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Advan/Disadvan of Compressing Files to Save Disk Space


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Guest frank1492
Posted

I have an old Dell Inspiron laptop with a 20GB hard drive. Since

installing SP2, I only have about 700M left. I was thinking of

compressing the files to save space which is a "check box"

option in XP.

(1) Does compression involve *any* data loss

risk?

(2) Overall, what are the advantages/disadvantages?

(3) Any good free programs that can help me make the

decision of what files I can safely delete?

As usual. thanks very much for your advice!

Frank

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Guest Terry R.
Posted

Re: Advan/Disadvan of Compressing Files to Save Disk Space

 

On 9/6/2007 8:35 AM On a whim, frank1492 pounded out on the keyboard

> I have an old Dell Inspiron laptop with a 20GB hard drive. Since

> installing SP2, I only have about 700M left. I was thinking of

> compressing the files to save space which is a "check box"

> option in XP.

> (1) Does compression involve *any* data loss

> risk?

> (2) Overall, what are the advantages/disadvantages?

> (3) Any good free programs that can help me make the

> decision of what files I can safely delete?

> As usual. thanks very much for your advice!

> Frank

 

Hi Frank,

 

1. There is *always* a risk of data loss. That is why you need to

backup. But compression shouldn't make it a bigger risk.

 

2. You save space.

 

3. Free programs? No. Free information via the internet.

 

My suggestion is to buy a 2nd hard drive. You can get a small one at

Pricewatch for around $40 USD. Compression will never get you the

storage a 2nd drive can.

 

 

--

Terry R.

 

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Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.

Guest Unknown
Posted

Re: Advan/Disadvan of Compressing Files to Save Disk Space

 

You should first investigate why you only have 700 M left. That is unusually

small. What is eating up about 11 Gigs on your computer?

"frank1492" <frank1492@verizon.net> wrote in message

news:8870e3584pirf5m8ssiq8kcul88lqdkrco@4ax.com...

>I have an old Dell Inspiron laptop with a 20GB hard drive. Since

> installing SP2, I only have about 700M left. I was thinking of

> compressing the files to save space which is a "check box"

> option in XP.

> (1) Does compression involve *any* data loss

> risk?

> (2) Overall, what are the advantages/disadvantages?

> (3) Any good free programs that can help me make the

> decision of what files I can safely delete?

> As usual. thanks very much for your advice!

> Frank

Guest Tim Slattery
Posted

Re: Advan/Disadvan of Compressing Files to Save Disk Space

 

frank1492 <frank1492@verizon.net> wrote:

>I have an old Dell Inspiron laptop with a 20GB hard drive. Since

>installing SP2, I only have about 700M left. I was thinking of

>compressing the files to save space which is a "check box"

>option in XP.

> (1) Does compression involve *any* data loss risk?

 

There's always a risk when you mess with your disk. IMHO, the risk in

this case is very low.

> (2) Overall, what are the advantages/disadvantages?

 

It will take a bit longer to write to and read from your disk. It will

save some space on your disk, but I really don't think it's going to

save enough to really help you. IMHO you need to add a new, large

disk.

 

--

Tim Slattery

MS MVP(DTS)

Slattery_T@bls.gov

http://members.cox.net/slatteryt

Guest Ken Blake, MVP
Posted

Re: Advan/Disadvan of Compressing Files to Save Disk Space

 

On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 15:35:59 GMT, frank1492 <frank1492@verizon.net>

wrote:

> I have an old Dell Inspiron laptop with a 20GB hard drive. Since

> installing SP2, I only have about 700M left. I was thinking of

> compressing the files to save space which is a "check box"

> option in XP.

> (1) Does compression involve *any* data loss

> risk?

 

 

Certainly.

 

> (2) Overall, what are the advantages/disadvantages?

 

 

Advantages: only one--less disk space used.

 

Disadvantages: Increased risk, possible decrease in performance

(especially on an older computer).

 

> (3) Any good free programs that can help me make the

> decision of what files I can safely delete?

> As usual. thanks very much for your advice!

 

 

Anything you do will at best be a stopgap measure. For almost

everyone, these days a 20GB drive is insufficient. Unless your use of

this computer is minimal, my advice is to bite the bullet and buy a

larger drive (or perhaps even a newer computer).

 

--

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User

Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Guest Ken Blake, MVP
Posted

Re: Advan/Disadvan of Compressing Files to Save Disk Space

 

On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 08:54:43 -0700, "Terry R." <F1ComNOSPAM@pobox.com>

wrote:

> On 9/6/2007 8:35 AM On a whim, frank1492 pounded out on the keyboard

>

> > I have an old Dell Inspiron laptop with a 20GB hard drive. Since

> > installing SP2, I only have about 700M left. I was thinking of

> > compressing the files to save space which is a "check box"

> > option in XP.

> > (1) Does compression involve *any* data loss

> > risk?

> > (2) Overall, what are the advantages/disadvantages?

> > (3) Any good free programs that can help me make the

> > decision of what files I can safely delete?

> > As usual. thanks very much for your advice!

> > Frank

>

> Hi Frank,

>

> 1. There is *always* a risk of data loss. That is why you need to

> backup. But compression shouldn't make it a bigger risk.

>

> 2. You save space.

>

> 3. Free programs? No. Free information via the internet.

>

> My suggestion is to buy a 2nd hard drive. You can get a small one at

> Pricewatch for around $40 USD. Compression will never get you the

> storage a 2nd drive can.

 

 

 

This is a laptop, and almost certainly can not take a second drive. He

would need to replace the existing drive with a bigger one. For almost

everyone, I would recommend at least a 60GB drive, which typically

runs somewhat over $100 US. Here's one for $120, for example:

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-CF-VHDJ600GB-60GB-Laptop-Drive/dp/B000FTEE6M

or http://tinyurl.com/32t8dn

 

 

--

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User

Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Guest Terry R.
Posted

Re: Advan/Disadvan of Compressing Files to Save Disk Space

 

On 9/6/2007 12:11 PM On a whim, Ken Blake, MVP pounded out on the keyboard

> On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 08:54:43 -0700, "Terry R." <F1ComNOSPAM@pobox.com>

> wrote:

>

>> On 9/6/2007 8:35 AM On a whim, frank1492 pounded out on the keyboard

>>

>>> I have an old Dell Inspiron laptop with a 20GB hard drive. Since

>>> installing SP2, I only have about 700M left. I was thinking of

>>> compressing the files to save space which is a "check box"

>>> option in XP.

>>> (1) Does compression involve *any* data loss

>>> risk?

>>> (2) Overall, what are the advantages/disadvantages?

>>> (3) Any good free programs that can help me make the

>>> decision of what files I can safely delete?

>>> As usual. thanks very much for your advice!

>>> Frank

>> Hi Frank,

>>

>> 1. There is *always* a risk of data loss. That is why you need to

>> backup. But compression shouldn't make it a bigger risk.

>>

>> 2. You save space.

>>

>> 3. Free programs? No. Free information via the internet.

>>

>> My suggestion is to buy a 2nd hard drive. You can get a small one at

>> Pricewatch for around $40 USD. Compression will never get you the

>> storage a 2nd drive can.

>

>

>

> This is a laptop, and almost certainly can not take a second drive. He

> would need to replace the existing drive with a bigger one. For almost

> everyone, I would recommend at least a 60GB drive, which typically

> runs somewhat over $100 US. Here's one for $120, for example:

> http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-CF-VHDJ600GB-60GB-Laptop-Drive/dp/B000FTEE6M

> or http://tinyurl.com/32t8dn

>

>

 

Thanks for the correction. I completely spaced on it being a laptop.

 

--

Terry R.

 

***Reply Note***

Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.

Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.

Guest Ken Blake, MVP
Posted

Re: Advan/Disadvan of Compressing Files to Save Disk Space

 

On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 12:27:56 -0700, "Terry R." <F1ComNOSPAM@pobox.com>

wrote:

> On 9/6/2007 12:11 PM On a whim, Ken Blake, MVP pounded out on the keyboard

>

> > On Thu, 06 Sep 2007 08:54:43 -0700, "Terry R." <F1ComNOSPAM@pobox.com>

> > wrote:

> >

> >> On 9/6/2007 8:35 AM On a whim, frank1492 pounded out on the keyboard

> >>

> >>> I have an old Dell Inspiron laptop with a 20GB hard drive. Since

> >>> installing SP2, I only have about 700M left. I was thinking of

> >>> compressing the files to save space which is a "check box"

> >>> option in XP.

> >>> (1) Does compression involve *any* data loss

> >>> risk?

> >>> (2) Overall, what are the advantages/disadvantages?

> >>> (3) Any good free programs that can help me make the

> >>> decision of what files I can safely delete?

> >>> As usual. thanks very much for your advice!

> >>> Frank

> >> Hi Frank,

> >>

> >> 1. There is *always* a risk of data loss. That is why you need to

> >> backup. But compression shouldn't make it a bigger risk.

> >>

> >> 2. You save space.

> >>

> >> 3. Free programs? No. Free information via the internet.

> >>

> >> My suggestion is to buy a 2nd hard drive. You can get a small one at

> >> Pricewatch for around $40 USD. Compression will never get you the

> >> storage a 2nd drive can.

> >

> >

> >

> > This is a laptop, and almost certainly can not take a second drive. He

> > would need to replace the existing drive with a bigger one. For almost

> > everyone, I would recommend at least a 60GB drive, which typically

> > runs somewhat over $100 US. Here's one for $120, for example:

> > http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-CF-VHDJ600GB-60GB-Laptop-Drive/dp/B000FTEE6M

> > or http://tinyurl.com/32t8dn

> >

> >

>

> Thanks for the correction. I completely spaced on it being a laptop.

 

 

You're welcome. It's easy to miss details like that; I've done it too.

 

--

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User

Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Posted

Re: Advan/Disadvan of Compressing Files to Save Disk Space

 

Ken Blake, MVP wrote:

>

> Anything you do will at best be a stopgap measure. For almost

> everyone, these days a 20GB drive is insufficient. Unless your use of

 

Not only that, but its a very old drive and is already living on

borrowed time :)

Posted

Re: Advan/Disadvan of Compressing Files to Save Disk Space

 

frank1492 wrote:

>

> I have an old Dell Inspiron laptop with a 20GB hard drive. Since

> installing SP2, I only have about 700M left. I was thinking of

> compressing the files to save space which is a "check box"

> option in XP.

 

No, dont compress any files. What you really need is a larger HDD.

 

 

 

 

 

--

http://www.bootdisk.com/

Guest Ken Blake, MVP
Posted

Re: Advan/Disadvan of Compressing Files to Save Disk Space

 

On 6 Sep 2007 17:26:02 -0500, Plato <|@|.|> wrote:

> Ken Blake, MVP wrote:

> >

> > Anything you do will at best be a stopgap measure. For almost

> > everyone, these days a 20GB drive is insufficient. Unless your use of

>

> Not only that, but its a very old drive and is already living on

> borrowed time :)

 

 

 

Yes, good point.

 

 

--

Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User

Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Guest frank1492
Posted

Re: Advan/Disadvan of Compressing Files to Save Disk Space

 

Thank you all for your help. I guess I will try not to

do a compression and will look for other options first.

I will leave my 20G hard drive alone for now.

There are files that I can delete/move to a portable

HD, but I would prefer not to.

I believe I asked if there are any programs that

can help me make the decision of what I can safely

delete, including duplicate files. Any ideas?

Thanks again.

Frank


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