BleepingComputer.com: Win386.swp

My computer keeps on telling me that I'm running low on drive C space. When I go into my computer and click onto drive C I see Win386.swp. Does anyone know exactly what this is and if I need this? I'm trying to clean out things in drive C but I don't want to delete anything important. I also have something called WINDOWSwinHlp32.BMK. Do I need this? What about something called npdmv2.zip? do I need this? I have AVG and Ad-Aware and Spybot and I update regularly. I delete cookies and temp files daily yet this window keeps on appearing about low space on C drive. Any suggestions? I would greatly appreciate any help! Thank you so much, Mar4

You need to increase your virtual memory. How much RAM do you have installed?

Rather than trying to free up space by deleting random files use a program like Ccleaner. This will clean a lot more junk files than just trying to find them. It also deletes the index.dat files which can become huge over time. The only other way to do that is in Dos or with a program that deletes on reboot.

Win386.swp is your swap file (virtual memory) and the bigger the better. How much free space do you have on your hard drive? Double click My Computer on the desktop and right click the C: drive and select Properties to find out.

Dear Leurgy, My free space in drive c is 39.44 MB My used space is 1.96 GB My capacity is 2.00 GB I'll try your suggestion of the cCleaner.
Thanks,
Mar4

Have a look at your free space after you run Ccleaner but that is not nearly enough free space for your swap file. Let us know what you end up with.

Do you have a lot of downloads on that hard drive? If so, can you burn them to a CD to free up some space?

I ran the cleaner and at first it said that 181.MB would be removed. However, when I clicked into the application tab it was going to revove my Spybot search and destroy as well as my ad-aware. When I unchecked those 2 boxes and reran the cleaner, it states that I now have 232MB free space and 2.59 GB used. Should I go back and rechack the spyware boxes? If I do that, won't I be unprotected? What do you think? I appreciate your help IMMENSLY!!!!
Thanks,Mar4

It won't remove Spybot and Adaware but just removes the backups that are made when you run those programs and quarantine the items that they remove. So Ccleaner will remove those quarantined backups. They won't be very big but you can remove them with Ccleaner if you want.

Go to Add/Remove programs and see if there are any programs that you never use anymore that can be removed to free up some more space.

Ideally, you want about 500MB in a 2GB drive as free space for your swap file, but as you are finding out you can get away with less.

Thanks for the help. I now have 267MB free space. When I go into the add/remove programs area, I freak out a bit because I'm not quite 100% on what programs I need and what programs I can delete/remove. I use comcast cable for my internet service. There are programs listed that say 3DGroove playback engine, ATImachdisplay driver, Avery media software 32bit, broadjump client foundation, carbon copy 32, Quicktime, Realplayer basic, realplayer 4.0, Comcast Support, windows 98 updates (about 10 of them), viewpoint mediaplayer, windows mediaplayer 7.1, M systems trueFFsdriver, and MANY more. There are 60 things on the list. Is that a lot? Any ideas on what I can get rid of? Thanks again, Mar4

You can remove:

3DGroove playback engine
Avery media software 32bit (a program to create labels)
broadjump client foundation - Cox Cable Customer Support says this is no longer needed.
carbon copy 32 - This is a phone home type of application installed by Compaq and is completely unneccessary.
Quicktime - a real resource hog that will slow your computer. You can remove this and if you ever do need it you will be prompted to reinstall. Its a video and picture app.
Realplayer basic, realplayer 4.0 - same as quicktime, uses a phone home app to report your usage of real player.
Comcast Support - probably not needed.
viewpoint mediaplayer is considered spyware and can be installed without your knowledge and comes bundled with AOL and ADOBE in some cases.
M systems trueFFsdriver - Do you know what this is? I've never heard of it and would remove it.

You want to leave the 98 updates. Post back with some other programs and we'll see what else can be removed.

Thanks. Here are some other programs..... Live Update 2.6 (Symantec Corporation) macromedia shockwave player Lucent 56K V. 90 PCI DF Modem Windows media player 7.1
Microsoft data access components KB870669 microsoft VGX Q833989 microsoft personal webserver
connection manager ATI mach64display driver J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 update 3

I still have M-Systems TrueFFS driver because I don't know what it is and it sounds important and I'm scared to remove it. What do you think? Again, thanks so much for all of your help! Mar4

I also have Compaq Utilities and Online Services in the program area above the start window. Do I need these? Thanks

This post has been edited by mar4: 13 January 2006 - 06:53 PM

Live Update 2.6 (Symantec Corporation) is only needed if you are using Norton anti-virus. M-Systems TrueFFS driver seems to be a driver for a USB Flash drive or Camera. Sound familiar? All the rest should be left alone. The Compaq Utilities is a program to restore your computer so don't mess with that.

How is the free space now?