Several months ago I installed updated my windows 98 to windows XP in order to run programs that required it.

Since that install I have lost half of the memory on my computer (I had 16 GB at the time of the install, now I have something like 7.5 GB) I don't know where the rest went.

I didn't partition it on purpose if it is partitioned. I've tried to use partition magic to remove it if I did, but no information about a second section shows up- so I guess there isn't one?

I bought myself a second hard drive as a quick fix, but basically I have absolutely no room on my default hard drive, so I have trouble downloading programs or even surfing the web. Currently I have only the dangerously low amount of about 200KB of free space on my C drive.

Is there a way I could get that memory back? Or is it gone forever?

If it is gone forever, how would I go about making my e drive the default place where all downloads and temp files go?XP takes a *CENSORED* of alot of space up..

All you could do is buy a new Hard Drive.

R0SSI should have clarified. The remaining 7.5 that I mentioned is all that shows up. That is all taken up by the WIN XP program.

The 8.5 GB is completely gone. It isn't referenced as used space or anything. All my C drive has on it is Win XP and what ever else mess comes with it, and my temp files. With that I have only 200KB of free space for my temps.

All of my additional programs are on the E drive that I installed.

The missing memory is just gone entirely from my C drive.Elizabeth,

Memory is RAM (physical memory) unless it is virtual memory, (paging-file).

CLICK on the LINK below, if you will,  and go to the Drive Cleanup section and when all is done post back with the results.

Wow! Thank you so much. I did only some of the things in the section about cleanup. I wasn't sure earlier if that stuff would help me or harm me, but man oh man, it sure did help. I was worried to put anything else onto this poor computer, but those cleaners didn't take up much room at all.

That did it, so Thank you, I now have 1 GB of free space on C, and that is enough for my temporary stuff, giving me time to move things to my other drive.

Thank you so very much. I thought my computer might just be too old and beyond help. Through numerous UPDATES this old box has lasted me eight years and counting, I plan to grow old with it.Good news!

You should always maintain an absolute minimum of 15% free-space in order to run defrag.

I keep a minimum 30% free-space, as the system runs better.

When you have moved data to the E: drive take the time to make a drive image of your C: drive and make backups of your data.You can also get a PERFORMANCE gain and free up a bit more space by moving the swap file to the E: drive.