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General discussion

What can I remove from Windows XP to create more hard drive space?

Dec 15, 2003 8:28AM PST

Using Windows XP on a new laptop. I have always used Windows98SE. In WinXP, Outlook Express, Net Meeting, and Microsoft Messenger are not listed in add/remove programs. I have never used any of these programs. Is it safe to remove the folders? I also installed GoBack since I have had a problem with a USB device not letting Windows boot up in the past. Was this a good or bad idea? Since I cannot boot up in Dos to run scanreg/restore or scanreg/fix in WinXP I thought perhaps this was the best option. So, is it safe to delete the folders Outlook Express, Net Meeting and Microsoft Messenger since I have never used these programs in the four years that I have owned a PC. And was installing GoBack a good choice?
Many thanks in advance.
Happy Holidays to everyone!
Kay

Discussion is locked

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Re:What can I remove from Windows XP to create more hard drive space?
Dec 15, 2003 8:58AM PST
To remove NetMeeting:
Start > Run > and then copy and paste the following line:

RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection C:\WINDOWS\inf\msnetmtg.inf,NetMtg.Remove

Click OK and let the uninstaller do its thing.

To Remove Outlook Express:
Click here for instructions.

To Remove Microsoft Messenger:
The easiest way is to click Start > Run and copy-paste the following command: RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove

The second method is as follows:
Go to the start menu, and choose the Run command. Type: C:/windows/inf/SYSOC.INF. Now you need to look for a heading that reads "components" and find the line that reads: msgsmsgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7. All you need to do is delete the word "hide." Leave everything else as it is, including the commas. Then save and exit. Now Messenger should be in your add/remove programs list.

Regards,
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Re:Re:What can I remove from Windows XP to create more hard drive space?
Dec 15, 2003 11:38AM PST

Many Thanks, Frank!
I don't know why it seems that XP is so much more difficult. Why couldn't these things be listed in add/remove programs in Windows? It appears everything is more complicated for me until I get acquainted with WinXP. Thanks for all of the help! I am assuming it is okay to use GoBack. I never used it with Win98SE.
Happy Holidays!
Kay

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Kay,
Dec 15, 2003 11:57AM PST

I think MS don't want user to uninstall their programs and want to hide that feature from user. Wink

Goback is a pretty straight foward software. I used to use it, but now I am using DriveImage 7 to back up my entire drive every weekend. So, if something went wrong, I restore the drive thru DriveImage.

Regards,

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Just keep in mind Kay- re:GoBack
Dec 15, 2003 12:07PM PST

GoBack is a great utility, but you *will* use up alot of disk space by having it- after all, it has to keep an image of different points in time you may have to 'go-back' to.

In addition to Frank's wonderful info- don't forget disk cleanup, wav and avi files you may never use (you can use your find function and typ *.wav or *.avi to find all those files). I have the wonderful MSN Explorer which is in the Windows add/remove area under Windows components (Outlook Express is there on my Pro system.) Don't forget .tmp files. I'm sure there's more gunk you can get rid of, but that's it off the top of my head.

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Kay, More Things To Help You Clean Up The Hard Drive On XP
Dec 16, 2003 1:50AM PST

Click on the link below and follow the steps (Parts 1-4).

http://reviews.cnet.com/5208-6122-0.html?forumID=44&threadID=2966&messageID=35611

Remember also that Windows XP has a System Restore program that takes up quite a bit of space. Unlike Windows ME, I find the System Restore in Windows XP to be fairly reliable. Still, because it will contiually increase in size, I occasionally disable XP's System Restore program to clean it out. (About every 3 or 4 months) I only disable it temporarily. After disabling it, I then run "Error Checking" and Disk Defragmenter to optimize the drive, then I "re-enable" System Restore. If you'd like to temporarily disable System Restore, here's how:

To disable Windows XP System Restore:

1. Click Start.
2. Right-click on the ?My Computer? icon, and then click Properties.
3. Click the "System Restore" tab.
4. Check "Turn off system restore" or "Turn off system restore on all drives". Click on Apply, etc.
5. When you're ready to "re-enable" System Restore, simply UNCHECK the box to "Turn off System Restore".

Hope this helps.

Grif

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More questions...regarding WindowsXP
Dec 16, 2003 2:16PM PST

I could not get Frank's commands to work when I typed the info at start, run, to remove Microsoft Messenger and Netmeeting (sorry, Frank). I can't paste into start, run, either. I don't recall the error message I was getting now. So, I still have Netmeeting and Microsoft Messenger installed. I would like to remove them but stuck at some point. I noticed how much hard drive space was being taken up by GoBack! Thus the need to clean up more unused files. Can I disable System Restore permanently since I am using GoBack? I have deleted many unused wav,tmp,jpg and bmp files. I still need help removing Netmeeting and Messenger. And would like to know if I can disable System Restore permanently. It seems to be doing the same thing that GoBack is doing. Please correct me if I am wrong. I am still learning XP on the laptop. Thanks in advance for your help!
Kay

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Kay, It's Your Choice..
Dec 17, 2003 3:07AM PST

Permanently disabling System Restore won't "damage" anything and some choose not to use it at all,(personally I like it) yet you need to be completely confident that "GoBack" is going to do what you want. Both programs are very similar in the things they do. Still, System Restore is extremely easy to use on Windows XP and it's also fairly reliable in relation to the Windows ME version of SR. Still, it's up to you.

I currently do the opposite of what you are doing...I have no drive imaging programs such as GoBack, but instead enable System Restore. Bear in mind, that many Windows XP machines have Recovery CD's or Recovery partitions which will allow the computer to be completely restored back to the factory condition. (I have both for my home machines plus complete recovery CD's for all the office machines I take care of.) The only remaining items to back up to a CD are my personal documents and copies of all the programs I install, plus pictures and music that I always copy to CD for a permanent record. System Restore allows me to make simple adjustments if something minor occurs while the full Recovery CD's allow me to completely restore if something more major occurs.

If you make LOTS of changes to your computer from it's original factory condition, so a Recovery CD is just a lot of work, or if you install large numbers of programs that don't have backups, and don't like spending a few hours recovering your computer, then permanently disabling System Restore is an option. I'm not sure I'd choose that though.

Compare for yourself:

GoBack3
http://www.symantec.com/goback/features.html

Windows XP System Restore
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnwxp/html/windowsxpsystemrestore.asp

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Kay, Regarding Uninstalling Windows Messenger and Netmeeting
Dec 17, 2003 3:24AM PST

Here are some links that will give you options on how to do that. Remember to turn off Outlook/Outlook Express and any Instant Messenger programs BEFORE trying to uninstall these programs.:

Uninstall Windows Messenger (This provides a method to allow Windows Messenger to appear in the "Add/Remove Programs" list.)
http://www.petri.co.il/uninstall_windows_messenger.htm

Uninstall Netmeeting
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_n.htm#netmtg

http://www.nthelp.com/NT6/to_remove_netmeeting.htm

Hope this helps, too.

Grif

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Kay,
Dec 17, 2003 6:33AM PST

What do you mean on " I can't paste into start, run, either"?

To "cut/copy" and "paste" this command:
RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%\inf\msnetmtg.inf,NetMtg.Remove

1. Move the mouse cursor in to the begining of the comand. Left-click and hold your mouse then drag it to highlight that command then remove the left button
2. When that command is highlighted, right click the mouse then select "Copy". That command now is saved in your machine's memory known as clipboard
3. Click on "Start" then "Run", the Run screen will pop-up. Right click the "Open" area then select "Paste"
4. CLick "OK" to execute that command

Regards,

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Is there a way to do system restore in boot up in WinXP?
Dec 17, 2003 7:14AM PST

Frank, the copy and paste worked! Thanks so much. I have never used this technique of copy and paste so now NetMeeting is gone. For Microsoft Messenger I received a message "Advanced Inf Install" "Error unregistering the OCX 16422." I can live with messenger in the laptop. I suppose it would be best to use both system restore and GoBack. My reason for using GoBack is I can restore at startup. For some reason the laptop hangs at the Welcome Screen on certain USB devices and I had to use the restore discs to get back up and running. Is there a way to do System Restore in bootup? Thanks to you all for the advice!
Kay

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Advanced INF Install Message
Dec 17, 2003 1:08PM PST
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Great job, Kay and...
Dec 17, 2003 2:01PM PST

to run a System Restore at boot up for WinXP, do the following:

1. Start your computer then repeating press "F8" key until the Boot Menu appeared then select option "Safe Mode with Command Prompt" or similar

2. At the command prompt, type %systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe, and press ENTER

3. Follow instructions to restore to a previous, functional state

To save a little more spaces, I would "turn OFF" the System Restore then "turn ON" everytime right before install any new software.

Regards,

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Re:Great job, Kay and...
Dec 17, 2003 4:03PM PST

Thanks Frank!
If I had known this was possible I would have never installed GoBack. Thank you for all of the help and everyone else who contributed, too. I know I will be back again eventually, regarding XP. I learned to do everything with Win98SE from using the forum. I have been receiving help for almost four years. I don't know what I would have done without all of you! I may learn to like XP! There does seem to be less maintenance to perform. Happy Hoidays to everyone at the forum and Best Wishes for the coming New Year!
Kay

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You're most very welcome and...
Dec 17, 2003 5:56PM PST

please do come back for any questions/concerns regarding of PC.

Happy Holidays to you and your too!

Speaking of Windows XP, you can go to WinXP Forums hosted by David Chan & Robert Proffitt for more indepth questions about WinXP world.

Regards,

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BTW, after re-read your original subject line...
Dec 18, 2003 7:11AM PST

I would recommend you to download a trialware version of Active ZDelete from LSoft Technologies then run the ZDelete Wizzard to see if you can reclaim some wasted space. This software also included the Pop-Up Killer software.

Regards,

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Re:What can I remove from Windows XP to create more hard drive space?
Feb 1, 2004 4:22PM PST

Slightly off the XP Track, but a good disc space saver is to start from scratch i.e. format the drive and reinstall XP and wahtever other software you actually want, omit all the garbage that comes with the laptop frre ATT/AOL sign up etc etc really a form of spam! If its too late for that then at least rid yourslef of the bundled garbage

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Re:What can I remove from Windows XP to create more hard drive space?
Feb 1, 2004 6:13PM PST

I really like "go back"...it works nearly everytime,whereas windows "system restore" seldom does.To me,"go back" is an excellant choice.