hard drive space required for Windows 7

memory · 06-08-2009, 10:31 AM

I have an old Dell Dimension 4100 that I am going to put Windows 7 on just to see if I like it. It has a 19gb hard drive in it. Windows Upgrade Advisor says that I need 16gb of free space to install Windows 7. Am I going to have a problem installing Windows 7 on a hard drive that small? Right now there is only 9gb's of free space with XP Home installed.

Why does Windows 7 need 16gb of free space when the size of the file is only 2.35gb's?

hikaricloud · 06-08-2009, 10:38 AM

Mate, every OS file size is less than what it installs.

I just installed Win7 last night, and it takes up around 15gb. Maybe a little more.

memory · 06-08-2009, 10:43 AM

So do you think a 19gb hard drive would be too small?

hikaricloud · 06-08-2009, 11:05 AM

It would be cutting it close. You'd be able to install Win7, but not much else. If you have external media for music and such, you should be fine.

memory · 06-08-2009, 11:09 AM

I really don't plan on installing much else as I just want to see if I like Windows 7 or not. I may go ahead and buy a bigger hard drive and stick in there just too be safe.

What would happen if you tried to install Windows 7 on a 10gb hard drive? Would it give you an error and not install at all?

95BlackGA · 06-08-2009, 11:17 AM

With that computer, you won't be able to use all the cool Aero features. If you have upgraded it a lot, you may be able to use to use it. You'll have quite a difficult time running Windows 7 with this computer. Minimum requirements are there for a reason.

EDIT : My buddy tried to install on a AMD 1800+ with 2GB of RAM, and a FX5500. While it did install, it doesn't run very great.

memory · 06-08-2009, 11:42 AM

I realize that it is not going to run great at all but I just want to try it out and see if I want to buy it when it comes out.

Mak213 · 06-08-2009, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by memory

I realize that it is not going to run great at all but I just want to try it out and see if I want to buy it when it comes out.

So why not use a virtual machine on that system you have now? why bother going through all of this hassle when you can setup virtualBox or VMWare and use it on a much more powerful system that you know meets the requirements?

Jayce · 06-08-2009, 03:33 PM

7 takes up 15 gig?! Seriously? Wow..

How's that possible... I have a 10gb virtual drive with 7 installed on it...

Mak213 · 06-08-2009, 03:38 PM

It doesnt take up that much space. Read what Hikari said.

Win7 COPIES the files to the hard drive and does the install FROM the hard drive. then it does the configuration and everything else and then REMOVES the temp files that were in use for the install. At the end of it Win7 on a bare install will take up roughly 5GB or so.

It needs teh extra space so that

1. It can copy the files from the DVD to the hard drive
2. decompress the files for install
3. allow for updates and other items to be downloaded and installed
4. allow for room for the pagefile, temp files and cache.

This is the same thing that Vista did. Yet no one said a word about why it needed 20GB.

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