Resolved Disk cleanup wont compress old files

Hi, When I use disk cleanup, It says I will gain about 62MB of space If I check compress old files. I checkmark it and run it. When it finished it has the same amount. It used to go to zero. I also see no increase in HDD space.I read the other post on this issue but The answer I need to know is why, after running it, wont it go to zero?

 

Hi and welcome to the WindowsBBS community.

I doubt Windows selects "Compress old files" very well. The ones you have identified (62MB) are probably in general use and just get decompressed again immediately.

I set little store in the figures for Compress Old Files. After you have started using the system again, I think it will decompress some/a lot/most of them.

I find it's like when you go to Add or Remove Programs and you want to uninstall a favourite program, so that you can install a new version. It often says the program is rarely/seldom used, even though you only just closed it down .

It's also like when you do a download and the time to completion is "X" minutes...an hour or more later...
My boss calls them "Microsoft Minutes "

Windows gets it wrong sometimes (shock!, horror! )

Would you value 62MB very much? I always try to keep the Windows drive at LEAST at more than 15% freespace and preferably well over 20%. Windows does very strange things when it's drive goes down below 10% freespace.

Matt

 

Thanks, Now thats an answer I can understand. Actually you answered another question of mine. " How much drive space is sufficient "? On a 40 Gig HD I've got 3 Gig free. I recently added a 500 Gig additional HD Guessing that all these recent abnormalities had something to do with my low percentage of free space.I bought this system in 2005 for my wife and me but now my kids are at the computer using age. A 40 GB HD is ridiculous now. Thanks for the reply and the info.

 

If the information is sufficient, please remember to mark the thread Resolved, it is in the Thread Tools. I will do it this time.

Good luck getting the space sorted out.