Pc Trouble (xp Pro)

[Tricha]

Recently my PC has shown empty files- (system volume) Profiles are missing. I installed a Google/Yahoo tool bar, half of it gone.

I cannot install an antivirus due to c drive being so full. I have defragmented, deleted unecessary files, and did a system and disk check-( it tells me its healthy )

I cannot install or download anything. If it goes through the process, I will look for it and it will be on that drive, but it wont open. No response at all.

It also gives me error messages that certain software cannot run without windows service pak. (I have it.)

I cannot open docs in word. .. If I am lucky enough to see something that resembles it, it is usually encrypted.

Internet explorer just decide that it "cannot dislay the page".. I have to pull up google on the address bar.

I wanted to do a system restore, but because there is not 15% space,

I cannot fix one thing. Catch 22.

[Bob.Hew]

If you have a second (Slave) drive you can copy a lot of your files there saving space on "C" Even reload some programes like Office to the second drive.

[Tricha]

I like your thinking- How do I do that?

[shanenin]

Part of me thinks your hard drive may be going bad. I am basing that on what sounds like major data corruption. With that said you hard drive may be in good shape, but you NEED to reinstall Windows. What kind of computer do you have? Your computer may have a built in recovery partition.

[Tricha]

Intel (1.00GHZ 248 MB ram) Celeron CPU

I put an additional drive in it that has E and F which is practically empty still...that is where I download music, and put videos and pics. I install any software or toolbars on F as well.

Someone suggested just using a cleaner, but shouldnt I get some of the C drive free'd up? I have already taken everything off of it that I can. It basically just NTFS- so when there are temp files etc.. I have to wipe those off everyday. I thought that I could transfer all of the program files to the other drive and leave my local disk for all those temp files- doesnt that make sence? Considering it is has no room? It only has 14,000 MB

[shanenin]

I still think you should backup your data, then format, then reload windows fresh and clean :-)

If you want to try and move your programs, you will need to individually uninstall them, then reinstall them to the new drive.

[Tricha]

Thanks- I will try that..I will let you know

[Pete_C]

After deleting things have you bothered to empty your recycle bin?

How about disk cleanup have you run it to clean other temp files which you can delete?

(start / run and type cleanmgr and hit enter or it is under tools when you right click a drive and choose properties)

Some things like temp internet files are set to a specific size (IN IE go to tools / internet options / general / browsing history / settings

Firefox go to tools / options / advanced / network / offline storage

You can safely reduce that to much lower than normally used unless you have tons of tabs open 32-64MB is adequate (huge amounts of tabs and you may need more)

Others like System restore and Recycle bin are assigned a percentage of the drive space (normally 12% but in many cases 5% is more than enough)

Some things like Norton Protection (from norton utilities amongst other norton / symantec products) protects you from accidentally deleting files and emptying the recycle bin by making a copy of everything you delete. Unless you specifically empty the protected storage and norton protected bin you can easily fill a drive with deleted files.

[Bob.Hew]

You did not say how big your second drive is but the first thing I would be doing is downloading and running a virus detector and running it on your secon drive.

Do this by Going to AVG free ( http://free.avg.com/ ) and clicking on the download button, after several windows open and you continue to sellect download, you will be asked do you want to install it on "C" sellect your other drive and download it there. This way only a few kbs will be placed on "C"

If you have the original CDs for your other programs like Office, you can load them to the other drive as well and then delete them from "C". Insert your CD and when it asks to install on "C" change the drive to you other drive.

Tell us how you get on.