Help with desktop-memory running low

[CatherineL]

First off, I am not a techie kind of person-at all. I have no clue what I'm doing when it comes to computer maintenance and everything that goes with it. This is what my PC looks like now and I would like to figure out what I'm supposed to do to fix it. My computer is not that old (to me) and replacing it is not an option right now. I just ran Glary and it didn't really change much. Is there a company that offers help with teaching people how to maintain a computer? I thought I removed most large (PSD) files from my PC. I can't figure out what is taking up so much space. Any ideas?

[CatherineL]

Ok, after doing some investigating I found this:

[Brian]

There’s your problem. It’s the files on Dropbox. Not only are they stored in the Cloud on Dropbox’s Servers, those files are also stored locally on your computer. 

So you will have to open “Computer,” then open Drive C and then find the Users Folder. There should be a alist folder (probably your profile name,) and then a Dropbox folder. Open the Dropbox folder and go hunting. 

Now if you delete things, and don’t turn off syncing with Dropbox, it will copy those files all over again. If you don’t have the files locally, chances are those files will be deleted within 30 days from Dropbox’s Servers, unless you signed up for a paying plan that doesn’t do this sort of things. Keep in mind, ALL files on ALL YOUR DEVICES, like your phone, might be syncing to Dropbox on the Cloud, THEN are pushed down to your computer. So if you took 75 photos of your lunch with your phone, those 75 photos that will never see the light of day might have worked your way to the computer. 

So start in that folder and learn how to use Dropbox. 

[CatherineL]

Thank you. In the past when my computer was running REALLY slow, I made a lot of folders available "online only". Should I do that with these? I do pay for Dropbox-the monthly subscription and use it as a backup ( I also use CrashPlan along with external hard drives).

[Brian]

If it’s online only, those folders should have files on Dropbox’s Servers only, and not stored locally. Basically, it’s the folders that are marked “Local” are the ones you need to worry about. 
 

I have never really used Dropbox that much, are you saying the files are taking up space on your HD even though the folder is “online only?”

[CatherineL]

Where do I find the "local" folder?

No, I don't believe they take up space on my HD, but then again I'm not sure. I am going through my computer and I basically need to walk me through what can get deleted and what can be saved. I'm afraid of deleting something or a program that I shouldn't. 

[Brian]

On 1/26/2024 at 10:28 AM, CatherineL said:

I basically need to walk me through what can get deleted and what can be saved.

Your guess is as good as mine, they are your files. That being said, I have used a free program called "WinDirStat." After you install and run this program, it will analyze what is on the drive and create "Color Blobs" of similar files types. So a folder that contains 1000's of images will be a bigger color blob than one that has some Documents. Hover over the Color Blob / Area and it will give you the location / path of those files. Then you go hunting and see what is there. I personally can't tell you to delete "X,Y, and Z..." you are going to need to do it. 

Now going forward, your File Management needs to be better because it sounds like you have stuff all over the place. (Almost like a Basement, Garage or Attic full of Crap. ) Hard Drives can become Dumping Grounds very easily if you don't stay on top of things. I don't want to hear, "...but I don't know much about computers!!" Suck-it-up-Buttercup, LEARN. LOL!!

The "Local" Dropbox folder C:\Users\Dropbox is one area to check again. If you have any other folders that are synced to Dropbox, those folder could be another source. Get WinDirStat installed, run it and look at the large Color Blobs. I'd start with those folders first. I've also seen C:\Windows\Temp folders have TONS of unnecessary files taking up room. 

[Brian]

Before you ask, here is the download page:

https://windirstat.net/download.html

Look for this area:

I typically use SourceForge to get the .exe file. It will probably go into your Downloads Folder, double-click on the windirstat1_1_2_setup.exe file and that should trigger the install routine.

[CatherineL]

On 1/27/2024 at 9:44 AM, Brian said:

ow going forward, your File Management needs to be better because it sounds like you have stuff all over the place. (Almost like a Basement, Garage or Attic full of Crap. ) Hard Drives can become Dumping Grounds very easily if you don't stay on top of things. I don't want to hear, "...but I don't know much about computers!!" Suck-it-up-Buttercup, LEARN. LOL!!

I want to learn this as I am tired of not knowing how to do this kind of maintenance. Where would one begin with the basics of storage and how to manage it?

[Brian]

This is the part where Damien's eyes start to roll when he sees the Year / Month / Project Name file structure method.

It is so subjective and depends on how your Brain works. I have a Main External HD, whose top file folders are broken down into this:

 

 

From there I go into years

Then break things down into projects. The goal is to be able to find something within 30 seconds, AT MOST. It should be second nature on how to find things. You could go one step further and have even better main folders, such as Business| Personal | Charity |  Projects | Misc, then go from there. Treat each category as a single drawer in a file cabinet. From there you have to make the decision on the labeling and how your brain works. Most importantly...

STICK WITH IT!!!

The worst thing you can do is get sloppy and have "Junk Drawer" folders, where everything seems to get dumped into. That's fine if you are in a rush, but those files can't stay there; just like clutter around your Front Door (or wherever,) sooner or later you will need to put your coats & shoes away and to kill that junk mail that's piling up.

Same difference.

[CatherineL]

Oh, I have pretty much everything categorized for sure! (For the most part.) I'm thinking what I need to do is to go back and delete the raw files my clients did not buy and just keep the ones that were purchased. When I say basic maintenance, I mean like when I see people talk about cleaning their desktops. I have icons on my desktop but I never click on them as a shortcut (if that's what they are there for?). I just for the first time went through my downloads folder and deleted a bunch of stuff in there. This seems like embarrassingly basic stuff everyone should know about owning a computer, but I didn't go to college and we were not taught this stuff when I went to high school. 

[Brian]

Everything with computers is logical; input —> output. “Garbage In, Garbage Out.” I often hear the phrase, “I don’t know much about computers…” or “I’m technologically stupid,” and the “I never went to school…”

You know who else didn’t go to school for this stuff? 

ME. 

Home Computers have been around since the early 1980’s. Some would argue and say earlier, and they would technically be correct, but I remember 1981-1983 is when a lot of homes got them. I was exposed to them in that era. That’s where I started to learn, and that’s the trick…you need to be open to learning. Fiddling around, screwing something up and then figuring out how to undo what you did. The trick is to remember what you did. 

So start learning and stop making excuses.  

[CatherineL]

Well, that's why I asked the question, I WANT to learn. I'm asking for a good resource on the basics of maintaining my computer. What should be deleted, and what shouldn't. Like, I never knew that I was supposed to go through my downloads and delete them after saving them. Simple things like that...