Compressing old files...

Using disk clean-up is it safe or prudent to compress old files? I could save 4.5 gigs but am reluctant to do it as I tried one time awhile back and got an error message that I can't recall at the moment.

Do any of you use this utility on a regular basis, or have you had any problems?

 

u should not have any issue using windows file compression nowadays. my personal observation is that when decompressed, it can be quite fragmented if u are short in disk space during the decompression.

Might want to explore the idea of saving old files to an external hard drive or to a dvd.rw

cheers ...

 

Any way to tell which are the old files? There doesn't seem to be an option with disk clean up.

I have 15 free gigs of the 37 gig C drive. I imagine it would be best to defrag after compression.

 

sure u do, once u choose "compress old files" it should offer the advanced option to define compressing files that have not been *accessed* for a period of days, determined by windows

that is a god idea, but usually this is being done on the fly for u by windows, if the compressed files happen to be needed. U would notice a delay in file accessing.

cheers ...

 

I would instead just go and buy an external hard drive, its fairly inexpensive and will be a better long term solution.

 

Yeah, I have a 120 gig WD Passport that I back up photos, music and movies to. After I go through 5 gigs of photos, I took this summer hiking out west, and turn them into DVD slideshow/movie I could delete those.

Not that I'm having any problems but, any truth to XP (or any MS OS I guess) runs better with half the C drive empty?

 

Thanks, I'll check it out.

 

Nope, not that I see. Maybe I'll try another time when I have more time in case something screws up like I think it did last time I tried to compress old files. It's not urgent anyway, just tweaking.

 

Oh yeah, I would say its very true. I actually use a 2 partitions on my system to keep fragmentation down. The windows partition is for Vista and Programs and all my files are on the second partition.

 

depending if ur indexing is on, ur shadow volume is on, ur hibernation is on etc ...

other than that 15-20% seems to be safe and well, when taking defragmentation into account

cheers ...

 

I would not delete the original pictures. The versions on the DVD slideshow are greatly compressed because your TV can only display very low resolution. In the future you might want to see them on a hi definition screen, and the ones from the DVD will look like garbage, or you might want to print them, or zoom in on something, or whatever. The price of storage is going down faster than most people can use it, so there is no need to delete precious things like pictures from your vacation.

No, there's is no truth that Windows runs better on 50% drive space. If you have less than 10% free, fragmentation can become a problem, but anything more than that gives you absolutely no performance difference whatsoever, despite what the rumors and anecdotes might say.

I doubt you would notice any delay in opening the files. In fact, for some file types, the performance would increase.

You won't gain any space my compressing image, music, or video files, so if that's what you're looking to do, you can save yourself the time and trouble.