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Partitioned hard drives

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Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

Senior Member

5,264 posts
Feb 9, 2011 6:33 PM
I have a partitioned hard drive. A Local Disk (C:) that is Total Size: 20.0 GB and Free Space 0.99 GB. Then Local Disk (D:) that is 91.7 GB and Free Space 79.6 GB.

Whenever I download something, if there is a prompt, I try to direct it to be installed on my Local Disk (D:) drive. However, there are some things I d/l in which I cannot pick the destination, and these default to my Local Disk (C:) drive. Well, I'm trying to d/l a new map update for my Garmin and I need 5 GB of space, yet I don't have that on my C: drive and there is no way for my to direct it to the D: drive.

So... my question is... how can I have the default d/l location point to my D: drive where there is plenty of space?!

Can this be done?
Feb 9, 2011 6:33pm
I

I Wear Pants

Senior Member

16,223 posts
Feb 9, 2011 6:40 PM
You could allocate more space to the C drive.

What OS are you using?
Feb 9, 2011 6:40pm
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

Senior Member

5,264 posts
Feb 9, 2011 6:52 PM
I Wear Pants;672191 wrote:You could allocate more space to the C drive.

What OS are you using?

How do I go ahead and do that?

My OS is Microsoft Windows XP.
Feb 9, 2011 6:52pm
I

I Wear Pants

Senior Member

16,223 posts
Feb 10, 2011 1:51 AM
Scarlet_Buckeye;672197 wrote:How do I go ahead and do that?

My OS is Microsoft Windows XP.
Well damn, I don't think you can shrink a volume in Windows XP using the Disk Management tool. I think they added that feature with Windows Vista/7. You could probably use Gparted or something to do it but that's a little bit more advanced.
Feb 10, 2011 1:51am
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

Senior Member

5,264 posts
Feb 10, 2011 8:05 AM

This seems to be what I need. Can someone else confirm this? Is this legit? It sounds like following those steps will point my default download to a location on my D: drive [where I have almost 80 GB free).

Is that relatively easy to do for someone who is computer illiterate?
Feb 10, 2011 8:05am
W

WebFire

Go Bucks!

14,779 posts
Feb 10, 2011 8:10 AM
Editing the registry is easy. It may seem intimidating for someone who doesn't work on computers, but just give it a try. You can back up your registry first. File>Export.
Feb 10, 2011 8:10am
Speedofsand's avatar

Speedofsand

Troublemaker

5,529 posts
Feb 10, 2011 12:09 PM
you can download Gparted free, I thought it was easy to learn.
Feb 10, 2011 12:09pm
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

Senior Member

5,264 posts
Feb 10, 2011 12:31 PM
WebFire;672678 wrote:Editing the registry is easy. It may seem intimidating for someone who doesn't work on computers, but just give it a try. You can back up your registry first. File>Export.

I'm extremely hesitant to do anything with the registry because I've always been instructed that when you tamper around with the registry, that is when you can really mess up your computer. I'm probably going to follow the advise from the eHow article quoted above (because it sounds like that is exactly what I need to do), I just wanted to make sure that even for a dummy like me it's fairly straight forward and easy to do / a legitimate process.
Feb 10, 2011 12:31pm
M

MontyBrunswick

Feb 10, 2011 8:10 PM
Scarlet_Buckeye;673071 wrote:I'm extremely hesitant to do anything with the registry because I've always been instructed that when you tamper around with the registry, that is when you can really mess up your computer.

True, but if you follow the steps word-for-word, there's not much to mess up.
Feb 10, 2011 8:10pm
O-Trap's avatar

O-Trap

Chief Shenanigans Officer

14,994 posts
Feb 10, 2011 11:23 PM
dlazz;673664 wrote:True, but if you follow the steps word-for-word, there's not much to mess up.

This.

Editing the registry isn't as scary when you've got instructions ... just be careful you follow the instructions to the letter.
Feb 10, 2011 11:23pm
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

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5,264 posts
Feb 11, 2011 8:07 AM
Okay... so I followed the steps in the eHow link above. Basically, when I got to the last step...
Delete "C:\Program Files" and enter "D:\" or another file path you want to set as the default installation directory.

Read more: How to Install Applications in D Drive on Windows XP | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_6823042_install-applications-drive-windows-xp.html#ixzz1DefrtHvP
I didn't delete it, I simply changed the point from C: to D:.

It appears to have worked, yet when I still try to download this stupid map update thing for my Garmin, it still shows that I do not have enough space (says I need at least 5GB; yet my D: drive has like almost 80 GB free). I did some "house cleaning" and was able to get my C: drive "up" to like 1.65 GB free, but for whatever reason, I am still unable to download/install this map update.

Grrrrrrr.


I was able to basically upload the necessary file to my Gmail account as an attachment... I then saved the email as a Draft... and then I grabbed my work computer and installed the files... and then I was able to d/l and install the map update for my Garmin... so I'm all situated there... it's just this was a pain and I would rather be able to do all of this on my personal laptop rather than having to basically do what I did and use my work laptop.

HEEEEEEEELLLLLPPPP!
Feb 11, 2011 8:07am
G

gut

Senior Member

15,058 posts
Feb 11, 2011 8:25 AM
Not the worst thing in the world to do the old format C: once or twice a year. Provided you have the Windows OS install disk, back everything you need up, format C, and do a clean install. I believe when you format you can set the partition sizes.
Feb 11, 2011 8:25am
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

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5,264 posts
Feb 11, 2011 10:10 AM
gut;674058 wrote:Not the worst thing in the world to do the old format C: once or twice a year. Provided you have the Windows OS install disk, back everything you need up, format C, and do a clean install. I believe when you format you can set the partition sizes.

Yeah... that went right above my head...
Feb 11, 2011 10:10am
M

MontyBrunswick

Feb 11, 2011 2:04 PM
Scarlet_Buckeye;674124 wrote:Yeah... that went right above my head...

Format = Wipe your hard drive clean and start over. Your computer would be exactly how it was when you got it out of the box. It'd even walk you though registering the machine, creating first user, etc.

Once or twice a year is too much. Formatting every few years (2-3) is probably a better estimate. My dad's computer has it's original XP install on it from 2003 or so. It drives me insane to use it, but it works just fine for my dad who just surfs the web on it.
Feb 11, 2011 2:04pm
G

gut

Senior Member

15,058 posts
Feb 11, 2011 2:15 PM
A clean install of Windows is one of the easiest things to do, but time consuming. The only real potential hurdle is if you don't know how to set-up your wireless connection, and I suppose if you have any sort of VPN for work to get email and/or connect to their network. Probably the best and most stable way to repartition a hard-drive, especially on older installations of Windows.

You may also try setting the default d/l destination from Firefox or Chrome to the drive with space and see if that works.
Feb 11, 2011 2:15pm
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

Senior Member

5,264 posts
Feb 11, 2011 4:58 PM
gut;674437 wrote:You may also try setting the default d/l destination from Firefox or Chrome to the drive with space and see if that works.

Please instruct me on how to do this. I think this is the main issue [at this point. I've done the eHow article, and I think that was perfect, but now I think I need to re-point my Firefox/Chrome downloads from C: to D:]
Feb 11, 2011 4:58pm
W

WebFire

Go Bucks!

14,779 posts
Feb 11, 2011 5:26 PM
Wiping your hard drive is way overkill for what he wants to do. And if he doesn't want to make a simple registry edit, I doubt he's wanting to go through the trouble of reformatting.

Did you restart after you made the regedit change?
Feb 11, 2011 5:26pm
W

WebFire

Go Bucks!

14,779 posts
Feb 11, 2011 5:27 PM
gut;674437 wrote:
You may also try setting the default d/l destination from Firefox or Chrome to the drive with space and see if that works.
If you are just downloading from your browser, this is most likely the easiest fix. But it won't work when installing things.
Feb 11, 2011 5:27pm
G

gut

Senior Member

15,058 posts
Feb 11, 2011 9:24 PM
Scarlet_Buckeye;674674 wrote:Please instruct me on how to do this. I think this is the main issue [at this point. I've done the eHow article, and I think that was perfect, but now I think I need to re-point my Firefox/Chrome downloads from C: to D:]
You can do it from tools/settings. In Chrome, click on the "wrench" in the upper right hand corner of the browser, go to options and scroll down to "Downloads" and click browse to select the location for your default d/l folder.

In Firefox, Tools-> Options -> General tab and a little over halfway down under "Save Files to" click the browse button to select a new default d/l folder.

If you can't free-up any more space it's really time to upgrade to a bigger hard drive. For $60-$80 you can get a nice external one that should be compatible and easy to use with your next PC when you decide to upgrade.
Feb 11, 2011 9:24pm
W

WebFire

Go Bucks!

14,779 posts
Feb 12, 2011 9:09 AM
gut, he has 80 GB free on the D: drive. He has plenty of space. Buying an external HD would not help his problem.
Feb 12, 2011 9:09am
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

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5,264 posts
Feb 12, 2011 11:09 AM
WebFire;674710 wrote:Wiping your hard drive is way overkill for what he wants to do.
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who saw the absurdity in that.
WebFire;674710 wrote:Did you restart after you made the regedit change?

Yes I did.
Feb 12, 2011 11:09am
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

Senior Member

5,264 posts
Feb 12, 2011 11:10 AM
gut;674937 wrote:You can do it from tools/settings. In Chrome, click on the "wrench" in the upper right hand corner of the browser, go to options and scroll down to "Downloads" and click browse to select the location for your default d/l folder.

In Firefox, Tools-> Options -> General tab and a little over halfway down under "Save Files to" click the browse button to select a new default d/l folder.

Thank you. I'm in Chicago right now, I will have to try this when I get back home to Cleveland and have access to my personal laptop.

Thanks!
Feb 12, 2011 11:10am
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

Senior Member

5,264 posts
Feb 12, 2011 11:12 AM
I believe if I were to download something from the internet, say, uninstall Chrome and re-download it, the eHow article worked in getting that download to direct to the D: drive. For whatever reason though, when I download this map update for my Garmin, it says I do not have enough space (because I believe it is still trying to point to my C: drive). I'll have to take a look at it again when I get back and let everyone know.

Thank you all again so much for the help
Feb 12, 2011 11:12am