rob237 89 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Permit me to seek some computer help and, yet again, expose my total lack of knowledge. Until recently my C: free, showing on Norton System Doctor, was consisently showing around 38K MB. Within the last few weeks, for no apparent reason, this has slowly dwindled down to 21K MB today. I have downloaded nothing of any size, and have done all the usual Disk Doctor/Win Doctor/Speed Disk/Defrag' exercises...but to no avail. The scene seems to be set for sliding down to 0MB! Any offered advice/info' would be gratefully received - kindly convey it in terms that the 'ultimate PC idiot' can understand. Thanks... Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Sorry Rob I have never used that Norton system doctor thing Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank 13 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Hi Rob Go to 'Start' My Computer And then hover your mouse over the disc drives shown. Does this 'FREE' figure compare with what Norton is telling you? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted October 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Yes Frank...to within 300MB. 19.8K - 20.2K Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank 13 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Norton reserves quite a lot of the hard drive to make 'back ups' - an ongoing thing just in case something happens. It could be that the 'reserved' hard drive space has been upgraded by Norton. NORTON - I wouldn't have it on any of my machines even if you gave it me for free. http://uk.ask.com/web?q=norton++problems&a...1627709&c=1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted October 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Appreciate what you say about Norton, but my concern is that having been 38K for about 4 years it continues to dwindle daily. Not all at once, as it surely would be with a Norton imposed change, but a continuing slide towards oblivion! Could it mean that my actual physical hard drive is on it's last legs?...mixed metaphor, sorry... Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 I stopped using Norton years back, it causes too many conflicts. I used to like using it to hack into protected software to pirate it, thats about the only good thing about Norton, other than that like I say, it caused so many conflicts it peed me off bigtime. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BAZZER 10 Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 I stopped using Norton years back, it causes too many conflicts.I used to like using it to hack into protected software to pirate it, thats about the only good thing about Norton, other than that like I say, it caused so many conflicts it peed me off bigtime. I'm with AyUp, I've never known a supposed 'helpful' program or device to cause so much headache or heartache and actual trouble & damage. Especially a company of the size & reputation of Norton, who seem totally oblivious to the outcomes - yes, they do sometimes offer a standardised 'cover-all' suggestion, which might help one person out of a hundred. I was one of the lucky ones that got a full refund after it let a virus through. I use AVG, ZoneAlarm, S.A.Spyware, (All FREE ) and they all catch some viruses that the others let through - including Norton. When I can get 'trial' versions, I like Nod32. As far as the blurb goes (which is echoed by many users) it's the only system so far that has trapped everything going (please don't ask me to prove it !). Baz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Frank 13 Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 Hi Rob Download 'Clean up' here http://www.stevengould.org/index.php?Itemi...t&task=view it's quite safe, and I use it all the time. When you have downloaded it, don't click on the 'Demo' option - it takes some time and doesn't really do anything. I'll wager a bet you will have a much improved hard drive after. It certainly sounds like it's your browsing history that is causing the hard drive to fill up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted October 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 Thanks Frank...will download, and report back with the result. Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zab 47 Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 I've used Trend Internet Security for years and I've not had a problem in years. One little tip that might be of use to people on here, especially if you bank on-line, quite a few banks now offer free software - sometimes for up to a year. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted October 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2008 Frank, Ive run the Steven Gould 'clean up' a couple of times... Seems similar to my Windows 'clean up', as I've only retrieved around 75MB...my mysterious daily loss continues. Nevertheless, seems to be a straightforward device, which I have retained for future use Thanks Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted November 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2008 Frank, You'll recall that my problem was a gradual disappearance of MB... Having progressively dwindled down to 18K MB it has, over the last week, slowly climbed back to 23K MB! Confirmation, as if it were needed, that PC's are female in nature - you never know what they are going to do next... Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
teebee 8 Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 Is it possible thet System Restore is grabbing too much space on your hard drive? Can I suggest that you visit this link for a more detailed explanation, and a possible cure http://www.computeractive.co.uk/computerac...hard-disk-space Would be interested to know if it solves the problem Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted November 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 Many thanks...will do...and I'll report back. Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted November 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 teebee, Below is the gist of the instructions on the site... Having revealed the box, after clicking properties, I see no reference to System Restore, or a lead on to the slider! The properties box headings being: General,Tools,Hardware,Norton,Sharing & Quota...can't find 'System Restore' from any of them.. Cheers Robt P. "...To change the System Restore settings in Windows XP, left-click on the Start Button and then right-click on the My Computer icon. Select Properties from the menu that appears to see the status of System Restore on the computer. Left-click on the (C:) icon and then on the Setting button for more information. The slider can be used to adjust the amount of hard disk space used for the System Restore files..." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
teebee 8 Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 Puzzled by that, Rob I also use Windows XP, fully up to date with latest service packs and updates. Have followed the process as you indicate (first two sentences) and it comes up with a dialogue box containing tabs for: "System Restore, Auto Updates, Remote, General, Computer Name, Hardware, Advanced" Somewhat different to your tabs When I click on System Restore tab it shows that 12% has been allocated, and the article indicates that this is the maximum needed - and could be reduced.There is, in fact also an option to turn off System restore, though this is presumably risky. P.S. Just tried another shortcut, though don't think it will make a difference to you. Right Clicking the My Computer icon on the desktop takes you to a dialoge box from which you can also select properties as above Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted November 20, 2008 Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 Hi....I am assuming that you have tried this but as no-one has mentioned it i thought i would........To get space back on 'c' drive ( i do this about every month )...open 'my computer ' ...right click on the 'c' drive and click properties....when you see the pie chart, next to that is disk cleanup..click on that..when its done its little scan...at the top there is a tap called 'more options...click that....and click the bottom one....system restore....itll wipe em all off except the last good one.....then click yes and let it do the cleanup........gets loadsa space back on the 'c' drive....... ....Hope this is helpful Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob237 89 Posted November 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 Great...that has got me from 23K up to 36K in no time...many thanks to you all for your advices! Cheers Robt P. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
teebee 8 Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 click the bottom one....system restore....itll wipe em all off except the last good one.....then click yes and let it do the cleanup........gets loadsa space back on the 'c' drive...........Hope this is helpful Am thinking this is a very risky procedure, as the last restore point may not be a safe one. Sometimes necessary to go back a long way to find such a point, as I recently found. Just checked my system and there are 28 restore points recorded, going back to beginning of September. I believe that Windows XP creates a restore point at regular intervals, including when updates are received, and you can also create one manually if you decide to make any change that might affect the system e.g installing or removing a programme. These are individual snapshots of the system settings at a particular point in time, irrespective of whether there is a fault. My thinking is illustrated as below - but stand to be corrected if wrong:- 1st Nov - Restore Point created by Windows, computer working correctly 5th Nov - Restore Point created by Windows, computer working correctly 6th Nov- Windows Update received - Restore Point created by Windows automatically 8th Nov - Fault occurs, but not immediately obvious to user who takes no action 10th Nov - Restore Point created by windows (this will now include the fault from 8th Nov)! 13th Nov - Follow the advice as above and delete old restore points. Just retain the last one dated 10th Nov 15th Nov - Restore point created bt Windows (this will also include the fault from 8th Nov) 18th Nov - User spots the fault and decides to do System Restore. But can then only restore to10th Nov!!! This means that the computer will restore the settings which still contain the fault, as it is not possible to go back a further stage to the true safe point of 5th November when it was working correctly. Found it a bit difficult to explain, but hope my thinking is clear from the above. Far better, therefore, to restrict the amount of space that Restore can take up - as suggested by the link. This will ensure that you still have a list of Restore points that you can skip back to in order to find a safe one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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