How do I get 15% free disk space so I can defrag?

My comp has around 3GB of free space (when I point my cursor to C:// when I click My Computer)
But when I try to defrag with AusLogics, it says I need 15% of free space to defrag! Is the only way to get more space Add/Delete Programs? Or is there other ways?

It asked if I wanted to defrag anyway with less space, and I said yes, but it skipped like 5000 files.

Also, can someone explain the difference between Hard drive space and memory space? And how you can change either one?

adot4442007-12-08T16:24:00Z

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You can delete things until you have enough free space, but there is another way to defragment that does not require 15% free space. If you click Start>Run and type exactly this without the quotes "defrag C: -f" then it will run the Windows Disk Defragmenter (which is perfectly adequate) and force a complete defragmentation in spite of the lack of free space. It may take significantly longer, so if it is a laptop make sure it's plugged in in a cool environment on a hard surface (like a glass tabletop) so it doesn't overheat. As for the difference between system memory and hard disk space, system memory (also called RAM for Random Access Memory) is solid-state (no moving parts) memory that is extremely fast compared to your hard drive. The hard drive is a mechanically rotating device that is the slowest component of your system. The memory is where Windows and programs load their data into when they are opened. Since it is fast, it allows your computer to access data much faster than reading and writing it to the hard drive all the time. The hard drive is where your computer permanently stores what you have worked on. When you save a file, it is written to the hard drive. When you shut down your system, any important changes to the system or program settings are written to the hard drive so that the changes are saved when you reboot your computer, because the system memory does not retain the data in it when power is cut off. This is why you often lose your work in the event of a power failure. To upgrade your memory, you need to buy another stick (or two or three) more (making sure it is the right type for your motherboard). To add storage space, you can either buy an additional hard drive (internal or external) and store things on it, or you can just buy a bigger drive to use as your single drive. You can also combine drives in a RAID array for increased data access speed or data loss prevention, but it is a fairly technically challenging approach.

jizmo2007-12-12T13:19:31Z

Uninstall programs that you dont need, burn music, movies pics etc onto DVDs ets, run a diskcleanup(get rid of temp files, recycle bin files, older restore points) and you should be able to get some space free. You can also get an external drive and move some stuff off to it. If that doesnt work, check out some third party tools which may complete the task with much lesser free space.
HDD space is the storehouse of data, where all your files, programs etc are stored. RAM is memory which is required to run the programs that you have installed.

Default 501x2007-12-09T00:26:52Z

memory is your ram, it is what programs need in order to run.
hard drive space is where your programs, music, videos and pictures are stored.

to use an analogy:
for a car, the memory space would be your gas: what you need for your car to run
and the hard drive space would be your trunk: where you store all of your stuff

you can free up some hard drive space by either running the cleanup wizard by right clicking on the hard drive, clicking properties, and then clicking run disc space wizard

or you can delete old files and uninstall old or unused programs

you can add more memory by buying more ram, but you need to find out what kind you have first.

TNguy2007-12-09T00:26:22Z

Memory is RAM, and its temporary. When the power to your PC is off...memory is lost. If you dont save something you are typing, and lose power..its gone because it was in memory. You can only increase memory, by purchasing more RAM.

Storage is hard drive space. When you save something, it is placed on your hard drive. Uninstall any programs you dont need. (Start..Control panel...Add/Remove Programs)

Run CCleaner to clean up junk files from your hard drive.
CCleaner is a freeware system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. But the best part is that it's fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware!

You might consider buying an external hard drive for storing music, movies, and pictures because these files are typically very large, and consume a lot of drive space.

RE2007-12-09T00:25:01Z

Go to the control panel and then remove programs and remove any software you are not using. Like games and stuff. Hard drive space is where you store all your files/programs and Memory Space that you are probably talking of is RAM.. Random Access Memory. It is used to run programs and software and can be upgraded if needed .

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