How can I get hard drive space... without deleting (my) stuff?

[wreckedcarzz]

Alright, here is a question that may stomp even the most "clean" computer users...

How can I get more free space back, WITHOUT uninstalling programs, WITHOUT deleting things I need (VB projects, family photos, archived document stuff...), and WITHOUT removing my games (that's the point of freeing space, to be able to put another game (namely, Crysis) onto the computer).

I use my own SystemCare program, and that runs a small AHK script to clean my computer, followed by Disk Cleanup, CCleaner, and Steven Gould's CleanUp! - so junk files are not an issue. I run backups on my 2nd partition, so they are already out of the way. I uninstall every app that I don't need and keep only stuff I need, archiving stuff that I may need later onto the backup partition.

I can't get a second hard drive because cash is tight for the family, but I only have 9.16GB left, and it is draining fast.

My only idea is that I could move all my backups onto my old server (used for Sauerbraten by the DC Gamers Club), however then I don't know how to combine two NTFS partitions (my main Windows partition and the then-empty Backup partition). Either that, or there might be some software out there that searches for and deletes no-longer-needed things that Windows leaves (service pack uninstall files, etc).

Ideas?
-Brandon

(My backup partition is also running low on space, at just 3.47GB left - see the image below)

[superboyac]

That's impossible, dude.
How do I get more money, without actually getting more money?

[wreckedcarzz]

Right, but isn't there SOMEthing out there that can remove old stuff from Windows updates and whatnot? Or can it be done manually?

[Darwin]

Well... there are scripts to remove Windows update uninstallation files and there is the option to compress your harddrive, but I'm with superboyac! If you *do* figure out how to get your money for nothing and your chicks for free, let us know! Will you? Please...

EDIT: dang! Missed a sentence fragment here and a comma there... Corrected now 

[Grorgy]

Like Darwin says there are, but you can do that with CCleaner, it is in the advanced options Hotfix Uninstallers,  but if you delete them then need to uninstall you could find a problem 

[wreckedcarzz]

All my updates are working fine so I am not concerned with that, I have been googling a lot and have resorted to scanning (manually) the Windows folder for old stuff from installers/uninstallers (5 things so far, so 5MB! ).

Didn't know CCleaner could do that! I'll poke around with it and see how it goes.

EDIT: I can't find it in CCleaner, latest version - where exactly is it at? Is it in an older version? Found it - it's been checked, too! Drat!

[Darwin]

Here's a link to the Doug Knox script I was talking about above: http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_hotfix_backup.htm

[wreckedcarzz]

Yes, I found that one on Google, but it says its XP only - I am on Vista SP1, so not sure if that would work (I doubt it). Anything else?

[wreckedcarzz]

Looks like I am stuck moving my *entire* Backup parition to the old computer, as CCleaner has deleted almost every one of my Hotfix uninstall folders already. Cleaning out old system restore data helped get me another 2Gb, but I still don't feel happy about it. Oh well.

Maybe someone (probably right after I am done moving all the data, too! ) will find something, but as far as my situation goes, I literally have nothing else that can go.

Here is to keeping old hardware!

[jgpaiva]

I recommend using SpaceMonger!
If you're on vista, you potentially have a huge "hibernation.sys" or something like that file that you don't need (provided you don't need hibernation).
AND, id you ever had a blue screen, you may have a huge memory dump somewhere too (i wonder who had the great idea of dumping memory to disk after a crash? at least, make an option for it and don't enable it by default!!).

[edit] added link [/edit]

[wreckedcarzz]

*Googles now* I just booted up the old server, hope this works!

[wreckedcarzz]

After about 2 minutes, it stopped scanning my game directory and got to the program files...

AH HA! Found some stuff! I can delete!

[superboyac]

SpaceMonger is so cool.  I love this program.  I can't say that it's useful on a daily basis, but you just have to have it!

[wreckedcarzz]

13.7GB, but still not enough - thats 2 games, tops.

Any software (in-Windows, if at all possible?) that lets me combine 2 NTFS partitions?

[Darwin]

Hmm... I use Treesize Professional to do what SpaceMonger does (never tired SpaceMonger). Like Superboyac said, these types of application are useful when you're scratching your head trying to figure out where your space went, but for (probably on the order of) 360 days out of the year they lie unused. Obviously, YMMV, but this has been my experience in heavy "home" use of my computer, though I do use this system to prepare lectures for work and to write my dissertation on top of mucking about with software.

An aside: have spent two days uninstalling software - up to 80 at this point - and freed up 6 GB of space that way...

[kartal]

You can also try free http://www.saleensoftware.com/FilePro.aspx ; to find out what is eating up your Hd space.

[f0dder]

Combining partitions? It's possible, but there's so many things that can go wrong, so you shouldn't do it unless you have all your data from both partitions backed up... and if you had the means to back it up, you would probably have another drive lying around already.

If you're in the .us, you can get a 320gig drive for less than $70...

[wreckedcarzz]

Alright, now I am confused...

Would it be better to just "combine" the two, or wipe and delete the 2nd and extend the first to take the space? Everything is backed up, and I wouldn't *MIND* a reformat, but I would prefer to keep everything intact.

[Target]

can you clarify for us just exactly what it is you're trying to do (cos I'm unsure)

It's probably more practical to delete the second (empty) partition and extend your primary instead of trying to 'combine' the 2

however there's nothing to stop you from installing new apps to the second partition (I install all my games to a second drive which is equivalent to using another partition...)

The only fly here is if there is insufficient space on your primary for any files that must be installed to your primary (C?) drive

[wreckedcarzz]

I need to get rid of the D:\ drive altogether.

I can grab a Vista DVD (I have several) and delete the D:\ parition, but my question is... how do I make C:\ use the new "unallocated" space?

[Target]

you'll need a partition management tool - try GParted (a linux based boot CD) or one of the variants

[Shades]

There is another option...Windows 2000 already had an option to use dynamic disks. This concept is quickly explained: Imagine a harddisk divide up into two partitions. When both partitions are dynamic and one of them hits the predefined limit, both partition sizes will be adjusted accordingly without you intervening.

So if you remove the D:\ partition and change the C:\ into a dynamic drive...it will expand until the physical limit from the harddisk is reached.

Be warned though, once a partition has been converted to a dynamic one, there is no going back!

Look here for more info on the subject: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa363785.aspx

This mode was intended for use in enterprise environments, so you will need a pro version (2000/XP) or better. Since I don't even care what the differences between all the Vista's are...you will likely need an equivalent Vista.

Have fun! 

Edit: added url

[wreckedcarzz]

I have Home Premium, and have personally never seen such an option in XP Professional. Good idea, but it wouldn't work for me (I am the kind of person that *has* to know how much space is left).

Question: Can you install (and boot) GParted from a SD card? I have somehow lost my USB drive and all I have are 3 SD camera cards...

EDIT: Looks like It'll be a cross-your-fingers situation... here I go!

[Target]

Question: Can you install (and boot) GParted from a SD card? I have somehow lost my USB drive and all I have are 3 SD camera cards...

you'll need to check the website on that one (If I remember rightly the D/L is an ISO)

do a bit of googling on this - there are several variants on this theme, some of which may offer USB solutions (sorry I can't be of much help here...)

mebbe try Parted Magic http://partedmagic.com/wiki/PartedMagic.php, QTParted http://qtparted.sourceforge.net/, and possible UBCD (not sure about that last one, though I have a vague recollection that there is a tool in there somewhere...)

[Deozaan]

You can buy a 500GB SATA HDD for $70 at TigerDirect right now. The discount ends Tuesday the 17th (tomorrow). But you can get the same or similar 500GB SATA HDD from NewEgg for $80.

Stop talking your parents into buying you old IBMs and Macintoshes so that when you need something you can really use, they'll have the money for it.

Alternatively, you could get a summer job. Sucks but that's life.