu just have to make sure you make a note of what you change and then change it back Most bioses (or all?) have some kind of reset selection in case things go terribly wrong.

But I do reccommend the trial bios change BEFORE starting. I think you have said that you format and reinstall the operating system pretty frequently, no? I hope so, because that would be the "if things go wrong" option.

I actually have another thought for you, along the lines of "doing things safely": this is a slight variation on the method I described before (and is a bit more safe) if you've backed up and you're ready to go, try the trial bios change, ensure that it's booting into (or trying and failing to boot into) that larger hard drive. If so, reboot with the windows disk in the drive and install windows. Follow instructions and ensure that it tells you that you're installing windows onto the 55 gb hard drive (or whatever it was). Let it wipe any partitions and data as it sees fit.

Now ... here is the interesting bit. You have not touched that small hard drive. It is exactly how it was before. At any time, you can reset the bios to boot from the smaller drive and boot right up to your old system. So basically, you can choose -- boot "old system" (windows on small hd) or "new system" (windows on large hd). You basically have two copies of windows on your computer. What is even easier is that you can download a program to give you a "boot menu" -- very simple. When you turn on the computer, boot menu pops up and says "boot hard drive 1?" "boot hard drive2?" and you just pick the one you want. You can keep both of them forever, or you can eventually erase the small drive and do whatever with it.

as to the bios, yeah, you may be able to find info on the stuff they gave you with your computer. Or, look at that screen that first flashes up ... says something like "award bios" or "ami bios" or something and maybe a version. The screen should also tell you the key to push to get into it (gotta be quick). If you want a manual, go online and enter the name and version of the bios and it will tell you all the different commands and whatnot. It should be pretty easy.

I thought 'the marquis' sounds like royalty..and I thought they were always male..lol..

now..on to your post....Sony's don't have a 'windows XP' cd per se..it's just called the sony recovery disks..I think there's 3 or 4..but I have only ever had to use the first 2..it puts windows in as well as all their other crap..lol..I don't know which one of them actually puts windows in!!

next..would there really be any advantage to having windows on 'both' hard drives?..I am just thinking of what the other poster said who had a sony computer and formatted it and said that there was really only one big hard drive in there with C and D on it??..

and last..again..thank you for all the thought and effort you put into my problem..I now have quite a few suggestions and tips to try and follow..I knew the DIS would answer me better and faster than anyone else!

I may attempt it this weekend if the weather turns cold again..right now it's too nice out to sit indoors all day formatting a computer..lol

Thanks again
Lynxstch (I'm a 'her' too!)

 

[Imzadi]

The first thing I did was move the "My Documents" folder to the D: drive. Due to pictures and music, this is the largest single folder on my computer. You can drag and drop it by using Windows Explorer.

Secondly, while I have never tried to copy "Windows" to my D: drive, every time you install a new program, Windows asks where you would like to put it. If you just change the drive letter from C: to D: Windows will create a "Programs File" folder on the D: drive and install the program there and enable you to use the larger part of your hard drive more efficiently.

This actually doesn't work too well. I had the same problem with an old computer. The OP has the same nightmare I know quite well.

Some programs, even if you tell it to install to the D drive, have to automatically install/configure some components (like drivers) to the C drive to work with Windows. Those components become part of the Windows operating system, so to speak, they can't be shunted to a different drive. This is why no matter how many times the OP uninstalled anything and moved them all to her D drive, she doesn't have any room on her C drive.

After that PC, I had bought a new laptop, thinking I had bought enough GBs to not go through that problem again , and as soon as I booted up for the first time and installed a few of my basic programs, between Windows, the automatic back up partiton & the programs, it took up half of my whole hard drive. I hadn't even loaded a single document or picture on.

When I get a Windows 7 laptop, that baby is going to have enough GBs that outer space will seem small in comparison.


OP, to get into the bios on a Win XP, you have to press F10 (or F8) repeatedly as you boot up.

 

[lynxstch]

This actually doesn't work too well. I had the same problem with an old computer. The OP has the same nightmare I know quite well.

Some programs, even if you tell it to install to the D drive, have to automatically install/configure some components (like drivers) to the C drive to work with Windows. Those components become part of the Windows operating system, so to speak, they can't be shunted to a different drive. This is why no matter how many times the OP uninstalled anything and moved them all to her D drive, she doesn't have any room on her C drive.

After that PC, I had bought a new laptop, thinking I had bought enough GBs to not go through that problem again , and as soon as I booted up for the first time and installed a few of my basic programs, between Windows, the automatic back up partiton & the programs, it took up half of my whole hard drive. I hadn't even loaded a single document or picture on.

When I get a Windows 7 laptop, that baby is going to have enough GBs that outer space will seem small in comparison.


OP, to get into the bios on a Win XP, you have to press F10 (or F8) repeatedly as you boot up.

Thanks for understanding exactly what I am going though..it seems no matter what I put on D..part of it ends up on C somehow..I have managed to keep the drive fairly steady for the last day and a half..haven't had the 'you are running out of space on C'..and I am careful to dump temp internet files, cookies, clear cache, etc...hopefully can buy myself till the weekend!

and THANKS for the bios tip for XP..I appreciate your time!

 

[manning]

If you feel you need 'restore' you can reduce its size on the drive. It comes with a default size but can be adjusted.

 

[Imzadi]

I have managed to keep the drive fairly steady for the last day and a half..haven't had the 'you are running out of space on C'..and I am careful to dump temp internet files, cookies, clear cache, etc...hopefully can buy myself till the weekend!

Yes, I'm afraid of seeing that old familar message on my laptop now. I actually do have 6 GBs free on my current laptop. That may seem like a luxury, but having gone through this situation before, I don't want to get close to filling up my HD again, and several hundred MB here and there add up.

My system is already slow and I'm still using I.E. 6. I haven't upgraded to I.E. 8 as a I don't know how many MB or GB it would take. I want to install FireFox instead for their magnifying feature as my eyes get worse, but again that would eat up up many MBs. Plus, some webpages or programs only work with I.E. which means I'd have to have both installed. I have Windows Media Player 10 instead of the 11 and an old version of Adobe PDF Reader, for the same reasons - the newer versions with all the latest bells & whistles take too many extra MBs, and I'm getting along fine with the basic stuff.

I have to install a new program for work. (Which is why I'm saving the extra GBs - for those non-negotiable must have programs.) The program itself takes a whole 1GB of HD. Plus it needs the charts to be updated daily. I keep debating on whether to install it to a flashdrive or external HD, or whether having the different components on different drives will make it run so S-L-O-W-L-Y that it will drive me nuts. But, taking a whole GB for one program sucks.

In order to run my antivirus now, I have to boot into Safe Mode to shut down all extraneous systems, as it runs my fan too hard and my laptop shuts down in the middle of a scan so as not to overheat. The antivirus takes 1.5 hours to run. And that is before this new 1 GB program install.

Believe me, lynxstch, I feel for you!

 

[manning]

Do you have a child in college? If so, you may be able to get a new laptop for a very good price. I know they do it for programs.

 

[ndelaware]

This actually doesn't work too well. I had the same problem with an old computer. The OP has the same nightmare I know quite well.

Some programs, even if you tell it to install to the D drive, have to automatically install/configure some components (like drivers) to the C drive to work with Windows. Those components become part of the Windows operating system, so to speak, they can't be shunted to a different drive. This is why no matter how many times the OP uninstalled anything and moved them all to her D drive, she doesn't have any room on her C drive.

After that PC, I had bought a new laptop, thinking I had bought enough GBs to not go through that problem again , and as soon as I booted up for the first time and installed a few of my basic programs, between Windows, the automatic back up partiton & the programs, it took up half of my whole hard drive. I hadn't even loaded a single document or picture on.

When I get a Windows 7 laptop, that baby is going to have enough GBs that outer space will seem small in comparison.


OP, to get into the bios on a Win XP, you have to press F10 (orF8) repeatedly as you boot up.

Actually it works quite well as long as you install the programs on the D: drive initially. I would never try moving a program once it was installed on the C: drive. And driver files are really quite small. I did a full install of Microsoft Encarta, which is a pretty hefty program, on my D: drive and it didn't show a blip on the C: drive. The same for when I installed Photoshop.

As I said earlier, I format my PC every year so this is not something I have tried one time, crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. It makes a significant difference. I went through what the OP is going through when I first got this computer and filled the C: drive in less that six months. Currently I have about half (15GB)of my C: drive filled yet I have over 80GB on my D: drive. More than half of that 80GB is programs and program data.