When one drive is FULL---how to switch to the other.

My computer's C drive is almost full to capacity. I've cleaned it out, deleted programs I don't use that often or at all, have done disk defrag, but it's still running out of room.

What do I need to do (I'm running XP) in order to have it AUTOMATICALLY open up to my D drive every time I turn on the computer? I know there are some sort of steps to take in order to do that. It would be hard for me to stay in C but remember to save downloaded items to the D drive.

If I DO change to D as my main drive, will the computer still run slow because of the full C drive?

Tia

What are the sizes of the two drives?

When saving a file, you can direct the program you are using to create or edit it to save the file on the D: drive. It is not automatic.

There are also free programs out ther that will help you keep the crap from accumulating on your drives.

CCleaner is a really good one. Go here... CCleaner

Install it and just run it periodically to keep the crap from building up.

Also make sure the computer has not been wounded by a virus.

Please let us know if there are any other symptoms.

Shouldn't she be able to just re-name the drives?

There is approx. 35GB in each drive. C only has about 2.73 left while D has 34 left.

Lately, my computer's been telling me there's no room for a few things to run or to download things as there's no more room. So I figured by switching drives maybe my computer won't give me those messages for a while?

Also, I have a ton of screensavers on the computer. If I delete a lot of them, does that make room on C drive or is that in the Windows system in general and it won't give me any more space by deleting them?

I would drag/send large files (music, pics etc) to the D drive. Also another option would be to burn the files to DVD or get a thumb drive to save them . Do you have operating systems on both drives?

How would I know if I have an operating system on both drives? The files on the C are ones on there that I use quite often, thus I wouldn't want to put them on a different drive. If I have a flash drive, that's more opportunity for me to either leave it by accident in a hotel room, or lose it, or damage it. It's easier for me if it's all on one machine.

I don't download any music, so I don't have music or videos on here.

You know what IS piling up though are JAVA updates and MICROSOFT updates that seem to be taking up space. At least the Java....Why don't the new updates remove the old ones? Are the older ones removable or is it possible that I'll screw up my machine if I do? (I've asked this question before on ASPD but can't recall what the answer is or if anyone did answer.)

There are the ones that show up in my PROGRAM add or remove list:
J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 10 145MB
J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 11 146MB
J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 9 145MB
JAVA 2 Runtime Environment, SE v.1.4.1_02 2MB
JAVA Web Start 477MB
Java (TM) 6 Update 19 95MB
Java (TM) 6 Update 2 133MB
Java (TM) 6 Update 3 133MB
Java (TM) 6 Update 5 136MB
Java (TM) 6 Update 7 136MB
Java (TM) SE Runtime Environment 6 Update 1 160MB

Are any of those more important than the others? What do RUNTIME programs do?

Windirstat http://windirstat.info/ will help you find where the large files and directories are on a drive.

Windows is such a piece of crap that changing where things go may break things. Be careful about what you move or reconfigure.

I would drag/send large files (music, pics etc) to the D drive. Also another option would be to burn the files to DVD or get a thumb drive to save them . Do you have operating systems on both drives? Originally Posted by matchingmole

Ditto!?

How would I know if I have an operating system on both drives? The files on the C are ones on there that I use quite often, thus I wouldn't want to put them on a different drive. If I have a flash drive, that's more opportunity for me to either leave it by accident in a hotel room, or lose it, or damage it. It's easier for me if it's all on one machine. Originally Posted by tia travels

The operating system itself resides on the C: drive alone and the amount of space it occupies is inconsequential even for a 35GB drive.

You know what IS piling up though are JAVA updates and MICROSOFT updates that seem to be taking up space. At least the Java....Why don't the new updates remove the old ones? Are the older ones removable or is it possible that I'll screw up my machine if I do? (I've asked this question before on ASPD but can't recall what the answer is or if anyone did answer.) Originally Posted by tia travels

That list in Add or Remove Programs is only a list of all programs (complete components & updates) that are installed on the system. Yes, newer updates will most likely but not always replace files from previous updates of the same program. Sometimes updates can add new functionality to a program that was not previously available.

Are any of those more important than the others? Originally Posted by tia travels

That depends on the updates. Obviously the updates that fix problems would be important. The updates that just add functionality may not be important unless that additional functionality was something you wanted.

What do RUNTIME programs do? Originally Posted by tia travels

Run time programs just run other programs that cannot run by themselves. They compile code "on the fly" and then run it. VBScript (a BASIC script language) and JScript (a Java script language) are two examples of this. They need the rum time program to do certain things for them that they cannot do themselves. They are quite necessary.

Sounds like you have one 70 gig hd partitioned into 2 35 gig partitions. Just make a shortcut on your desktop for the d drive. I'd still back up what you want to save on some type of external media...and reformat to combine both partitions into one. I do this every year or so. Windows runs so much faster after a fresh install.

Hard drives are pretty cheap right now. I recently bought a 3 gig HD for less than $100 (I think about 75). I suggest you go replace the harddrives with one that is much much bigger.

just delete the old porn you don't watch any more. always frees up about 20gb when I do it. lol

seems like I had issues with a java update a while back. I've been ignoring it and not updating when prompted to ever since. Internet Explorer 8 was an ass kicking too so I uninstalled that and went back to 7.

save your system before you start playing. Back it up on line or create a new system restore before you do anything.

back it up online, have a new hard drive put in and pull the backup down to the new.

...They need the rum time program to do certain things for them that they cannot do themselves. ... Originally Posted by Mokoa

Yes the "rum time" is very necessary.

Sounds like you have one 70 gig hd partitioned into 2 35 gig partitions...reformat to combine both partitions into one... Originally Posted by matchingmole

I don't want to have to reformat (takes too long and I am on the road. Don't have time for headaches if it doesn't work right the first time. That also means having to reinstall my antivirus and other programs that require a subscription. Finding all the key codes and receipts is a hassle in case things don't work and that means endless time on the online chat with tech or emails back and forth or the phone with them.)

I was the one who partitioned it when I got the computer. The computer suggested I do it--so I did. I just want to be able to use the D drive that's sitting there being wasted. Don't want to have to buy another drive.

Doing a shortcut sounds easy as does just renaming the drives. I would like directions for both. I know how to make a shortcut for a folder on the desktop for example. Is that the same thing I would do for the D drive?

But like I said, I want things to automatically be saved there all the time. Not having to remember that I have to choose between C or D.

I want one to be the master and one the slave. Isn't that the terminology for switching drives?

rakuguy....lol...like I mentioned above when I said no videos or music---> I don't have any porn on my computer. LOL I'm a

GneissGuy & Mokoa... I appreciate the 2 programs you suggested. I will check them out.

Thanks babee & Omahan... Thing is, the time it takes me to have someone put in a new drive and the cost of labor or the drive, I might as well just buy another notebook.

Alexis... I appreciate your two cents also.

Seems like what I am looking for is what tcreative2 and matchingmole have suggested though with either the renaming or the shortcut in which step by step instructions for renaming would be groovy.

Hard drives are pretty cheap right now. I recently bought a 3 gig HD for less than $100 (I think about 75). I suggest you go replace the harddrives with one that is much much bigger. Originally Posted by Omahan

I'm using a 60 gig OCZ SSD that I got at Micro Center for less than $180. Very fast with Windows 7 and a firmware flash.