Windows 7 boot camp installation - ~14 gigs!?!?

[thesmoth]

I made my bootcamp partition small at 16 gb (apparently far too small) since I was just going to use it for a couple of programs. I went to install a game and it looks like windows 7 on it's own is taking up 14 gigs. Is this normal?

 

[MacDawg]

I haven't checked, but yeah, that is probably about right

I think I set my partition at 30 GB as I recall

In order to make your partition larger, you will need to use WinClone, to clone your partition, run Boot Camp Assistant again and delete the partition, run it again and recreate a larger partition and then restore your clone

Or... you can just delete the partition with Boot Camp Assistant and start over with a clean install on a new partition

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[p3ncil]

I made my bootcamp partition small at 16 gb (apparently far too small) since I was just going to use it for a couple of programs. I went to install a game and it looks like windows 7 on it's own is taking up 14 gigs. Is this normal?

it will er apparently grow on it own.

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/a_deeper_look_disk_space_usage_windows_7_and_windows_vista

As it turns out, both Windows Vista and Windows 7 use the WinSxS folder to point to files that are actually found elsewhere in Windows; in other words, the amount of space that the WinSxS properties sheet says is in use isn't accurate. So, what's the folder for?

By using the WinSxS folder to store what the blog calls the "installation and servicing state" of all system components, Microsoft makes it easier to roll out Vista installations with imaging technology and to patch the image offline (Windows XP and earlier versions aren't image-friendly, and require third-party tools and clunky workarounds to permit image-based deployment). Also, if you get rid of the WinSxS folder, you make it difficult to keep Windows running reliably. So, the word on the street is, "keep the WinSxS folder." To remove old files replaced by Windows Vista SP1, the blog entry provides a link to information about the command-line VSP1CLN.exe tool.

 

[jav6454]

In short time that space will disappear thanks to Windows 7 ever so need of disc space.

Protip - windows 7 or Vista grows as time passes.

 

[thesmoth]

In short time that space will disappear thanks to Windows 7 ever so need of disc space.

Protip - windows 7 or Vista grows as time passes.

Sounds like a neat trick to bloat the operating system and cause slow downs and disc space shortages, forcing people to upgrade more frequently than is really needed.

Thanks MS! I'm so glad I switched to mac a couple of weeks ago, this thing rocks.

 

[tsa1]

damn this makes me think twice about installing windows 7 on my 13mbp. especially since i have a 160gb HD.

 

[thesmoth]

damn this makes me think twice about installing windows 7 on my 13mbp. especially since i have a 160gb HD.

I have a big external hard drive that I can put large files on, but still it seems like i'd need at LEAST 30 gigs of space for windows 7 just to be able to use a couple of applications and games.

I'm waiting until a 200-300 gig SSD intel drive becomes economical (less than $400) so i don't want to get a 500 gig WD.

 

[thesmoth]

So i ran winclone and made an image of my bootcamp drive, but the image file is only 4.1 gigs, where the bootcamp drive is 15 gigs.

Is this normal or is something missing?

 

[The Flashing Fi]

In short time that space will disappear thanks to Windows 7 ever so need of disc space.

Protip - windows 7 or Vista grows as time passes.

Much of it has to do with updates and uninstallers for the updates in hidden folders. Much of that space can be recovered without issue though. You just lose the ability to easily uninstall updates.

And of course Shadow Copy will use space as well to make backups of files, in case you ever made a change you didn't want to do.

But your right, it will use more space over time, but it's really only a problem if you don't partition enough space.

 

[scottlinux]

There are some things you can do to get space back:

Run ccleaner
Disable system restore, and remove restore snapshots
Adjust the page file
Adjust recycle bin reserved space

Use the add/remove programs to remove windows components (windows media player, fax stuff, IE8, anything you do not need).