I was given a computer that is running WINDOWS xp home edition. It shows that it is a 9 GB hard drive. At the moment it only has a little over 2 GB of free space. I need to free up more space. I have run the disk cleanup, I have run disk Defrag (even though it says some files won't defrag) I have ran the %temp% and deleted every thiing that had .tmp on it.  (This still leaves some items there because I don't know what they are) I clean out all the emails (it had over 4500 emails on it) and yet I can't get any more space on it.  I do not have an internet CONNECTION to it and don't plan on getting one. All I want it for is to edit and adjust my photos on. While my son plays games on this computer

When I click on my computer and then Hard Drive C: there are several small blue file cabinet icons. I do not know what these are.  They show that they were created in 1999. Some say Win98 and then numbered 1 - 40.

I don't know what to unistall.  I did reduce the size of the recycle bin. I did DISABLE the hibernation. And I adjusted the system restore point. Any suggestions would helpcan you post screenshots of the small blue file cabinet icons?not sure how to do that. I will try and move it from the computer in basement and bring it up hereGo to Control Panel > Add/Remove programs and remove any programs you no longer use.....Be sure you know what you are removing....... Don't remove any of those files, you could end up with a brick instaed of a PC......To make a screenshot.....press the PrtScr key , Go to Start>Programs>Accessories>Paint.........Paste[quote authoro=depdan link=topic=86076.msg575216#msg575216 date=1245709060]
When I click on my computer and then Hard Drive C: there are several small blue file cabinet icons. I do not know what these are.  They show that they were created in 1999. Some say Win98 and then numbered 1 - 40.
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Are these in the root folder of C:\, or in- say, "C:\windows\precopy" or something to that effect?

Either way, it sounds like they are the windows 98 Cabinet files used for install of Win98. A lot of manufacturers put them on the PC when they were sent out with windows 98, so that the user wouldn't need the CD.

Looks to me, that this PC of yours started life with windows 98 and was upgraded to windows XP, leaving a few remnants of it's origins, not the least of which is the windows 98 Cabinet files.

You can safely delete the cabinet files.

When I go to my computer and then click on C: all of the cabinets are there on the screen along with other folders. Some of these folders are empty and others still have info in them. For example some folders are Windows, WUTemp, Scans, Win98, Fax, etc. There are other little blue file cabinets with 2 grey drawers marked Driver18, driver19, Net, Catalog, Win98, etc

I transfered one of the cabinets from downstairs to up here. But I can't make the screen shot work. I'm not sure how you would paste it to this post.

Is there some way to get a Windows XP disk that I could just reinstall the system and start all over again without any of that old information there?Have you considered a NEW drive ? ?
Storage is dirt cheap right now...and we could assist with doing a direct copy of your existing drive to a new one so you wouldn't miss a beat...OK, hopefully I've attached an image that shows what the file cabinet looks like. Thank you to everyone who has responded. I really do appreciate the suggestions and ideas.

[attachment deleted by admin]just wanted to pass along that after a lot of trial and error I did manage to free up some more space. It now shows that there is 3.55 gigs of free space which is more that I had to begin with. I was also finally able to get a modem put in so I can get back on the internet with that computer in the basement. At the moment the only annoying thing is when I turn it on now I get a blue screen that tells me scandisk needs to check some of the drives for errors. Is this normal?

Danyes, if it has 98 on it.  I havent messed with that stuff in a while.  I would just do fresh install if I were you but THATS up too you.  Look for music an video files, thats not a huge drive so your very limited here.