Reinstalled XP just to find out I am missing 10 gigs

[Malakius]

Hello.
I decided to reinstall XP due to performance problems. My laptop was performing crappy with games especially when I had no problems running them before.

So I created the system cd restore from one of the Dell applications. I popped the cd in and reinstalled XP.

While it was reinstalling, an error popped up, but the application tried again and it finished reinstalling it.

Now I think this failed restore in somewhere in my hdd eating precious hardrive space.

I want to know how can I locate the missing 10 gigs. My hardrive is 60gigs (52.9gigs in ntfs) and after the reinstall, I had about 35 gigs left.

I got to recover 4 gigs by deleting the previous documents user settings and most of the programs that I can't use (but mysteriously they were still there after reinstalling).

So I need to know what can I do to recover those missing gigs.

[BipolarBill]

Welcome!

Creating the restore CD late in the game makes for a bloated restore which includes all of the stuff you had recently - including Windows Updates. You're supposed to make that CD soon after setting up a new PC. If Windows is hosed or nearly hosed when you create it, the restore will also be nearly hosed. It's just like a standard backup in that respect.

Normally, when you restart the restore (no matter what happened before), the drive is automatically formatted again. The failed restore is usually erased.

If you really think that there are hidden files using too much space, use the Windows CD that came with the PC to format the drive. Run the install and format the drive. Instead of continuing, shut down after the format and run the restore disks again.

Let me ask you - how many DVDs (or CDs) make up your restore set? You are now using around 18GB of the drive. There are 4.7GB per DVD and 700MB per CD. Count 'em up. If you have more than 4 DVDs or 18 CDs, you got what you backed up. There is no wasted space. You just waited too long to create the set.

[Malakius]

Originally Posted by BipolarBill

Welcome!

Creating the restore CD late in the game makes for a bloated restore which includes all of the stuff you had recently - including Windows Updates. You're supposed to make that CD soon after setting up a new PC. If Windows is hosed or nearly hosed when you create it, the restore will also be nearly hosed. It's just like a standard backup in that respect.

Normally, when you restart the restore (no matter what happened before), the drive is automatically formatted again. The failed restore is usually erased.

If you really think that there are hidden files using too much space, use the Windows CD that came with the PC to format the drive. Run the install and format the drive. Instead of continuing, shut down after the format and run the restore disks again.

Let me ask you - how many DVDs (or CDs) make up your restore set? You are now using around 18GB of the drive. There are 4.7GB per DVD and 700MB per CD. Count 'em up. If you have more than 4 DVDs or 18 CDs, you got what you backed up. There is no wasted space. You just waited too long to create the set.

Luckily I have the cd that came with my laptop.

It only took one cd for the back-up cd.

Oh and I've also tried using the original cd that came in with the computer and no matter what, it gives me two options. I can either fix the current version or ignore it and do a fresh install. Somehow doing the latter will do the same thing.

I think what I need to do is completely erase this current version but I don't know to do it.
I've tried using some other programs like Partition Magic but no success.

[BipolarBill]

There is no need to quote posts unless you have a specific point to make. Just do a reply or quick reply.

Since we know next to nothing about your PC, I would hesitate to try and give precise steps or ask you to format a drive. It's readily apparent that this restore process is not changing a whole lot.

If your PC has a hidden partition and you do not have a Windows installation CD, clearing the drive may leave you with nothing. Not good.

If you have a Windows installation CD, you should boot from that and simply install. When prompted, format the drive. Before you start, back up your documents, favorites and any important e-mails to CD.

If you only have a restore CD, you need to download a formatting program, create a bootable CD with it and boot from it to clear the drive. Search Google for dban. That will do it.