Windows Vista free system drive space?

Hi, I'm back again with a memory problem, except this time what bothers me is that I can't free up much memory and it doesnt make sense.
Ok so I just uninstalled some programs, I have 25 GB on my system partition totally (yes i know Im stupid for putting that during windows installation) and all of the files on it actually add up to 16 GB, including program files, users folder, program data and windows. Here's a screenshot: link
Other folders on the drive add up to about 120 MB. Yet, I only have 2.40 GB free...
I know there is a program that tells you what takes up how much space on your HD but I forgot what, maybe someone can give me a hint what it is.
Either way, I need at least 5 GB free, I mean having like at least 6 GB randomly roaming in imaginary space while I should be USING it, is really stupid I think. So yeah, any advice on what I can do?

 

Here is my on-going list of things to do to reclaim disk space. Most of them are straightforward but if you feel apprehensive or unsure about running something, just ignore it. Be careful with number 4, here they are:

1. WinDirStat shows where disk space is being used including a nice graphical display. Just let the mouse pointer hover over the coloured areas to identify different file types. It won’t remove anything but it’s a good starting point in identifying the large "˜chunks’ of used space. Download it here http://windirstat.info/

TreeSize Free tells you where disk space has gone here http://www.jam-software.com/freeware/index.shtml

2. Remove temporary files. Click the Windows Orb (Start) > Run (if the Run command is not there, go to All Programs > Accessories and then click Run), type %temp% and press Enter. All the files that show can be safely deleted, there may be a few obstinate ones that refuse to be deleted.
3. Delete any temporary files that may be left over from CD and DVD burning. Navigate to the hidden folder C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Burn\Temporary Burn Folder and delete all the files.
4. Run Disk Cleanup. However, read this before running it http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/serious-disk-cleanup-problem-caused-by-broken-registration/ If you have any of the large files mentioned in the article, don’t continue with it but run the Vista Disk Cleanup error bug fix http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/175654-disk-cleanup-windows-error-reporting-bug-fix.html
Access Disk Cleanup by going to Windows Orb (Start) > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools.
5. If you don't use Hibernation you can save the equivalent in hard drive space as the amount of RAM that is installed by turning it off. In a Run window, type powercfg.exe -h off (note the two spaces) and press Enter. To turn it back on type powercfg.exe -h on and press Enter.
6. Reduce the amount of space used by system restore. Open an elevated command prompt by clicking the Windows Orb (Start) > All Programs > Accessories and right-click Command Prompt, then "˜Run as Administrator’. To display the current parameters type (or Copy and mouse right-click > Paste) "vssadmin list shadowstorage" (not the quotes but the two spaces) and press Enter. To reduce (or increase) the disk space allocated, type (or Copy and Paste) "vssadmin resize shadowstorage /on=c: /for=c: /maxsize=5GB" (not the quotes but the five spaces) and press Enter. This example assumes changing the space on drive C to 5GB. You may find that all the restore points have been removed after resizing so make sure the computer is behaving itself before reducing the space allocation. Also, make a manual restore point immediately after resizing.
7. Reduce the space used by the Recycle Bin. Right-click the Bin > Properties > Custom Size and amend as necessary.
8. The huge, Windows\winsxs (side by side folder) folder has a built-in function which identifies items that have been replaced by newer versions and removes them. Also, there is a "˜run-once’ program in SP1 that will immediately clean up all the components that were replaced in the Winsxs folder when SP1 was installed. NOTE that once you run the program you will no longer be able to remove SP1 should any problems occur, so make absolutely certain your computer is behaving itself before running it. Firstly, check the size of the folder by right-clicking it, choose Properties and make a note of its size and the number of files and folders. To run the program, open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\System32, look for the file VSP1CLN.EXE (the capitals are for clarity only), right-click it, select Run As Administrator then reply Y to the prompt. Now check its size again to see how much disk space you have reclaimed, you will be surprised as it will be quite substantial.

There is no harm in running the program where SP1 was either included on the DVD or slipstreamed into the DVD before installation. Depending upon what has been installed, you may gain some disk space. The VSP1CLN.EXE program is described here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc709655.aspx

 

Yeah I know that, I just keep messing up the two terms. I gotta learn to use space/capacity for the hard drive one.
BurrWalnut: Thank you very much! The last solution helped a lot. Also, I would suggest moving your page file to be a 9th option, because this is what I've just done before I saw your response. It freed up a lot of memory for me. Make sure to set "no page file" on C and to move it to another partition on the same physical hard drive. Just look up on google for other instructions, if you don't know already.
At this point I have a fair amount of space free, although, when using treespace and calculating how much space I should have free I still have well a fair amount of 2 GB floating in imaginary space. I added up all the amounts that treespace gave me besides the free space, subtracted that from 25600 MB (25 gb) and then subtracted how much free space i have left from what I got for the previous action, and according to that I still have 2287.1 MB left over. What could it be?

 

You haven't taken into account the Pagefile (Pagefile.sys) and Hybernation file (Hyberfil.sys), which are directly on the C: drive, not in a folder.

I looked at your other thread:
http://www.windowsbbs.com/malware-virus-removal/78872-active-hard-drive-shrank-possible-malware.html
You need to make space on your C: drive.

To increase the size of the partition, you will need to get a partition managing program, like Partition Magic (there are probably some free ones around), but none will guarantee that you won't lose your data.

You could purchase another HDD, put the data from the second partition (D: drive) on that, delete the second partition, then increase the size of the C: drive and then make a smaller D: drive.

The quickest and easiest method I suggest is to go to Control Panel -> Programs and Features, uninstall the large programs. Reinstall them, but select "Custom Installation ". Change the installation path from C:\ Program Files to D:\ Program Files (just change the C to a D). That is how to manage running Windows on a small OS drive.

Check the size of your Documents folder. In Help and Support, look up "Redirecting a folder to a new location ".

If you don't use Hibernation, you can turn it off and delete the Hiberfil.sys file, but apart from that, I wouldn't try manipulating any system files.

You are going to have your work cut out trying to run Vista on 25GB.

Matt
Edit: I did not see your last post about the pagefile, you posted while I was typing.

 

I don’t know if you know the two definitions of "˜Gigabyte‘. When referring to RAM sizes and file sizes it has a binary definition of 1024 to the power of 3 (1,073,741,824 bytes). For every other use it means 1000 to the power of 3 (1,000,000,000). An example is an advertised 250GB hard disk containing about 250 billion characters but only 232GB in 'computer-speak'. The 'cunning' HDD (and RAM) manufacturers, quite naturally, refer to the higher figure. To make it slightly worse, not all the space is available for your data.

 

I've had this argument before, HD manufacturers yes, I've yet to see RAM manufacturers make the same claim. Can you elaborate on this?

 

If by hibernation you mean sleep/standby mode yes I do use it.
Other than that thanks guys. I also uninstalled some large programs first thing and checked my documents folder, etc. I probably will make a 500 mb page file like you (PeteC) suggested. Thanks!

 

Admittedly, it manifests itself in a different way to the disk space algorithms. I’m talking about reserved memory taken by, for example, a graphic chip, where a novice might buy a computer expecting n amount of RAM but has n less 256MB.

 

Fair enough, but I will point out that 4Gb ram is 4Gb (binary) of RAM. RAM manufacturers have no way of knowing your system specification and although 4GB on a 32bit system is unlikley to be used in full, 4GB on a 64bit system will be 4Gb. The RAM manufacturers are not making claims, they are selling the product as advertised.