XP partition 11% - will not defrag - HELP !!

[Neos]

Ok, I know to clean the hard drive - to get to the 15% so I can defrag - but that is not where the problem lies.

I have reloaded XP Pro on this partition a number of times - get it all right - with well over 15% free. Then over a period of time the XP partition will clog up to a point that I have less than 15% - and I cannot defrag.

The XP Pro on a separate partition (E - and all my programs are loaded to F:\ - even all my email messages in a store folder on F: drive. Even my virtual memory is on F:. (I have 98 SE on C

I have looked and looked for stuff that may have got on there - that I can delete. The only thing I really see is some logs that Zone Alarm has put in there (so far I have left that alone). I do the standard cleanup on the drive, but can only get it back to 11%.

What am I missing? Please help - I can reload the OS, but would rather not.

Thanks,
Andrew in AL (Neos)

 

[filmmaker]

Have you checked your TEMP folder? Mine usually gets clogged and I clear it out every two weeks.

 

[Neos]

Thanks for the reply.

OK, I did that - and it did need it, but it is still at 11%.

I just wonder if I should go into my 98SE partition and defrag from there - would it have the effect of freeing up more space?

Actually, when I do the analyze button in XP defrag - it says it is not needed. I just want to be bale to do this task if and when it is needed.

Andrew in AL (Neos)

 

[filmmaker]

Is there a program or two that you can uninstall temporarily so that you can defrag?

 

[NEVERwinter]

temporarily, disable your pagefile or set it to another drive. defrag your C:/ and when finished, set the pagefile back to C:/

 

[bacillus]

to gain space, temporarily disable hibernation in power options & turn off system restore!
if you use norton, empty the protected recycle bin in addition to yor temp internet files.

 

[oog]

How big is this XP partition? It would help in understanding how much filespace this 11% represents. If your OS partition is too small, maybe it's going to be tough to reach 15%.

 

[Neos]

OK guys. Thanks for all the replies.

First the facts:
My page file is already on F:\ (XP is on E:\)
When I installed everything initialy, I had well over 25% free.
All my programs are loaded to F:\. The only thing that really resides on E:\ are the links to the programs in F:\ - and of course the info that is in the registry.
I can always defrag from C:\.
The XP partition is 2.32 G-byte - plenty of room

Now that I have said that - something I have found. The 'add/remove programs' program lists the full size of all my programs - not just the actual space taken on E:\. What I now wonder is - does this small program inform XP that these are on E:\, thus indicating that E:\ is low on space, when in actualily it is not.

Hope that makes sense.

Andrew in AL (Neos)