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Vista - Disappearing Memory

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Old 01-08-2008   #1 (permalink)
tedj28


 
 

Disappearing Memory

I recently got a new computer that had a 70GB HD. I've been using it for a
few months, adding pictures and downloading a few things periodically.
Primarily it's been used for surfing the net and checking e-mail, light
stuff. However, I'm down to about 27GBs and have not added nowhere near 43GBs
worth ofmaterial to the PC. Any idea where the memory has gone and how I can
get it back? I have checked the temp files and internet files as well and
they are long gone

My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 01-08-2008   #2 (permalink)
PhooPhan


 
 

RE: Disappearing Memory

I'm no expert but you need a minimum of 2gb of memory just to run Vista and I
believe a 70gb HD is very small for a computer with Vista. I purchased my
laptop 6 months ago and I have 2gb of memory and a 180gb HD and it's already
60% full.

"tedj28" wrote:
Quote:

> I recently got a new computer that had a 70GB HD. I've been using it for a
> few months, adding pictures and downloading a few things periodically.
> Primarily it's been used for surfing the net and checking e-mail, light
> stuff. However, I'm down to about 27GBs and have not added nowhere near 43GBs
> worth ofmaterial to the PC. Any idea where the memory has gone and how I can
> get it back? I have checked the temp files and internet files as well and
> they are long gone
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 01-08-2008   #3 (permalink)
Rick Rogers


 
 

Re: Disappearing Memory

Hi,

A fair percentage is used by the system restore process (some 15% of the
drive space is reserved for this, in your case that'd be 10GB), and the
hibernate and paging files can use a substantial amount as well.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"tedj28" <tedj28@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:2801F7A9-F269-4E24-B48A-DF9B2A913EFB@xxxxxx
Quote:

>I recently got a new computer that had a 70GB HD. I've been using it for a
> few months, adding pictures and downloading a few things periodically.
> Primarily it's been used for surfing the net and checking e-mail, light
> stuff. However, I'm down to about 27GBs and have not added nowhere near
> 43GBs
> worth ofmaterial to the PC. Any idea where the memory has gone and how I
> can
> get it back? I have checked the temp files and internet files as well and
> they are long gone
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 01-08-2008   #4 (permalink)
Shawn Holland


 
 

Re: Disappearing Memory

Try running "Disk Cleanup". Just type that into the search of the Start menu
and choose which items should be deleted. there are a lot more places
deletable files could be besides the temp and internet files directories and
Disk Cleanup knows about most of them.

"tedj28" <tedj28@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:2801F7A9-F269-4E24-B48A-DF9B2A913EFB@xxxxxx
Quote:

>I recently got a new computer that had a 70GB HD. I've been using it for a
> few months, adding pictures and downloading a few things periodically.
> Primarily it's been used for surfing the net and checking e-mail, light
> stuff. However, I'm down to about 27GBs and have not added nowhere near
> 43GBs
> worth ofmaterial to the PC. Any idea where the memory has gone and how I
> can
> get it back? I have checked the temp files and internet files as well and
> they are long gone
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 01-08-2008   #5 (permalink)
Ken Blake, MVP


 
 

Re: Disappearing Memory

On Mon, 7 Jan 2008 21:46:02 -0800, tedj28
<tedj28@xxxxxx> wrote:
Quote:

> I recently got a new computer that had a 70GB HD. I've been using it for a
> few months, adding pictures and downloading a few things periodically.
> Primarily it's been used for surfing the net and checking e-mail, light
> stuff. However, I'm down to about 27GBs and have not added nowhere near 43GBs
> worth ofmaterial to the PC. Any idea where the memory has gone and how I can
> get it back? I have checked the temp files and internet files as well and
> they are long gone

Read Rick Rogers's reply, but also note that you are talking about
"disk space" or "disk storage," not "memory."

The word "memory" is normally reserved for "RAM," the stuff you
probably have 1GB or 2GB of.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please Reply to the Newsgroup
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 01-08-2008   #6 (permalink)
Ken Blake, MVP


 
 

Re: Disappearing Memory

On Mon, 7 Jan 2008 23:33:00 -0800, PhooPhan
<PhooPhan@xxxxxx> wrote:
Quote:

> I'm no expert but you need a minimum of 2gb of memory just to run Vista

No, how much RAM you need for decent performance depends on what apps
you run. Most people need RAM somewhere in the 1-2GB range (although
those doing things like photo- or video-editing may need more).

By the way, despite his subject line, his message is entirely about
disk space, not RAM.

Quote:

> and I
> believe a 70gb HD is very small for a computer with Vista.

It's on the small side, but I wouldn't call it *very* small. It's far
from so small that it's unusable. How much disk space you need depends
on what you do with your computer and what files you save. I know many
people who use their computers lightly and save very little. For them
70GB would be way than enough.

Quote:

> I purchased my
> laptop 6 months ago and I have 2gb of memory and a 180gb HD and it's already
> 60% full.

We all have different usage patterns. My needs aren't your needs, and
your needs aren't tedj28's needs.

Quote:

> "tedj28" wrote:
>
Quote:

> > I recently got a new computer that had a 70GB HD. I've been using it for a
> > few months, adding pictures and downloading a few things periodically.
> > Primarily it's been used for surfing the net and checking e-mail, light
> > stuff. However, I'm down to about 27GBs and have not added nowhere near 43GBs
> > worth ofmaterial to the PC. Any idea where the memory has gone and how I can
> > get it back? I have checked the temp files and internet files as well and
> > they are long gone
--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please Reply to the Newsgroup
My System SpecsSystem Spec
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