startup disk?

i keep getting a pop-up that is telling me my startup disk is almost full. it seems to go away if i delete files from my limewire library, but then i cant play the songs in my itunes because itunes cant find the original file or whatever. what is wrong and how can i fix it in the easiest possible way?

yes i have a mac osx. so what, do i have to delete programs off of my computer to make more space for the songs i want to download? isnt it possible to have more than one hard drive?

Of course, I've got 2 internals & one external (+1 for backup.)

Unfortunately the Java on Mac OSX is as inefficient as the windoes version re: memory. If the programs been on for a no. of days then the amount of virtual memory (VM) it eats up grows. All OSX programs use VM which means temporarily storing memory on the hdd. Quitting the program will regain all space lost to VM. There's other techniques you can use for reducing VM growth such as: Not having much more than 2,000 shares. Not having too many incomplete files. Keeping only one LW window open at a time (monitor, library & connections) ... only opening when needed. Hiding LW in the dock whilst you're not at the computer. Deleting old search results if there's many. All these things can help reduce VM build up.

Do you have LW set for iTunes auto-import? Once imported then you can delete them from LW's downld folder. But just check to be sure all audio files were imported. That will help to stop too much space being eaten up by dual copies of files.

BTW on my computer, I use partitioned HDD's. I don't save files to the OSX system partition (startup disk.)

__________________
Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
640 K [of computer memory] ought be enough for anybody. -- Bill Gates (1981)
The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources. -- Albert Einstein
When facts don't fit the theory, change the facts. -- Albert Einstein
Religion keeps the poor from murdering the rich. -- Napoleon Bonaparte
The important thing is not to stop questioning. -- Albert Einstein
I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones. -- Albert Einstein
"A composer is a guy who goes around forcing his will on unsuspecting air molecules, often with the assistance of unsuspecting musicians." -- Frank Zappa
"Tobacco is my favorite vegetable." / "May your sh*t come to life and kiss you on the face." / "Scientology, how about that? You hold on to the tin cans and then this guy asks you a bunch of questions, and if you pay enough money you get to join the master race. How's that for a religion?" / "Communism doesn't work because people like to own stuff." / "There are three things that smell of fish. One of them is fish. The other two are growing on you!" / "Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny." / "The creation and destruction of harmonic and 'statistical' tensions is essential to the maintenance of compositional drama. Any composition (or improvisation) which remains consonant and 'regular' throughout is, for me, equivalent to watching a movie with only 'good guys' in it, or eating cottage cheese." / "Remember there's a big difference between kneeling down and bending over." / "The most important thing to do in your life, is to not interfere with somebody else's life." / "Rock journalism is people who can't write, interviewing people who can't talk, in order to provide articles for people who can't read." -- Frank Zappa
"The music business is a cruel and shallow trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." - Hunter S. Thompson
The shy can light the dull dark room with life when their eyes mirror their inner sunrise - LOTR

patitioned HDD's? i didnt know i had the option to save files to the startup disk. i went to the tab in system preferences and clicked on startup disk and it told me to choose which system i wanted to use to start my computer. how do you install a hard drive? does it cme with directions and can it be done by someone who doesnt know a whole lot about computers?

I've installed ram but never an internal HDD on a mac. I wouldn't recommend it if you're not sure what you're doing. And does your computer have another HDD slot? Here's a starting point http://www.apple.com/support/diy/ You choose your computer model & instructions on installing ata hdd's, etc. will display. Another alternative is an external firewire drive (I'd recommend Firewire 800 over 400. I've had issues with having my iTunes library on an external 400.) Space is a premium on the OSX startup disk as all programs use VM whilst they're open which takes up HDD space.

BTW I have 3 startup drives on mine. OSX, OS 9 (different partitions), & another OSX on a different hdd. The 2nd OSX gives me alternatives for maintenance purposes, etc. I also keep as many as possible programs installed on an Applications partition. But this is a very personalised setup.

__________________
Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
640 K [of computer memory] ought be enough for anybody. -- Bill Gates (1981)
The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources. -- Albert Einstein
When facts don't fit the theory, change the facts. -- Albert Einstein
Religion keeps the poor from murdering the rich. -- Napoleon Bonaparte
The important thing is not to stop questioning. -- Albert Einstein
I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones. -- Albert Einstein
"A composer is a guy who goes around forcing his will on unsuspecting air molecules, often with the assistance of unsuspecting musicians." -- Frank Zappa
"Tobacco is my favorite vegetable." / "May your sh*t come to life and kiss you on the face." / "Scientology, how about that? You hold on to the tin cans and then this guy asks you a bunch of questions, and if you pay enough money you get to join the master race. How's that for a religion?" / "Communism doesn't work because people like to own stuff." / "There are three things that smell of fish. One of them is fish. The other two are growing on you!" / "Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny." / "The creation and destruction of harmonic and 'statistical' tensions is essential to the maintenance of compositional drama. Any composition (or improvisation) which remains consonant and 'regular' throughout is, for me, equivalent to watching a movie with only 'good guys' in it, or eating cottage cheese." / "Remember there's a big difference between kneeling down and bending over." / "The most important thing to do in your life, is to not interfere with somebody else's life." / "Rock journalism is people who can't write, interviewing people who can't talk, in order to provide articles for people who can't read." -- Frank Zappa
"The music business is a cruel and shallow trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." - Hunter S. Thompson
The shy can light the dull dark room with life when their eyes mirror their inner sunrise - LOTR

ram, isnt that just memory? if so, would that fix my problem? what is a firewire drive and if its external does that mean i have to have it plugged into the usb port at all times? What exactly is a startup disk anyway, thats whats causing all the problems and im not even sure what it is! sorry if i sound really stupid

how do i know what kind of mac i have? or do you mean like OS 8 or OS 9 or OS X? i have OS X if thats what u mean...