Continuous Disk Full Error Message

[2framesbelowzero]

I'm trying to help a friend with a PC problem.
The system is running win98 and, although it has over 2.5 GB of free
space on the C: drive, there is continuosly the Win o/s dialogue box appearing stating 'Youve run out of free space on drive C' (Disk Cleanup).
This happens erratically but constantly while trying to open Photoshop,
copy files from a cd onto the C: print out emails etc etc. Mysteriously,
it then ceases for a few minutes and the application is usable..then it starts again.

Needless to say, this is driving everybody nuts. Anyone had this problem or know a fix ? I looked on the net and found an HP url discussing something quite similar re: scanning & printing but the recomended Virtual Memory tweak is not something i want to take responsibility for as it carries a warning about unpredictabile effects if i switch to manually-set parameters.

There is a firewall running with also additional application-protection. I disabled these and it seemed to be the fix...then it started with the error again so i guess not.

 

[Dweller]

It could be mis-reporting the free space. Run scandisk and see what happens.

Also try to encourage him to open up some more space on the drive.

 

[JohnMF]

what version of PS is it? might be too much for 98

 

[Verbal]

Most likely what's happening is anytime you run a memory intensive program, it uses up system RAM and starts using the Page File on the hard drive.

 

[Hertz van Rental]

How can one ignore the pleas of someone who's avatar is St Frank and the Mothers?
Computers - especially running some systems and programs - build up invisible files on the hard drive.
For example, Microsoft Word does auto-save unless turned off and saves shed-loads of invisible back-up files. These don't show up when you look but they do to the system, giving a disk full message because it is even though it doesn't appear to be.
You can get programs to help clean up the disk.
I know PC's can suffer from this problem. Macs used to pre-OSX.
It's worth investigating.

 

[ferny]

As has already been said, it's the files open and the space and resources they require which are causing the issue. If he's got a few big pictures open, plus stuff on his clipboard and not a lot of ram the computer will then start using space on the hard drive to store it all. When he clears his clipboard or closes some pictures that space is no longer needed and the error stops happening.

He's running win98? Making a large assumtion, his computer sounds like it's old. The best solution for the long term is more storage. Harddrives are very cheap. My 250gb cost £50 last week. A few years ago my 80gb one cost £60. More ram would probably help as well, that way the computer wouldn't have to "borrow" and space from the hdd.

Free Ram XP Pro could also help. It manages to ram on the computer. It's free as well. It won't solve the problem though.
http://www.yourwaresolutions.com/index.html

 

[2framesbelowzero]

Thanks to all of you for the input. Not having found the solution just yet, I've switched tack and just installed a driver for a 256mb flash drive
(lil' USB stick-thing). So now it has an E: drive. The release of the Photoshop software installed is 5, and its a 'limited edition' version.

Previously has been working ok with the available RAM etc and the clipboard is purged.


Re-installing the software isnt an option as i think it came on a promo-CD, now chucked-away. I'm going to try to install Gimp + Java runtime environment...I seem to recall with Gimp at installation (or 1st-run), you can specify the scratch-disk source and size etc.

My idea with the E: drive was to reassign it as the Scratch-Disk in >PREFERENCES>, but the drop box doesnt offer the E: as an option for either Primary or Secondary scratch-disk, even after reboot.

Does anyone know where, in Photoshop I can change the available
storage options for the scratch-disk ?

p.s yes - I think the PC will be replaced completely in the near future
but a fix would be very useful at this moment.


p.p.s - Dweller & Verbal : I will do this and look into that. ty

 

[Arch]

personally i think your hard drive is on its way out..... it has all the classic signs.... i'v known a few freinds hardrives to die before.... it does happen over time.
Also i'm not sure off the top of my head, but i didnt think you could assign a flash drive to a scratch disk.... you may have to look further into that tho.

 

[2framesbelowzero]

How can one ignore the pleas of someone who's avatar is St Frank and the Mothers?

That's very decent of you Hertz.. a sleazy-pancake will be.. erm ..revered, in your honour, eternally in the Alfonsonian chapel of my heart.

 

[2framesbelowzero]

personally i think your hard drive is on its way out..... it has all the classic signs.... i'v known a few freinds hardrives to die before.... it does happen over time.
Also i'm not sure off the top of my head, but i didnt think you could assign a flash drive to a scratch disk.... you may have to look further into that tho.

Aah ok , Thats a shame about the E:. I'll try some of the suggestions posted. Thanks again.:thumbup:

 

[2framesbelowzero]

Fixed the problem... Scandisk repaired several files, a couple of cross-linked ones, and some mismatched filesize logs. Don't know exactly how and what, but now it's working ok. I also deleted a ton of HP laserjet crud from the WINDOWS\TEMP folder.

Verbal: ty again for the prompt about page/swap-files. I learnt some new things there.:thumbup: