1、After all kinds of software and hardware are properly installed, XP actually rarely needs to update files anymore. Delete the system backup files: Start→Run→sfc.exe /purgecache, nearly 3xxM.
2、Delete the driver backup: the driver.cab file in the %windows%\driver cache\i386 directory, usually this file is 76M.
3、I don't have the habit of reading help, so keeping the stuff under %windows%\help is a kind of torture for me, hehe。。。wipe it all out, nearly 4xM.
4、A little later, after the upgrade is completed, you'll also find that %windows%\ has a lot of directories like $NtUninstallQ311889$. Wipe them all out too, 1x-3xM.
5、I also happen to still have win2000/server and so on on the hard disk, so I just pointed all the pagefile.sys files to one place: Control Panel→System→Performance-Advanced→Virtual Memory→Change. Note that you have to click “Set” for it to take effect.
6、Uninstall components you don't often use: use Notepad to edit \%windows%\inf\sysoc.inf, use the Find/Replace function, enter ,hide in the Find box, and replace all with nothing. This removes all the ,hide entries. After saving and exiting, run “Add/Remove Programs” again, and you'll see quite a few more options under “Add/Remove Windows Components”; remove things you don't need like games, code tables, and so on.
7、Delete the input methods under \windows\ime that you don't use, 8xM. I reinstalled the zrm input method I use, hehe.
8、If space is really tight, enable NTFS compression, then it will use 2x% less space, though I didn't do it.
9、Turned off System Restore. This lousy feature is simply a disaster for people like me who often download and test software. Use the right mouse button to click “My Computer” on the desktop, choose “Properties,” find “System Restore,” and choose “Turn off System Restore on all drives” hehe, that saves more space again.
I've successfully used all of these, so don't doubt it.
2、Delete the driver backup: the driver.cab file in the %windows%\driver cache\i386 directory, usually this file is 76M.
3、I don't have the habit of reading help, so keeping the stuff under %windows%\help is a kind of torture for me, hehe。。。wipe it all out, nearly 4xM.
4、A little later, after the upgrade is completed, you'll also find that %windows%\ has a lot of directories like $NtUninstallQ311889$. Wipe them all out too, 1x-3xM.
5、I also happen to still have win2000/server and so on on the hard disk, so I just pointed all the pagefile.sys files to one place: Control Panel→System→Performance-Advanced→Virtual Memory→Change. Note that you have to click “Set” for it to take effect.
6、Uninstall components you don't often use: use Notepad to edit \%windows%\inf\sysoc.inf, use the Find/Replace function, enter ,hide in the Find box, and replace all with nothing. This removes all the ,hide entries. After saving and exiting, run “Add/Remove Programs” again, and you'll see quite a few more options under “Add/Remove Windows Components”; remove things you don't need like games, code tables, and so on.
7、Delete the input methods under \windows\ime that you don't use, 8xM. I reinstalled the zrm input method I use, hehe.
8、If space is really tight, enable NTFS compression, then it will use 2x% less space, though I didn't do it.
9、Turned off System Restore. This lousy feature is simply a disaster for people like me who often download and test software. Use the right mouse button to click “My Computer” on the desktop, choose “Properties,” find “System Restore,” and choose “Turn off System Restore on all drives” hehe, that saves more space again.
I've successfully used all of these, so don't doubt it.