D/drive problems?

[brambell]

Hi. Me again.

Can I first say that I'am blonbe when it comes to computers,but I'am learning all the time.

My O/S is vista.

I have a gadget that tells me how my computer is performing,and on the D/drive it tells me that my drive is at 91%. When I look at "My computer" it shows the D drive pie graph is at 91%.

Over the pass few weeks,I have seen this increase in persentage.

I have downloaded some software to the computer.

My copmputer is only about 6 months old.

I thought,the D drive holds all the vital files and that I should not do anything with. Which I have not messed with.

I have looked into the D drive and it shows me 2 files. The first is ******file and the next is MediaID.bin. When I look into the propeties it says that *****file size on the disc 0 bytes,contains 0 file,2 folders,and when I look into the

to the MediaID.bin file propeties it shows,size 528 bytes,size on disc 4.00 kb. It shows that it was created on the 21 june 2008.

My question is: How can my D drive show up at 92% And why?

When I download software does it store it on the C drive or the D drive?

Many thanks for looking at this.

Brambell :(

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

You may have hidden files on it, e.g. the page file. Enable to view hidden files (Windows Explorer, Tools, Folder Options) to see what's really on there.

[rong]

Is the D drive a restore partition?

[brambell]

Hi,not sure what you mean about the D drive a restore partition?

[Dencandy]

Do you mean 91% full? Have you run Disk Clean-up? Right click on the drive/partition, select Properties and run clean-up. Have you emptied the re-cycle bin? For additional cleaning you can use CCleaner (official site http://www.ccleaner.com/) used by several members of this forum & very reliable.

There's no single answer to the question where your downloaded software goes, it depends how the system is set up. Right click on each drive/partition then click on Open. The main folders & files on the disk will be shown. Look at the tool bar near the top of the screen and click on Views (it's a little blue box with coloured squares in it next to Folders), click on Details on the drop down menu & you'll get more information. To see even more info click on View on the other tool bar at the top that lists File, Edit, View, etc. You can then tick the extra information you would like to see, including file size, date installed, last looked at, etc. You can learn a lot from these screens. The blue bar at the very top should remind you of the name and letter of each disk/partition you are looking at. If you patiently work through all this you should get some answers to your questions.

Next time you download something look at the download window and it will specify the destination of the downloaded item. You can usually change this if you wish.

[Boris]

For clarity - what is the make/model no. of this laptop ?

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Hi Darren,

I think it is better to keep the conversation public in this thread, rather than going on with private messages.

Hi Pat, You replyed to my message about my D Drive being so high in %.

Thank you for your reply. I have done what you asked and this is what I found. There was 3 folders that came up. The first was erData and when I looked at the properties it said the file was 1.17GB in size,the next file was *****-PC and the file size it says was larger than 0bytes(not sure what that mines)and the last file was Media.bin and the file size was only 528 bytes.

Is this any help to you,because I'am still unsure why it is so high :(

When I load new software onto my computer it gets stored onto my C Drive not onto the D Drive,if this is right,how can I see an increase in % on the D Drive?

When I bought the computer I think that the % for the D Drive was around 70%-80%.

Many thanks

Darren.

Is there anything that you need on this D: drive? If not, I would simply go and format it. NTFS if possible.

One more question: is this a separate disk, or is it just a partition on your main disk? Use Computer Management | Disk Management too see the details. Can you post a screen shot (as mine below) of your Disk Management layout?

[brambell]

For clarity - what is the make/model no. of this laptop ?

Hi, laptop is an Acer and the model is Aspire 5520.

[Boris]

Hi,not sure what you mean about the D drive a restore partition?

Do you have an Acer supplied Recovery disk ?

If not - Acers often have a Restore Partition containing an image of your operating system - if so this must not be deleted as in the event of you suffering a total catastrophe you will not be able to restore the machine to its original state.

[brambell]

Hi Darren,

I think it is better to keep the conversation public in this thread, rather than going on with private messages.

Hi Pat, You replyed to my message about my D Drive being so high in %.

Thank you for your reply. I have done what you asked and this is what I found. There was 3 folders that came up. The first was erData and when I looked at the properties it said the file was 1.17GB in size,the next file was *****-PC and the file size it says was larger than 0bytes(not sure what that mines)and the last file was Media.bin and the file size was only 528 bytes.

Is this any help to you,because I'am still unsure why it is so high :(

When I load new software onto my computer it gets stored onto my C Drive not onto the D Drive,if this is right,how can I see an increase in % on the D Drive?

When I bought the computer I think that the % for the D Drive was around 70%-80%.

Many thanks

Darren.

Is there anything that you need on this D: drive? If not, I would simply go and format it. NTFS if possible.

One more question: is this a separate disk, or is it just a partition on your main disk? Use Computer Management | Disk Management too see the details. Can you post a screen shot (as mine below) of your Disk Management layout?

Hi,sorry about the messages. Will keep them public from now on. Did'nt think.

My O/S is Vista,and as far as I know the D drive is used to hold all the files on,if I need to restore the computer.

I have had a look at the computer management,and when I tried to copy and paste,it wont let me. So then I tried to upload the imformation,but it only lets me look at files,not the computer management. Sorry to say but how did you upload the imnormation I will try and find a way to get this information to you.

The D drive is a partition of the computer.

Many thanks.

[brambell]

Hi,not sure what you mean about the D drive a restore partition?

Do you have an Acer supplied Recovery disk ?

If not - Acers often have a Restore Partition containing an image of your operating system - if so this must not be deleted as in the event of you suffering a total catastrophe you will not be able to restore the machine to its original state.

No I dont have an Acer Recovery disk. As far as I know,this information is held on the D Drive. I will not delete anything to do with the D Drive.

My problem is understanding how the D Drive can increase in %,when I have never,as far as I know,put anything there. When I go into "my computer" and look at the D Drive,it shows up in red on the graph.

[Boris]

Glad you are not going to touch the D drive :)

Is there anything that you need on this D: drive? If not, I would simply go and format it. NTFS if possible.

I replied just in case you were considering Pat's suggestion to format the drive.

[brambell]

Do you mean 91% full? Have you run Disk Clean-up? Right click on the drive/partition, select Properties and run clean-up. Have you emptied the re-cycle bin? For additional cleaning you can use CCleaner (official site http://www.ccleaner.com/) used by several members of this forum & very reliable.

There's no single answer to the question where your downloaded software goes, it depends how the system is set up. Right click on each drive/partition then click on Open. The main folders & files on the disk will be shown. Look at the tool bar near the top of the screen and click on Views (it's a little blue box with coloured squares in it next to Folders), click on Details on the drop down menu & you'll get more information. To see even more info click on View on the other tool bar at the top that lists File, Edit, View, etc. You can then tick the extra information you would like to see, including file size, date installed, last looked at, etc. You can learn a lot from these screens. The blue bar at the very top should remind you of the name and letter of each disk/partition you are looking at. If you patiently work through all this you should get some answers to your questions.

Next time you download something look at the download window and it will specify the destination of the downloaded item. You can usually change this if you wish.

Hi. It shows up as 91% full and when I go into "my computer"and then look at the D Drive it shows 6.09GB free of 69.5GB and the graph is red in colour.

I have not done a disk clean upon drive D. Did'nt think that it was needed because the computer is only about 6 months old.

I far as I know,when I download some software,I think that it gets put somewhere in the C drive. Will pay more attension in the furture.

[brambell]

Glad you are not going to touch the D drive :)

Is there anything that you need on this D: drive? If not, I would simply go and format it. NTFS if possible.

I replied just in case you were considering Pat's suggestion to format the drive.

No,dont want to mess about with D Drive. To me it is the heart of the computer.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

No I dont have an Acer Recovery disk. As far as I know,this information is held on the D Drive.

So that is your recovery disk, on the D: drive? In that case I would just leave it alone; the recovery data are probably hidden.

[Dencandy]

No,dont want to mess about with D Drive. To me it is the heart of the computer.

Well, from what you've written brambell, it's the back-up heart rather than the heart. This Compaq laptop I'm working on now has a similar back-up system & is normally about 80% full. Since you have Vista (I have XP) that probably explains the extra space being used in your case & your Acer may not have been originally made with Vista in mind.

These back-up systems to the same HDD as the operating system work on a different file system (FAT32 for the back up partition, instead of NTFS) and I never mess with it, not even using Disk Clean Up. I don't know how it works, but assume the manufacturer does. If I was you I'd forget all about it and worry only about maintaining the C drive etc. Actually in normal circumstances it's the C drive which is the heart of the computer.. Also, what does the manual say about all this? If you're really curious, have you tried contacting Acer for more info, or joining one of their user groups?

[rong]

You will probably need to make a cd to access your recovery partition, I have never used one so I don't know how.

[brambell]

No,dont want to mess about with D Drive. To me it is the heart of the computer.

Well, from what you've written brambell, it's the back-up heart rather than the heart. This Compaq laptop I'm working on now has a similar back-up system & is normally about 80% full. Since you have Vista (I have XP) that probably explains the extra space being used in your case & your Acer may not have been originally made with Vista in mind.

These back-up systems to the same HDD as the operating system work on a different file system (FAT32 for the back up partition, instead of NTFS) and I never mess with it, not even using Disk Clean Up. I don't know how it works, but assume the manufacturer does. If I was you I'd forget all about it and worry only about maintaining the C drive etc. Actually in normal circumstances it's the C drive which is the heart of the computer.. Also, what does the manual say about all this? If you're really curious, have you tried contacting Acer for more info, or joining one of their user groups?

Hi thanks for your reply.

I have been watching the D Drive for some days now,and it has not move. I think the same as you,and because my computer is running ok,I think that I will not bother anymore about it.

I have not looked at the manual about this issue. Or I have not beeen on any sites regarding Acer produts.

Many thanks for taking time to read and reply to my messages.

:)