Probably pointless in me asking this.....

[Techno]

You could TRY cloud storage - I use dropbox, even you could cope with that un. Your ISP my offer it as well as part of the contract. Move your photos there. IanS

I've used Dropbox in the past, Ian.....Basically when I was doing some bits and bobs for another 'firm'....
I used it so little, that's one of the 'things' I've uninstalled.....Might give that another whirl though.

I DO back up all the photos on DVD-Rs or a flash drive.....For some reason I'm reluctant to 'not have' some physical back up....I just like having photos on the PC too...So I can  flick through them at any time.....I know that's sad ! 

You could give the old computer to an organisation like these guys http://www.computersforcharities.org/

I have to say that I'm just a little bit paranoid about doing something like that, Steve.
It bothers me that some 'naughty personl' could glean useful info from it. Even when it's 'cleaned'.
Otherwise, that's a great idea.

Cheers - Phil

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Or... Hit it wiv an nammer!

[Leman]

I'd go with Lemmy on this, although my lifetime subscription to Mackeeper has got me out of all sorts of problems with just a few clicks each time.

[sebigboss79]

Get a tool called C Cleaner and auslogics disk defrag. install and run both of them. Uninstall all unneccessary software and get an external HD for storing stuff. I have a 2TB HDD just for that and a 500GB one for System etc.

[Leman]

Yes, a 500GB external drive is very useful for keeping the drive in the computer clear.

[toxicpixie]

That said if you're getting a new machine in a few weeks you might be as easy to get a hard drive caddy and take the HDD out the old machine an pop it in. Then you can just plug it into the USB slot on the new box and not even need to take up the space the old one does

[Techno]

That said if you're getting a new machine in a few weeks you might be as easy to get a hard drive caddy and take the HDD out the old machine an pop it in. Then you can just plug it into the USB slot on the new box and not even need to take up the space the old one does

Oh....Come on !......ME !!......Actually.....I think I actually follow that...... .....As a technological numpty, I didn't realize you could do that !
Do I get one of these caddy things from the local golf club, or are we talking about something that tea's kept in ? 
Cheers - Phil.

[sebigboss79]

Oh....Come on !......ME !!......Actually.....I think I actually follow that...... .....As a technological numpty, I didn't realize you could do that !
Do I get one of these caddy things from the local golf club, or are we talking about something that tea's kept in ? 
Cheers - Phil.

If you only lived any closer. I would keep your computer up to date and you could keep the minis coming....

[toxicpixie]

Oh....Come on !......ME !!......Actually.....I think I actually follow that...... .....As a technological numpty, I didn't realize you could do that !
Do I get one of these caddy things from the local golf club, or are we talking about something that tea's kept in ? 
Cheers - Phil.

If you can tell the difference between a flat head and a cross head screw you can take a HDD out Although it might be worth a google first just to reassure yourself you know what the drive actually looks like

[Techno]

I know what the hard drive in a laptop looks like......'Cos I have taken a hammer to one of those.
(Mrs T wanted it smashed to little bits after it was replaced.)
Us ?.....Paranoid ?
Cheers - Phil

[toxicpixie]

You can potentially recover the info from the smashed platters if you're good and have the kit

[Last Hussar]

If it's music taking up space move the mp3s to CD-R, then delete off your hard disk.  MP3 gets about a minute per Mb - so about 700 minutes on a cd, compared to 70 mins of 'Music CD'.  The CD will act like normal storage, you'll be able to play via any computer (and even MP3 enabled CD players).  Same with your pics -get them off and onto CD. If the computer goes west you will still have them.

[Last Hussar]

Oh, and search to see what large files you have. ~1 son has just found a TERABYTE of uncompressed video!  He couldn't work out why he had low space warning!  He was recording Minecraft games 

[Techno]

If it's music taking up space move the mp3s to CD-R, then delete off your hard disk.  MP3 gets about a minute per Mb - so about 700 minutes on a cd, compared to 70 mins of 'Music CD'.  The CD will act like normal storage, you'll be able to play via any computer (and even MP3 enabled CD players).  Same with your pics -get them off and onto CD. If the computer goes west you will still have them.

Thanks LH, but....
Erm.....But if I delete everything out of iTunes......Then want to add a few new tracks to the iPod.....Doesn't the iPod loose everything that's on it apart from the new tracks, when it updates ?

Cheers - Phil

[fred.]

Yes, it will.

Files sitting on the hard disk have no impact of the PC, until you get down to around only 10% of space free.

It is active programmes running that slow things down.

Music files while fairly big, aren't that huge and have a use, when you want to listen to them. I'm not sure that putting them back onto CDs solves much. CDs are pretty big - I have 5GB of music on my phone which is about half the size of one CD in its storage case.

It's irrelevant stuff that you wan to get rid of.