Trouble Defragging ?? Help!

[Indetrucks]

So I have a laptop (well my girlfriends)
It's a dell 1.89ghz (I think) 512mb ram 40GB HD Windows XP Media O/S.

Here's the problem:

It's her work laptop but she installed I-pod software and tones of I-Tunes. Well it go to the point where the HD was full and only 1% free space. She's had the thing for at least a couple years and NEVER defragged it. Tones of red fragged files etc. I tried to defrag it and it said there was not enough free space to perform the opperation.
So she purchased an External HD and we transfered all the I-pod and I-tunes over (making sure they were not on the C drive anymore).
Went to defrag after doing this and again, red fraggmented files from end to end on the defrag analyzer. It said the same thing, Not enough disc space to perform defrag opperation (it got to about 12% before this warning came up).
I tried starting it in Safe mode and defragging.. Same result. I ran Ccleaner and NoAdware.. No spyware found and cleared up a bunch with CCleaner. Got it to where it had 2% free space on the C: Drive. But it still says not enought free disc space.

Installed the trial Verson of Diskeeper Pro and even that said the same thing. Not enough Free space.

Any Ideas guys? Can fragmented files cause the HD to think it's full even after removing a ton of I-Tunes? I went through the Crive with a fine toothed comb making sure all the I-tunes, pics and videos were gone. Now all that's in there is the O/S and programs for work etc.

Please help and any help would be MUCHO appreciated

 

[howard_hopkinso]

Typically, you need around 15% free space in order to defrag properly. 2% free space just won`t do it I`m afraid.

Regards Howard

 

[Indetrucks]

Right, I gather that.. But I'm confused that after removing easily 100+ I-tunes why the free space remained the same? Could it be fragmented that bad that it thinks the HD is full? Is there anything I can do? Can I move some of the programs over to the External HD temporarily (top free up enough space) and then defrag and move em back?

Another thing.. She checked the box (compress files to save disc space). Now I've been told you shouldn't do this, any ideas or comments on this?
Thanks

 

[misskazzy]

Oooh yeah, I used to get this. When I had about 15GB free really but the hard drive was fooled into thinking that it only had a gig left. Im not sure how I figured it out but I fooled with the hard drive to "refresh" kinda and it realised its mistake...by going to its properties, randomly went through the options...did nothing to the settings at all, clicked Okay. For some reason, it reverted back to its actual size which was 15GB left.

 

[howard_hopkinso]

I suggest you do a disk check and see if that helps.

Click start/run and type cmd into the run box and press the enter key.

At the command prompt type chkdsk /f /r and press the enter key(not the spaces btweeen the chkdsk command and the forward slash and again between the f and the forward slash). Follow the onscreen prompts and type exit.

Restart the computer and a disk check should start automatically. Note: this can take quite some time, so be patient.

Regards Howard

 

[Indetrucks]

ok Howard, I'll try this and get back to ya

 

[IBN]

Remove your offensive avatar now please.

 

[howard_hopkinso]

Remove your offensive avatar now please.

Bloody hell, I hadn`t noticed that. I don`t know why it hasn`t been removed already.

Indetrucks: I`m sorry, but I agree with IBN and as such I have removed your avatar. Please feel free to choose another less offensive Avatar.

Regards Howard

 

[Indetrucks]

lol.... sorry chaps
forgot that was on there.

How's this new one? Hopefully not too offensive?

 

[howard_hopkinso]

That`s absolutely fine mate lol.

Regards Howard