I need a new computer.

macman

So there's your answer. The drive is over 92% full. Get some data off that and back it up elsewhere. Once your hard drive is over about 85% full it'll start to struggle and you'll be depending on the (limited) RAM more and more to swap data around.
Clone your OS and data onto a larger capacity drive, install a slave drive, or use an external USB drive. All will achieve the same result.

cookie365

+1 to what macman says.

Also, use SpaceSniffer to see where the big files and folders are:
http://www.uderzo.it/main_products/space_sniffer/

Don't just delete stuff simply because it's big though, you might need it for the computer to work

Ader1

macman wrote: »

So there's your answer. The drive is over 92% full. Get some data off that and back it up elsewhere. Once your hard drive is over about 85% full it'll start to struggle and you'll be depending on the (limited) RAM more and more to swap data around.
Clone your OS and data onto a larger capacity drive, install a slave drive, or use an external USB drive. All will achieve the same result.

Thanks. If I cloned onto a larger capacity drive, do I have to be careful about whether my drive is compatible with the rest of my system? Which would be the easiest and cheapest? A larger capacity drive or a slave or an external USB?

NiftyDigits

Ader1 wrote: »

Thanks. If I cloned onto a larger capacity drive, do I have to be careful about whether my drive is compatible with the rest of my system? Which would be the easiest and cheapest? A larger capacity drive or a slave or an external USB?

Personally, I would run a clean install on a new drive and use the old hard drive as a slave/secondary HDD. Cloning would mean that you are transferring all of the old cr*p into a new installation.

If it really is ten years old, then it's likely an IDE drive.

Western Digital 80GB HDD PATA Internal Hard Drive 7200rpm 3.5" £6.97

Seagate 120GB HDD Internal Desktop Hard Drive PATA, 7200rpm, 3.5" £11.05

Seagate 200GB HDD Internal Hard Drive PATA 7200RPM 3.5" £11

Though it's worth looking the Device Manager and clicking in to Disk Drives to get the model number in order to confirm it's an IDE drive.

People won't be impressed that you have two threads running for the same matter, so create a link to this thread within the Tech forum thread.

Ader1

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Personally, I would run a clean install on a new drive and use the old hard drive as a slave/secondary HDD. Cloning would mean that you are transferring all of the old cr*p into a new installation.

If it really is ten years old, then it's likely an IDE drive.

Western Digital 80GB HDD PATA Internal Hard Drive 7200rpm 3.5" £6.97

Seagate 120GB HDD Internal Desktop Hard Drive PATA, 7200rpm, 3.5" £11.05

Seagate 200GB HDD Internal Hard Drive PATA 7200RPM 3.5" £11

Though it's worth looking the Device Manager and clicking in to Disk Drives to get the model number in order to confirm it's an IDE drive.

People won't be impressed that you have two threads running for the same matter, so create a link to this thread within the Tech forum thread.

Hi NiftyDigits,

I think it's a SATA or do you call it an ATA drive? This is it:

http://www.impactcomputers.com/hds722580vlat20.html

NiftyDigits

Ader1 wrote: »

Hi NiftyDigits,

I think it's a SATA or do you call it an ATA drive? This is it:

http://www.impactcomputers.com/hds722580vlat20.html

That is a ATA/PATA/IDE HDD. Not SATA.

Anyway your problem has been solved, so this is only if you want to fit a larger hard rive once you get your Recovery Disc.

Ader1

I think it would be a good idea to get additional hard drive space.

closed

what percentage is used up by video, and in what format

diamonds

I've had Windows 7 running on much poorer specs, if you need a disk get a Windows 7 'upgrade' disk not a XP Service Pack 3 one.

Run this tool to see if you can use Windows 7 http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=20

A W7 'upgrade' disc will keep all your files, but clear the operating system crap with a fresh install on a vastly more superior version of Windows, Vista would make it slower its so power hungry, but Win7 was built from basics without the Vista bloating so skip Vista and W7 it.

Advise with any 'upgrade' you take a external back up of your files on XP first, just incase.


infos:


XP to W7
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7#T1=tab01

XP backup
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308422

Ader1

Thank you again for your help. Let me get back to you as I have to be up early.