Alan
One of the biggest culprits is the System Restore files. SR can use up to
15% of the whole drive or 30% of the free space on the drive. These are all
hidden system files.
You can delete all but the latest SR points using the Disk Cleanup utility.
Go to Start/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools and click on Disk Cleanup.
Select the Files from All Users option.
Select the drive where Vista is installed.
Select all of the files you wish to delete.
Select the More Options Tab.
In the System Restore and Shadow Copies section, Select the Clean up Button.
Select Delete in the pop up dialog.
Click the Clean Up Tab.
Click OK.
You can control the amount of space used for SR. Go to the following website
for the instructions.
How to adjust disk space in Windows Vista:
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/diskspacev.html
--
Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience
"Alan" <alan111@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:eDhkojvhIHA.1208@xxxxxx
> Hi,
> Vista Home Premium, 1.8g processor with 1g RAM, Packard Bell machine in
> England.
> If I go 'Computer' I get the usual list of 'C drive', 'DVD drive' etc. If
> I
> right click the C drive, properties, it tells me that I have 75gig used.
> If I then open the C drive folder and get the list of what's in it,
> Program
> Files, Users, Temp etc and highlight all of the contents, right click them
> and select 'Properties' again it tells me that I have 17.5gig used which
> I
> think is about right. I know for sure that I don't have 75gig used, but
> the
> machine is telling me that I have.
> I've put lots of massive video files (45g plus) onto the machine from DV
> camcorders and also from ripped DVD's but all these have been deleted. I
> usually edit these files as necessary then transfer them to one of three
> external hard drives, then delete them from the machine.
> I use Webroot Window Washer to 'wash' the hard drive.
> I've done everything that I know, defragging, virus checking (Norton),
> spyware checking (AVG), washing empty space with Window Washer but it
> still
> tells me I have 75gig used.
> Ay ideas?
>
> TIA,
> Alan.
>