I've been reformatting a pc for someone, upgrading, while wiping out all the old files.. I've managed to save "some" of the files that she wanted (althought 750mb of music files was too much to transfer with the limited means i had) Anyhow, i upgraded this pc from Windows ME to XP with a clean install option, and did not repartition the drive (it wouldn't let me...lol) The pc started out, totally packed with crap, only about 500mb freespace...i even had to abort installation to go in and delete enough crap to have room to install xp.. now my question is....if this is a clean install like the option i selected said it was why is it taking up sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much space?? on a drive wth a total harddrive space of 6.04 GB....AFTER a "clean install, not upgrade only" it only has 1.49 GB free... this pc will never be able to run anything like BYRCE (had to throw that in) once MS office stuff is installed. You guys know anything about this??? hellpppppppppp pleaseeeeeeeeeee Jen

That is correct.... Windows XP is a huge install... Might want to suggest an additional hard drive. After a fresh install on my box, after installing all my driver updates I have used up approximately 2 gigs of space. It is a big install indeed 8( Wade

Thanks Wade....it doesn't look good.... I still think i'm missing something...4 gigs?? would it help, to fdisk the drive, install 98 and input the reg code to wipe out the drive completely..(have to have a working reg code for the xp upgrade disk to work) then do the upgrade again? Or am i really not gonna gain that much space?

My hubby just got through installing XP on a brand new 6.4 gig HD for a friend, and after installing (before updates) the install amount was 1.3 gig. The way you are talking the HD was not formatted(Erased). Either Format the HD with a Win 98 Start up Disc or ME startup Disk. Then reboot with the Win XP Disc in the CD Rom and Do a New install. OR Just Bootup with the Win XP disk in the CD Rom and it will let you Format the HD as an option during the very beginning of the INSTALL. When you get XP installed now you should have approx 5 Gig of Free Space.

See, i selected that option when i installed it the first time...It asked to do the "upgrade only" leaving all files and folders intact, or a clean install, wiping out all settings and such, and i chose clean install... It did ask tho, if i wanted to do something with the partition, and it wouldn't let me redo or delete it, then it restarted, so maybe the second time through on it's own, it seleced update only? A couple program folders were left on the drive, but none of the files worked, and they didnt' amount to much space, so i manually deleted them... LOL thanks guys...I have a feeling tonight is going to be a late late night...at least the kids are sick, so i can sleep a lil later in the morning instead of getting up to send them to school...lol Jen

Also what you should do is use the classic windows option for your desktop settings.The XP settings slow it considerably.All the shadowings and colors.I did this with my older PC and sped it up alot.From all I have been finding out XP is really designed for the newer Pentiums like 4.

Good luck, Jen. :-)

Absolutely, amethyss. I have XP as well, but one would never know it by the looks. :-)

Aye, JC, it really sounds like what you need is a new hard drive, they ar really cheap thes days... About $60 US for a 40GB drive. But I'm curious, if you got XP to load into the machine, why not Bryce? It's tiny, in comparison?!?!

Repeat after me Billy is your Friend... Trust Microsoft. Unless you fdisked the drive and removed the old partition and reformatted you have old windows settings lurking around on the disk that Mr Gates knows you really wanted to keep. You will never see these hidden files using a windows operating system. I ran a straight upgrade for about a month and the install started getting hinky so I fdisked, reinstalled and had no problems. Your main problem is you are seriously out of space. I've got XP on 1.9 gig and office directory takes up 290mb but I remember it claimed to need 450mb for complete install. I'm running a 20GB but have another 40 I keep data files on. The price of drives is a parabola that shifts as the next latest/greatest version comes out. I can't find A 20GB drive, 40s are $39.99 after rebates at compusa. What's you motherboard bus speed? I'd buy the biggest drive your board supports.

Jen..I hope your doing ok!

yea, the problem is, this isn't my pc...which is a good thing and a bad thing...lol a dr at the hopsital where hubby works has this laptop for his daughter, and it was so full of crap and viruses and problems, he bought the XP upgrade and wanted it wiped out all but her music, pictures, and personal data files. I managed to save the data files and pictures via an ftp to my geocities page and the file locker here, but there was no way to keep 700mb of music files (which are probably still lurking someplace).. Anyhow, I've done the clean install twice now, and each time i find programs in the program files folder from BEFORE the clean wipe...most don't work cause the dll's are gone that run them, so i been playing guess what's old and delete it game.. If i delete something needed, hey, I still got the cd...LOL The problem is, i know XP is large, but 4.5mb install???? c'mon, no OS can really be that huge? With all the guess and delete i've done so far, i'm up to 2.50gb free space from 1.4 so i guess it's working.....and so far (am on it now lol) it seems fine... SDL....I had to put Bryce in the message someplace so the thread wouldnt be moved by a passing admin...LOL Ardiva, I been reinstalling, updating, compressing, defragging, compressing again, updating more, defragging again....LOL this is ALOT of waiting for this dern laptop to catch up with me...hahahahah electro- Billy is no friend....hahahaha Anyone who designs a system that is this hard to fdisk, has GOT to be sadistic!! LOL Back to the grind i guess...lol I can't wait to get back on my pc again...i keep switching this cable modem back and forth..i miss my pc!!! Thanks everyone!! Jen