MBA 11" Bootcamp size [Archive]

gman901

May 9, 2011, 10:59 AM

I currently run Windows 7 Home edition on my Bootcamp partition @ 20 GB in total size so I can reserve most of my space to the Mac side. The only reason I use Windows 7 is for Steam, which I currentlly run using an external hard drive so no space is taken up on my Windows partition. I also have Parallels 6.0 running on my Air and use it for work related stuff that requires Windows. My Bootcamp partition has 2.1 GB remaining (and this is without updating to Service Pack 1). Everything runs fine and is very fast on both partitions; however I am a little worried that I may fill up my drive space on Windows due to all of the updates that keep happening. How close can I get to my 20 GB capacity can I get without causing Windows to slow down and what can I do to free up more space (considering that I have no data or personal applications running on Windows 7). One more thing - I already applied the remove Hibernation trick which helped me free up another 2 GBs of space. Thanks!

Oli3000

May 9, 2011, 11:05 AM

Have you tried adjusting the virtual memory?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Change-the-size-of-virtual-memory

This is space on the HDD reserved for backup RAM.

BornAgainMac

May 9, 2011, 11:27 AM

20 GB should be enough for your purposes. I am hovering around 14 GB for Windows 7. In addition to adjusting virtual memory, try to look around for anything you don't need such as in TEMP locations. In the old days, I use to prune my Windows 3.1 directory down to around 8 Mb by deleting help files and other files. Those days the 8 Mb was today's 8 GB. I have a virtual session that boots up Windows 3.1 in about a second. It is limited to only 32 MB of memory.

It makes sense to install Steam on an external drive for bootcamp. That is what I do with my iMac but I placed it on a Firewire mini drive for performance.

gman901

May 9, 2011, 12:11 PM

Have you tried adjusting the virtual memory?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Change-the-size-of-virtual-memory

This is space on the HDD reserved for backup RAM.

No, but I will definitely do this later today. Thanks!:)

gman901

May 9, 2011, 12:13 PM

20 GB should be enough for your purposes. I am hovering around 14 GB for Windows 7. In addition to adjusting virtual memory, try to look around for anything you don't need such as in TEMP locations. In the old days, I use to prune my Windows 3.1 directory down to around 8 Mb by deleting help files and other files. Those days the 8 Mb was today's 8 GB. I have a virtual session that boots up Windows 3.1 in about a second. It is limited to only 32 MB of memory.

It makes sense to install Steam on an external drive for bootcamp. That is what I do with my iMac but I placed it on a Firewire mini drive for performance.

Thanks! I wondered about deleting some of those files. Can I also delete the built in games and Windows Media application?

theSeb

May 9, 2011, 02:45 PM

Thanks! I wondered about deleting some of those files. Can I also delete the built in games and Windows Media application?

Yes.

gman901

May 9, 2011, 02:52 PM

So is that option available under remove programs? I can't tell right now because I am away from my Air.

BornAgainMac

May 9, 2011, 03:51 PM

So is that option available under remove programs? I can't tell right now because I am away from my Air.

I could have sworn you can uninstall windows features but I just looked and it isn't there. Uninstalling a program was different than uninstalling parts of your Windows 7 installation. I am not sure but I think it was changed to "Turn Windows features on or off" which doesn't look like it will uninstall anything.

I checked my Windows folder and it is a whopping 15 GB now by itself.

GreyMatta

May 10, 2011, 01:47 PM

I could have sworn you can uninstall windows features but I just looked and it isn't there. Uninstalling a program was different than uninstalling parts of your Windows 7 installation. I am not sure but I think it was changed to "Turn Windows features on or off" which doesn't look like it will uninstall anything.

I checked my Windows folder and it is a whopping 15 GB now by itself.

I am going to install the windows 7 32Bit version on mine as it takes up a lot less space than the 64bit version

jace88

Aug 17, 2011, 08:48 AM

I am going to install the windows 7 32Bit version on mine as it takes up a lot less space than the 64bit version

Thanks for the info. I'm glad I'm going 32 bit as well then.

ZBoater

Aug 17, 2011, 08:52 AM

Try CCLeaner. Its a utility that will let you identify possible things to remove, including old restore points. Windows is a pack rat.