Just wondering if anyone can tell me why my Harddrive Free Space has gone down from like 80GB, to 79.5GB in a week or two. I've saved nothing, and i know that Window's does Updates etc. (which I guess are necessary?)

Anyway, any input would be appreciated.

Thanx

Dark

Do you stream or download video to watch?

Even if you watch a stream, you can end up a temp-file on your harddrive.

Maybe you've sent stuff to the recycle-bin, and haven't emptied it?

I'd wager you are using some programme that generates temp-files, though.

:)

When I run Disc Cleanup, it gets rid of Temp Files, and Trash... So I'm thinking it's something else

If this is after an extended windows session I would check your page file. it should be located at c:\pagefile.sys . Mine is at 1.5gb. A semi-related note: you do have your HDD partitioned and are capturing to your non-windows partition, right?

If this is after an extended windows session I would check your page file. it should be located at c:\pagefile.sys . Mine is at 1.5gb. A semi-related note: you do have your HDD partitioned and are capturing to your non-windows partition, right?


I tried to run c:\pagefile.sys in Run, but it wouldn't give me access to the file. What does yours being at 1.5GB mean?

Also, I have no idea what having HDD partitioned and are capturing to your non-windows partition means.

I have a program called DVDGate that I've started testing capturing video with.

Dont try to run it. Look in My Computer at the C drive or in Explorer and see the size.

Partitioning is the act of splitting one hard drive - say 80GB, into 2 or more smaller drives. For instance, I have an 80GB hdd but I have like 5 partitions total. 1 strictly for windows and programs, the C: drive which is 15GB, 1 for my downloaded media @ 20GB, 1 for my video scratch only (the drive I tell all temp files for Vegas and my temp renders to go to ) @ 20GB, etc. The reason for this, other than cleanliness and organization, is because all the time windows is doing things in the background, even when you are capturing or rendering. By having windows by itself on the C drive it can work in the background while I capture to another drive, or render to another drive. This prevents dropped frames in capture and slowdowns/malfunctions while rendering. It also speeds up previews in Vegas or other NLE's.

That's cool. Maybe at some point I'll have to do that.

Yeah, i usually look in My Computer at the C Drive when I'm keeping an on on the Memory Usage. That's where I noticed that it's been going down.

Like tonight, it went down to 79.6, so I tried to run a system Restore, and it wouldn't let me, because it told me that I hadn't made any changes. Then when I looked again after trying to run a Restore, it had gone down to 79.5. Weird.

So you're saying that your only using 1.5MB of your Drive right now?

No. I'm saying look at the file size of pagefile.sys in your C: drive by going into my computer, right click on pagefile.sys and clicking properties. next time you see the drive go down in size, check the pagefile size. Pagefile is virtual ram your computer uses to buffer between your actual RAM and the CPU. Windows automatically manages this file.

No, my virtual ram size right now is 1.5 GB. When I first start my comp its at about 300MB. After a lot of video watching or editing it will quickly jump up in size. When you shutdown your comp it clears your pagefile. Right now I'm using probably 75% of my total Hard disk space... time to buy another HDD or dump some of this crap off to DVD!!

You have 80,000kbytes of drive space... Why are you tripp'n over 500k?

Do you surf the internet?

Do you use the computer?

Did you make folders on the drive?

Save any information to it?

What is your RAM?

Is the 80GB your C: or a data drive?

You have 80,000kbytes of drive space... Why are you tripp'n over 500k?

Do you surf the internet?

Do you use the computer?

Did you make folders on the drive?

Save any information to it?

What is your RAM?

Is the 80GB your C: or a data drive?



I'm not trippen over that amount, my only concern is because it went down so quickly... Just concerned that over time it will continue to go down at that rate, and want to try and avoid doing things that might be causeing it.

Yes, I surf the web a bit.... I do use the computer, but don't save much to it. My RAM is 1GB... 80GB is my C Drive

Well the scoop on RAM is you computer uses it and yes it's good to have a lot of it but it's just not enough so Windows uses the page file to make more of it. Yes, Windows is leeching off your hard drive to make more RAM.

It's a far far better thing you do, to capture video to another hard drive other than the one that your system uses. One way to achieve this is to 'partition' your single hard drive into two parts. But since you're working with video and HUGE files, it would behoove you to go out and buy a very large hard drive (300 would do nicely) and capture video to that.

Well the scoop on RAM is you computer uses it and yes it's good to have a lot of it but it's just not enough so Windows uses the page file to make more of it. Yes, Windows is leeching off your hard drive to make more RAM.

It's a far far better thing you do, to capture video to another hard drive other than the one that your system uses. One way to achieve this is to 'partition' your single hard drive into two parts. But since you're working with video and HUGE files, it would behoove you to go out and buy a very large hard drive (300 would do nicely) and capture video to that.


But when the computer "leeches" off of your Hard Drive, shouldn't the memory return to the Hard Drive after you're done?

And if you get an external Hard Drive (which is what I plan on doing), wouldn't it also leach off that Drive?

Also, how exactly does partitioning help? Not exactly clear on that. (Actually, Wide explains it above, so it helps reduce errors, or possibel errors? That's the main benefit, right? Also the organzation facture...)

Thanks alot for your input on all of this

Dark

Good info. Wide, thanks... Just saw your last Post, missed it and replied to the Post below you.

I'll check my computer when I get home to see if the Memory went back up.

Nope, still down. But all of this info. is extremely appreciated. Right now I'm considering picking up (when I get some cash) a Maxtor 200GB Touch II 7200 8MB External Hard Drive. I saw it on sale at the Staples Site (www.staples.com), down at the bottom, for $159.99. I have'nt done any research on External Drives yet, but that sounds pretty good to me.

I think you may be taxing yourself a bit too much with an external hard drive. Internal HDD are about 50 cents a GB (sometimes less) when you find them with a nice fat, mail in rebate. Your choice of course. Mobility=more money.

What in an Internal HDD?

HDD = Hard Disk Drive

If you have one computer then having an external drive doesn't make much sense unless you plan to share the drive with other people or buy another computer. They're more expensive so why would you do it unless you had a good reason.

Best Buy and Curcuit City often compete for hard drive rebates so check with them every Sunday. I like Matrox drive the best, Western Digital's are okay but are really temperature sensetive so keep them cool and I've heard people complain about Seagate drives but I have two of them and they're both running strong.

Whenever I buy computer hardware I go to Tom's Hardware (tomshardware dot com) and search his site for the best products.

Are you saying add another HDD to my computer? Have a laptop, not sure if that's possible?

Laptop eh, well now you are in a world of poo-poo. Yes, you need an external hard drive or buy a larger 2.5 HDD and replace the one you have then partition it. But since it's a laptop external drive should serve you well.

Thanks for all the input

Dark

I'm surprised so many of you have your pagefile set to be at a variable size...

Here's a couple helpful pagefile tips:

Optimize the Pagefile

If you have more than one hard drive, it is a good idea to put your pagefile on the non-windows drives. Also, it is not a bad idea to set the pagefile to a constant size (1 to 2 times the available RAM), so it wont get fragmented.

Right-click on My Computer -> select Properties -> the Advanced tab -> Performance, Settings button -> Advanced tab, Virtual memory, Change button -> choose the drives and size available for pagefile(s).

(I usually use a non-windows drive, and same Initial/Maximum size to avoid fragmentation of the pagefile. So for example, with 1GB of RAM, a 2GB pagefile is a good idea, set the inital and max sizes to 2000 MB. You'll have to reboot after changing this.)

Another method to avoid fragmentation is to clear the pagefile on shutdown, by changing the following Registry setting:

(For those who have never edited their registry, it's probably best to skip this one, but if you feel up to the challenge, open up regedit.exe from Start -> Run and navigate to the key listed below)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Session Manager\Memory Management

The key we're after is:

"ClearPageFileAtShutdown"

To change the setting, double click on the key, and a window should pop up, change the value to either 1 or 0 depending on your choice to clear it or not at reboot, 1 clears, 0 does not.

Keep in mind, having windows clear the pagefile at shutdown will make reboots and shutdowns take a little bit longer.

NOTE: I am not responsible for any damage that occurs from trying to follow this info... please only do so if you KNOW HOW. (I think this setting can be altered with TweakUI (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx))