"network store interface service has stopped working" / HD space issue

this is a popup i'm getting everytime i boot up now. it started happening after i went through msconfig to disable some things at startup. it doesn't seem to be comromising anything in use but i am curious what it is and how to make it stop.

and on an unrelated note, i'm wondering if i can't get more room out of my HD. my model is advertised at 320, but only shows 286 available. i know it's always less than whats advertised but that seems like more than usual. i also have used up about 250 in files and programes yet only have 13.6gb left. i've turned off restore point, could there be anything else bogging down my HD that i can't see? also is there a way to clear out the recovery drive and add on the free space to my c drive?

 

help me fellas.

 

Sorry, but there is nothing out of the ordinary. I am running a 320GB Western Digital Scorpio, and I have about 280GB to use as well.

I probably wouldn't clear out the recovery drive unless you're absolutely sure that you don't need it. Personally, you are taking a big risk unless you have your entire computer backed up.

As far as allocating the recovery drive space with the rest of the hard drive, that is tough to say. The recovery drive is hidden for a reason, therefore I doubt Windows would recognize it even if you tried to use Disk Management on it. You might have luck with GPART or some other partitioning program, but again, the recovery drive is purposely hidden so HP may have anticipated this already.

Freeing up space on your HDD? Try clearing out your Temporary Files, cookies, history, old files you don't want. Might want to use CCleaner to really clean your system out, but do be careful with it.

 

well my western digital external HD is also a 320GB but had 300GB of free space when first booted up. what makes the 20GB difference between the two hard drives?

also would still like some ideas on this:

edit: *320GB but had 300GB of free space.