hi, for some reason my hard drive space (4gb) has come down to 197mb recently. i thought it was about 300.

i cleaned up the drive a couple of times but it didn't give any saving. i also deleted unessential programs but that didn't make any difference either.

i removed Office which was apparently taking 260-odd mb. It then showed 800mb free on the hard drive, which was odd as i hadn't taken that much off.

i reinstalled just word and excel from office and it said i had 620mb free space.
i've just received a notice saying i have only 167mb now, just a few hours after having 600.
i haven't downloaded anything in that time. have just been surfing normally.

i haven't got a clue what might have happened.

if anyone has any idea i would be very grateful and this is puzzling me.

thanks
James

XP runs a variable Page File which uses the hard drive. This could be the issue.

Also deletions remain in the Recycling bin and or any Backup utilities you might be using.

Also Defrag etc. So many variables.

I am amazed that XP alone, not to mention Office, runs on a 4GB hard drive!

A one to two GB inconsistency would be very normal.

You should really consider a new drive.

Here is a detailed tool if you want to use it:

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/...Reporter.shtml

i originally posted this in OS help but on thinking it might be virus related so i have reposted it here with a hijack this report:-

hi, for some reason my hard drive space (4gb) has come down to 197mb recently. i thought it was about 300.

i cleaned up the drive a couple of times but it didn't give any saving. i also deleted unessential programs but that didn't make any difference either.

i removed Office which was apparently taking 260-odd mb. It then showed 800mb free on the hard drive, which was odd as i hadn't taken that much off.

i reinstalled just word and excel from office and it said i had 620mb free space.
i've just received a notice saying i have only 167mb now, just a few hours after having 600.
i haven't downloaded anything in that time. have just been surfing normally.

i haven't got a clue what might have happened.

if anyone has any idea i would be very grateful and this is puzzling me.

thanks
James

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 03:35:47, on 13/01/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Virgin Broadband\PCguard\Fws.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXPPS.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\EPSON\EBAPI\eEBSVC.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Authentium\AntiVirus\dvpapi.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\EPSON\EBAPI\SAgent2.exe
C:\Program Files\CA\PPRT\bin\ITMRTSVC.exe
C:\Program Files\Raxco\PerfectDisk\PDAgent.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\BroadJump\Client Foundation\CFD.exe
C:\Program Files\Virgin Broadband\advisor\Broadbandadvisor.exe
C:\Program Files\Virgin Broadband\PCguard\Rps.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Gmail Notifier\gnotify.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\E_S10IC 2.EXE
C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
C:\Program Files\Virgin Broadband\PCguard\rpsupdaterR.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.tiscali.co.uk/search/
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.google.co.uk/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.tiscali.co.uk
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = Microsoft Internet Explorer provided by Tiscali
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Int ernet Settings,ProxyOverride = 127.0.0.1
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
O2 - BHO: Pop-Up Blocker BHO - {3C060EA2-E6A9-4E49-A530-D4657B8C449A} - C:\Program Files\Virgin Broadband\PCguard\pkR.dll
O2 - BHO: Spybot-S&D IE Protection - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BJCFD] C:\Program Files\BroadJump\Client Foundation\CFD.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Broadbandadvisor.exe] "C:\Program Files\Virgin Broadband\advisor\Broadbandadvisor.exe" /AUTORUN
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PCguard] "C:\Program Files\Virgin Broadband\PCguard\Rps.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [-FreedomNeedsReboot] "C:\Program Files\Virgin Broadband\PCguard\ZkRunOnceR.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [{0228e555-4f9c-4e35-a3ec-b109a192b4c2}] C:\Program Files\Google\Gmail Notifier\gnotify.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [EPSON Stylus CX3200] C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\E_S10IC 2.EXE /P19 "EPSON Stylus CX3200" /O6 "USB003" /M "Stylus CX3200"
O4 - HKLM\..\RunOnce: [IndexCleaner] "C:\Program Files\Virgin Broadband\PCguard\IdxClnR.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SpybotSD TeaTimer] C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\RunOnce: [IndexCleaner] "C:\Program Files\Virgin Broadband\PCguard\IdxClnR.exe"
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search & Destroy Configuration - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe (file missing)
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\nwprovau.dll
O14 - IERESET.INF: START_PAGE_URL=http://www.tiscali.co.uk
O23 - Service: DvpApi (dvpapi) - Authentium, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Authentium\AntiVirus\dvpapi.exe
O23 - Service: EpsonBidirectionalService - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\EPSON\EBAPI\eEBSVC.exe
O23 - Service: EPSON Printer Status Agent2 (EPSONStatusAgent2) - SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION - C:\Program Files\Common Files\EPSON\EBAPI\SAgent2.exe
O23 - Service: CA Pest Patrol Realtime Protection Service (ITMRTSVC) - CA, Inc. - C:\Program Files\CA\PPRT\bin\ITMRTSVC.exe
O23 - Service: LexBce Server (LexBceS) - Lexmark International, Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
O23 - Service: PDAgent - Raxco Software, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Raxco\PerfectDisk\PDAgent.exe
O23 - Service: PDEngine - Raxco Software, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Raxco\PerfectDisk\PDEngine.exe
O23 - Service: Virgin Broadband PCguard Update Service (RPSUpdaterR) - Radialpoint Inc. - C:\Program Files\Virgin Broadband\PCguard\rpsupdaterR.exe
O23 - Service: PCguard Firewall (RP_FWS) - Virgin Media - C:\Program Files\Virgin Broadband\PCguard\Fws.exe

--
End of file - 5288 bytes

Can anybody help with this?

does it look like a virus is on my pc?

thanks

does it look like a virus is on my pc?

No issues are evident in that LOG.

It may be possible that INDEXCLEANER is an entry in that log suggesting that system wide indexing may a feature from your ISP that could be creating significant storage overhead requirements.

Jephree's comments probably say it all - you simply need a bigger hard drive. An 80GB hard drive is not uncommon these days and a minimum 200-300GB is getting to be the norm for new systems.

I will also state that a PC without 20-25% free storage space on a smaller drive (1 GB) is a PC soon to be going to have serious performance issues and problems. Even minor installs could fill up your hard drive in the system cache and temporary files leaving you with your current 4% storage space.