Reinstalled XP (Home) on my 'C' drive today (max capacity 17.5GB) but when I click on MY COMPUTER and then C: I am told that I have Total Size: 17.5 GB and Free Space: 2.88 GB.

I can account for 8 GB in 3 files - Pgm Files/Windows/Documents and Settings - so where have they hidden c9.5 GB???

Can someone tell me where I can find them - appreciated

Thank you.

Bucklt

I think it's time for you to buy a new hard drive.

But it's probably tied up in restore and such like if you really want to find it. Hard disk space is pretty cheap these days- I'd just buy a new drive.

[EDIT: to give a slightly more useful answer]

Edited February 12, 200917 yr by Slip

Did you reinstall from a boot?and delete your old XP,sounds like not and the old system is still on your PC

Did you reinstall from a boot?and delete your old XP,sounds like not and the old system is still on your PC

Yes - using original discs.

Always assumed that the installation 'process' automatically erases everything on 'C' drive, before putting restored data on drive.

Is that assumption correct, or have I got a broken drive?

Bucklt

No it asks you if you want to delete the old system at the beginning of the reinstall process, its at the part just after the "inspecting your drive" message. You will see the used part of your hard drive, you have to manually delete it.

This from the guide i used http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

"10b If the hard drive or partition has a previous installation of XP you want to remove, choose to delete the partition by pressing "D". You will then be prompted to create a new partition in the empty space. This will remove all data from the deleted space."

Hope this helps.

From what you say you have just installed your new install over your old one.

I'm not an expert but unless you formatted your drive there will be a lot of crap floating on it still.

If you want to hunt down big blocks of data on your drive try: http://www.jam-software.com/freeware/index.shtml Can I post that here? sorry mods if not, but google treesize free from Jam software.

From what you say you have just installed your new install over your old one.

I'm not an expert but unless you formatted your drive there will be a lot of crap floating on it still.

If you want to hunt down big blocks of data on your drive try: http://www.jam-software.com/freeware/index.shtml Can I post that here? sorry mods if not, but google treesize free from Jam software.

My thanks to both of you for those suggestions - will check them out!

Bucklt