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Clean Up Your Hard Drive (Windows)

Updated: 1/22/2009
Article ID: 5032

Your Windows computer will perform more efficiently if you periodically remove unnecessary files from your hard disk and consolidate disk space. You can use Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter to perform these tasks. 

Disk Cleanup

The cleanup tool helps you free up space on your hard disk by searching for files you can safely delete. You can choose to delete some or all of the files.

  1. On the Windows taskbar, click Start, then All Programs, then Accessories, then System Tools, and then Disk Cleanup.
  2. Select drive C, and then click OK.
  3. Select the files to delete from drive C, and then click OK. 
    Note: Be sure to select Temporary Internet Files, Recycle Bin, and Temporary files.
    disk_cleanup
  4. Click OK to confirm your actions.

Disk Defragmenter

The defragmenting tool rearranges files on your hard disk to increase the amount of usable space and decrease the time it takes to find files.

  1. On the Windows taskbar, click Start, then All Programs, then Accessories, then System Tools, and then Disk Defragmenter.
  2. On the Disk Defragmenter window, click Defragment. 
    defrag_disk
  3. When the process is complete, close the window.

 

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