Today we’ll talk about cleaning local PC drives from old and unnecessary junk. Often this is really necessary, and not only to free up space - such prevention for the OS improves its performance and also reduces the number of errors that arise over time. Therefore, be careful and free time to improve the situation of your iron friend.
For the best results, you will need to use all of the above methods, preferably in order, because they come from one another. For example, there is no point in conducting defragmentation, if you still have a lot of things to delete, registry cleaning is also carried out after uninstallation. Let's figure out how to clean a disk WITH from unnecessary Windows files 7. If you have other local drives, or have a different OS version installed (even XP or 8.1), then methods for cleaning your computer from unnecessary programs and files manually, will not differ much due to the slight difference in systems. Okay, let's start!
First of all, go to Start and enter in the search bar Uninstalling a program :
Open a window with a list of all available programs on your PC and see what you don’t need at all. These could be old forgotten programs, installed extensions from different utilities, or similar programs. Of course, you should remove it carefully without touching drivers, or something concerning Windows– if you are not sure, then it is better not to touch, because cleaning drive C from unnecessary files Windows 7 requires awareness. If you don’t know what kind of program is in front of you, use the Internet by entering the name in the search bar. Well, regarding any additional programs that interfere with installations, feel free to remove them. After all, you don't need I am index.Bar or browser which you don't use ( I.E. not included in this number). Why do you need Nero, if you have been writing to disks for a long time using ImgBurn? Watch, analyze, decide.
The next step to clean up space is to run the OS disk cleanup program. It's very good and safe way freeing up space. Again we go to Start and the search string, write Disk Cleanup :
During the operation of the service, you can analyze the disks and make a choice on the information that can be deleted in order to figure out how to free up space on a disk with Windows 7. Here you also need to be careful so that do not remove anything unnecessary. In general, the interface is quite simple and convenient.
If you know about the location of temporary folders called Temp, then you can go to them and delete the files that are in them. As a rule, the paths to them are different: from the windir folder, there is also Temp V ProgramData and in Local (Local is in AppData). If you find them, you can safely clean the contents. Don't be afraid of system files; Windows won't let you just delete them.
Have you heard about swap file? So, the larger it is, the more memory it takes up on your disk. Reducing its size will add free space. It can be moved to another disk. Remember that it is all the same for the system the best option there will be a recommended value for the paging file, which is determined by the system itself.
Many updates for various programs like to leave installers in separate folders. Not highly recommended , but if you urgently need free space, you can remove some distributions (installation programs). These same distributions can be used to properly remove programs if you don’t need them.
Antiviruses love very much increase the volume of quarantine, sending there everything they don’t like. Typically, the size of this folder is not very large, but there are exceptions. And if you are confident that your anti-virus utility is working correctly, then you can remove the quarantine option in the settings, then the files will be deleted immediately, thereby not taking up space.
Oddly enough, the ability of a PC to go into sleep mode also requires space. Sleep mode is also called hibernation. If you do not need this function, click (right-click) on the desktop in an empty space, select Create – Shortcut. Now a window will open, in the empty field write powercfg –h off. Then confirm the actions. Now launch the shortcut as an administrator and agree to the actions in the request UAC.
After you have done a lot of work, all you have to do is download the program CCleaner. What is she doing?
Using this application, you can clear the cache, which gets clogged very quickly on your PC, clean the registry, delete duplicate files, and customize the operation of programs. CCleaner It helps very well to keep your PC clean if used correctly and in a timely manner. With it, you will improve the results of previous actions, and you will also have fewer problems with space clogging in the future.
What's the last thing you can do? You probably already fully understand how to clean local disk From garbage - this is good, because... will be useful in the future. The system has been cleaned, unnecessary things have been removed, everything is in order with the registry and cache. Only the files you need remain. In this case, carry out defragmentation local disk (or disks, if you have several of them). This procedure is carried out by the system itself without any additional programs in order to optimize logical processes. Defragmentation will allow your PC to continuously work with any information on it, because it combines with itself by type. After layout performance of all programs increases , because they will now be located in continuous areas.
We hope that you were able to clear your iron friend of all unnecessary things, significantly increasing the amount of free space, as well as its operating speed. We are glad if you liked the article - write a comment about it and what else you would like to see here!
Computers are devices of fine technical and software organization. One of the conditions for their functioning at 100% of their existing potential is, naturally, cleanliness and order both inside and outside. system unit, and directly in sections hard drive. If you do not systematically clean your PC from dust, dirt and “digital debris,” sooner or later trouble will happen to it. It will begin to “slow down” and “glitch” or fail altogether - it will stop starting.
This article will help you clean up the C drive from unnecessary files manually and using special programs.
How to remove unnecessary files manually?
Empty the trash!
In Windows, all previously deleted folders and files are stored in a special directory called “Trash”. It performs the same functions as a trash can in a house or apartment - all the trash is thrown into it. You can restore data that you deleted from this software reservoir at any time.
However, if the “Trash” only stores everything unnecessary, it must be emptied. Because recycled “digital trash” continues to occupy system partition space. Why waste it? Still, it’s better to spend your free megabytes (or even gigabytes!) on a useful program or game. Agree.
To empty the Trash, do the following:
1. Right-click on the “Recycle Bins” shortcut on your desktop.
2. From the contextual set of options, select “Empty Trash.”
"Cleaning" in Windows directories
During operation of the operating system, so-called temporary files accumulate in its folders. After a one-time use of Windows or some other program, they turn into “ballast”.
To get rid of them:
1. Press the key combination - “Win” and “E”.
2. Right-click on the “Disk C” icon.
3. In the system menu, click “Properties”.
4. In the new window, on the General tab, click Disk Cleanup.
5. Wait a moment. The system utility needs to analyze the directories before deleting files from the disk.
6. Check the boxes next to the items that need to be deleted (“Magazine”, “Sketches”, etc.).
7. Click the “Clear...” button.
Upon completion of the procedure, you can also remove the saved OS restore points and thereby further increase the free space of the system partition. This is done like this:
1. In the same window, go to the “Advanced” tab.
2. In the “System Restore…” block, click “Clean”.
3. Confirm deleting backup points: in the request message, click “Delete”.
Attention! After running the command, the Windows utility deletes all existing restore points except the last one.
What's going on in the Temp folder?
The Temp folder also serves as storage for temporary files. Many programs and directly the operating system during various operations (unpacking archives, updating, installation, etc.).
You definitely need to visit Temp regularly and clean out all its contents. It can store not only temporary files, but also viruses. A huge number of digital “strains” are placed here after a successful attack on a PC.
To clear Temp:
1. Open the folder. It is located in the directory:
Drive C → Users → → AppData → Local
2. Press the combination “Ctrl+A” to select all files and folders.
3. Click the right mouse button. Select "Delete".
Have you been on the Internet? Clean up your browser!
After visiting sites, enough information is stored in the cache (special storage) and browser log. a large number of information, including confidential information. Naturally, it also reduces the precious free megabytes of the C drive.
Therefore, make it a rule that after completing web surfing (working on the Internet) mandatory clear browser. This procedure will not take much of your time - only 1-2 minutes, no more!
1. In almost all popular browsers (Opera, Google Chrome, Firefox), cleaning is launched by the hot key combination - “Ctrl + Shift + Del”. Click them simultaneously while in a web browser window.
2. In the settings of the panel that opens, specify that you need to delete the data that was saved for the entire period of using the browser. Also check the boxes next to the objects that need cleaning.
3. Click the "Clear history" button.
Get rid of unnecessary applications
Some users, especially beginners, experience “Plyushkin’s disease” during the process of selecting and installing programs and games.
Whatever they come across on torrent trackers, websites dedicated to software, and other Internet sources, as well as on disks and flash drives borrowed from friends and acquaintances, they are sure to install on their PC. And at the same time they are guided by the same thought as the well-known literary hero: “I’ll take it, keep it, it’ll come in handy someday.” As a result of this approach, computer clutter occurs almost exponentially.
To neutralize from Windows unnecessary game, utility, follow this guide:
1. Click Start (the first icon on the left at the bottom of the display).
2. In the pop-up panel, click “Control Panel”.
3. In the “Programs” section, click “Uninstall...”.
4. Left-click once in the list on the program you want to get rid of.
5. Click at the top (above the list) the “Delete” option.
6. Follow the prompts of the uninstaller that opens to neutralize the software from the computer disk.
Advice! You can also open the uninstaller in another way: Start → All Programs → folder of the application to be removed → Uninstall file, or Uninstaller (or in Russian - Delete, Uninstall).
How to remove applications installed with the system?
Internet Explorer browser, Notepad application, games (Klondike, Solitaire, etc.) and others integrated into Windows applications uninstall using the method described above, as well as using special utilities it is forbidden. They can only be disabled - make sure that they are not displayed in the operating system.
1. Open: Start → Control Panel → Programs → Programs and Features.
2. In the window that opens, in the list on the left, click the last item - “Turn on and off components...”.
3. Uncheck the box next to the component that you want to remove (for example, Games → Mahjong).
4. Click OK. Wait until the operation completes.
Automatic removal of unnecessary files
Cleaner programs
This category of software is designed to help you clean up your system partition in a matter of minutes. Using special algorithms, these utilities delicately remove all existing “software obscenities” from the registry, OS directories, browsers and other applications.
Let's look at the most effective solutions.
Accurately detects and neutralizes temporary, unnecessary folders and files from drive C (Temp folder, thumbnail cache, memory dumps, system log). Correctly cleans browser directories (cache, cookies, browsing history, saved passwords and logins) and other trusted applications (WinRAR, Nero, Google panel, etc.). Brings order to the registry: checks its integrity, eliminates errors in “branches”.
One of the most powerful utilities for optimizing the OS and cleaning drive C. It efficiently cleans system folders and eliminates problems in the registry. Provides the user with the ability to comfortably manage startup, scheduled tasks and uninstall useless applications. Has special settings for selective cleaning.
The most convenient tool for global and selective cleaning of the system disk. Uses more than 90 algorithms for removing unnecessary objects. Highly optimizes the registry, startup, and general OS settings. Able to perform detailed monitoring of consumed system resources in real time. Very easy to operate.
To use nCleaner:
1. In the utility window, click the “Clean System” section.
2. To clean the directories on drive C, in the “Clean system...” block, click the “Clean Now” button.
To fix errors in the registry, click the same button, but in the “Registry clean...” block.
3. Upon completion of the analysis of the selected objects, click “Remove”.
What to do with unnecessary drivers?
Of course, delete it. If a device is no longer on the PC, for example, a video card, hard drive, webcam, then, accordingly, its driver is not needed.
To solve this problem, it is best to use specialized utilities. For example, Driver Sweeper. This tiny program is indispensable when you need to find out which drivers are installed in the OS and remove unnecessary ones. It has additional useful functions (registry cleaning, backup, etc.). Equipped with a multilingual interface.
Uninstaller programs
These maintenance utilities uninstall programs and games in a semi-automatic mode. They find and launch the uninstaller of the specified application, and then, after completing the standard uninstallation, free the system partition from the remaining elements of the removed application.
Let's look at the most popular uninstaller utilities on the Internet.
A worthy alternative to the system applet responsible for uninstalling software. Endowed with advanced functions, carefully analyzes directories. Finds all program remnants in folders and the registry. Equipped with an easy to use control panel.
It analyzes the disk and cleans it from “digital garbage” at lightning speed. Neutralizes objects from folders and the registry without interfering with the performance of the system and programs.
Solution from Chinese developers. Endowed with powerful algorithms for scanning system objects. Has the Force Scan function.
How to delete undeletable files?
If you have not yet encountered a situation where an unnecessary file “does not want” to be deleted, you will definitely encounter it in the future. This occurs because the object being deleted is being used by an application or driver.
Such problems are also resolved with the help of special utilities. Here are some of them:
Has a tiny size. Integrates into the OS context menu. Tells the user which specific process is blocking the application. Correctly removes files in directories. Operates with just a few mouse clicks.
Can remove a large number of file locks related to user rights, access and security. Instantly terminates all blocking processes and safely sends the selected item to the trash.
It is protected from inappropriate use: it does not delete files without which the system cannot work and in which confidential user data is stored. Effectively removes locks and deletes files of almost all categories.
Beware, memory eaters!
Windows, by default, reserves system partition memory for its special files. They can have a fairly substantial volume - 4.7, 10 GB or more. But if there is no need for these files, or rather for the functions that they support, of course, it makes sense to remove them. Who wouldn't mind another 5-10 free gigabytes on drive C?
Pagefile.sys
The swap file is a kind of software reservoir for PC RAM. It temporarily stores data that it cannot accommodate. RAM. But if you powerful computer with RAM of about 6-8 GB, then this file can be removed by disabling the special option.
1. Go to: Panel → Control Panel → System and Security → System.
2. Click “Advanced options...”. In the properties panel, click "Options" in the "Performance" block.
3. Go to the “Advanced” subsection.
4. In the “Virtual Memory” block, click “Change”.
5. Uncheck the “Automatically select...” option.
6. Click the radio button “No paging file”, click “OK”.
Advice! To reduce the size of pagefile.sys., click “Specify size” and enter the file size in megabytes in the “Initial ...” and “Minimum ...” fields.
Hiberfil.sys
This file stores data when the PC enters a special “Sleep mode” - hibernation. If you do not use this option, do the following:
1. Open Start. In the search bar, type - CMD.
2. Run the application that appears in the panel with administrator rights.
3. Enter the directive - powercfg.exe /hibernate off
4. Press "Enter".
You can also disable hibernation through the “Run” panel (launched by the “Win + R” combination). Type in its line - powercfg –h off and click “OK”.
Successful Windows cleaning!
The lack of free space on the system disk is fraught not only with the inability to install new programs. A full C drive also slows down the system. Almost every PC user knows this, so he tries not to clog the disk with the operating system. But even if you don’t install anything extra on it, over time it will still become full. Why? The fact is that free disk space is occupied by temporary files that are no longer needed by the system. And so that drive C does not become clogged, they need to be removed regularly.
So how can you free up space on your system drive? There are many ways.
Windows 10 has introduced many system tools that allow you to clear disk space of junk without using any third party tools. software. First, let's look at cleaning your computer from temporary files through “Storage”.
- Go to “Options”, which can be easily opened with the keyboard shortcut “Win+I”.
- Go to the “System” settings.
- Open the “Storage” section, here set the local drives on which the downloaded content will be saved. As you can see from the picture, this parameter can be successfully configured for different types files: documents, music, applications.
- Next, click on one of the disks. Since you need to clean up the C drive, select it.
- A special window will open with information about how much disk space is occupied and what. And, more importantly in this situation, with the ability to clean up disk space.
- If you scroll to the very bottom, you will see the option to delete temporary files. It interests us first of all. Also, just below you can delete files from the download and trash folders.
On a note! Among other things, in this section you can see how much the file that allows you to recover weighs. old version OS. In most cases, it can also be removed as unnecessary.
Using the file compression feature in Windows 10
Another useful feature for cleaning up disk space that is built into Windows 10 is file compression. It's about about system files. This option will reduce the space occupied by operating system files. Thus, your Windows becomes "lighter". According to the developers, this feature will not reduce system performance, but only if you have enough RAM on your computer.
This function will free up 1.5-2 gigabytes.
On a note! Also, do not forget that Windows 10 has many additional built-in ones that do not provide any benefit to many users. And this version of the operating system provides the ability to remove them.
Disk Cleanup
Before you start using third-party software, it is recommended to go through the disk with the software that is installed with the system. The next program we'll look at is available on all versions of the operating system, not just Windows 10. It's called Disk Cleanup. This tool will allow you to remove from the disk those files that do not perform any useful functions.
- To find this tool, go to disk properties.
- Click on the "Disk Cleanup" button.
- For some time, the system will collect information about the files and find out what can be deleted from it. After analysis, a file classification will be proposed. Check the box next to the groups you want to delete and click OK.
- In addition, you can try to delete system files by clicking on the appropriate button. Don't be afraid, only files that are useless will be deleted. Another tab will open for you in the “Advanced” window. Go into it and click on cleanup.
Removing unnecessary programs
The note! Especially this method relevant for those who install games on a disk with an operating system.
It often happens that a user installs too many programs and does not use most of them. But they take up quite a lot of space. But you can always simply delete them.
This can be done using a simple tool – “Uninstall a program”. You can find it in the “Control Panel”. To find Control Panel:
As you can see, a table opens in which you can see not only all the programs installed on the computer, but also how much space they take up. But this data is not always true. Very often programs do not provide the system with accurate data about their size. So, it's better to remove all programs that you don't need. Even if they don't weigh that much.
The note! After uninstalling programs, there will be a lot of temporary files left. They also need to be removed.
CCleaner
There is such an excellent program for freeing up disk space as CCleaner. This is a fairly universal program, since it can be used to both clean up temporary files and remove unnecessary programs. You can download it from the official website completely free of charge. To achieve maximum results, use its different tools in the following sequence:
- First, go to the “Service” tab and uninstall unnecessary programs. In general, there is not much difference between using CCleaner or the system tool to remove programs.
- Next, go to the “Cleaning” tab and delete temporary files, including those remaining after uninstalling unnecessary programs.
- Uninstalling programs creates many errors in the registry. These errors slow down the operation of the operating system. Therefore, after cleaning, go to the “Registry” tab and correct any errors that appear.
This will save time. At least for this moment and there are so many programs that perform the same functions, CCleaner has earned the reputation of being the most convenient disk space cleaning software.
The note! Although CCleaner removes temporary files left over from operating system programs, it can bypass some applications. First of all, these are browsers, the cache of which sometimes reaches quite a large sizes. It needs to be cleaned separately.
Manual removal
Temporary files can be deleted without using any programs. You can find them manually and delete the folders in which they are stored. All these folders are located on the system drive and are named “Temp”.
You can simply calculate them through a search. For this:
Important! Although these are system folders, you can simply delete them like regular files. You don't even need administrator rights to do this.
There are a few simple tips, if followed, you can avoid clogging the C drive.
- It is better to never download games, movies and music to drive C. Choose another local drive to store them;
- Initially set enough space for the system disk. If you don't score your HDD to the fullest, it's better to leave it By more space for the system;
- install ;
- keep under control installed programs. Figure out which ones you need and which ones you don't.
Make sure that the system disk on your computer does not become clogged. But if this does happen, clean up your disk space in a timely manner.
Video - Cleaning drive C from unnecessary files in Windows 10 and 7
Computers are so ingrained in our lives that it is simply impossible to imagine a world without them. Despite this, many users do not know how to care for their “iron horse”. For example, not everyone knows how to clean up drive C. This article will help fill the gap in knowledge.
Filling the system disk can lead to a number of inconveniences. If there is little space on drive C, the following problems may occur:
- You cannot install new programs;
- There is no room for operating system updates;
- PC speed decreases.
The first problem is easily solved. If there is not enough space on drive C, then you can install new programs in other partitions (D, E, etc.). But what to do with the second and third points? There is only one way out - you need to clean the system disk. How can this be done? How to free up space on drive C? The answer can be found in this article.
How to free up space on your system disk?
Many people have no idea how to clean up local drive C. People mistakenly believe that it is very difficult. Cleaning your computer is a quick and simple process that does not require any specialized IT knowledge. However, this procedure should not be neglected. The system disk should be cleaned at least once a month.
There are many ways that allow . We will look at the most effective ones in this article. Before we begin, it should be noted that the methods given below can be used to clean up the C drive from junk on Windows 10, Windows 7 and other versions of this OS.
Manually removing unnecessary programs
Of course, software takes up the most space. Therefore, when you need to clean drive C from garbage, first of all you need to pay attention to the software.
How to clean drive C from unnecessary files? To uninstall the program, you need to use the built-in Windows utility. To launch it, you need to go to the “Start” menu and select “Control Panel” in the drop-down tab. Then you need to go to the “Uninstall programs” section.
A new window will open containing information about all the programs that are on the computer. They can be sorted by size, date or name. What can I delete? First of all, software that is not used at all must be uninstalled. As a rule, these are completed games. To remove a program, right-click on it, after which the corresponding tab will appear.
Built-in Windows utility
You can free your computer from garbage using a standard Windows utility. This is done very simply. You need to go to “Computer” and right-click on the disk that we will clean. In the drop-down list, click on the “Properties” item, after which a new window opens with information about the memory partition. We are interested in the “General” tab. Go there and click on the “Disk Cleanup” button.
The built-in utility will begin to analyze the data and look for unnecessary files. This will take a certain amount of time. After the program analyzes the computer's memory, it will produce a list of unnecessary files. They need to be ticked and then click “OK”.
You won’t free up a lot of memory this way, but you can win a couple of tens of megabytes.
Temporary files
To carry out the correct installation or update of programs, antiviruses, etc. Temporary files are created on the computer. The operating system stores them in the Temp folder, which is located on drive C. Temporary files are not needed for the daily operation of programs. Therefore, software that uses intermediate resources deletes them automatically upon completion of installation or update.
However, sometimes a glitch occurs due to which temporary files are not deleted. This leads to the Temp folder gradually becoming clogged and taking up more and more space on the system disk. To fix this, you need to remove the intermediate files manually. This is done very simply. You need to go to the Temp folder, which is located at “Computer” > Drive C > Windows folder. To free up memory on drive C, you need to uninstall the contents of this folder.
In Windows 10, Windows 7 and other versions of the OS, there are two folders for storing temporary files. You can get to the second one through the Start menu. You just need to enter search query%Temp%. The folder needs to be opened and cleaned. It is worth noting that sometimes the operating system may issue a warning that some files cannot be deleted. This indicates that they are currently being used by some program. If such a message appears, then simply click the “Skip” button.
"Basket"
“Trash” is a special folder that is temporary storage for deleted files. Everything stored there takes up computer memory. Therefore, the “Trash” needs to be cleaned from time to time. To do this, you need to right-click on the folder and click on the “Empty Trash” item in the drop-down list. After this, the folder will be freed from garbage, and there will be more memory on drive C.
"Downloads"
Users quite often download movies, music, and games through the standard browser downloader. Files from the Internet are automatically saved to the Downloads folder. And, as you know, it is located on drive C. If a user often downloads some files from the Internet, then the free disk space runs out very quickly. To prevent disk C from becoming clogged, you need to check the boot folder from time to time for the presence of large files. 
You need to open “Computer” and go to “Downloads”.
You need to check the folder for large files and if there are any, they need to be deleted or moved to another drive.
Swap file
In Windows OS there is a paging file. How does it affect memory and why is it needed? Sometimes the system does not have enough RAM to perform certain operations. In such cases, the file takes a certain amount of permanent memory from the disk and uses it as RAM.
To free up drive C, you need to make sure that the paging file takes resources elsewhere. You need to go to the “Computer” folder, and then press RMB. In the tab that appears, click on “Properties”. A window will appear. In it, open “Advanced system settings”.
Then click on “Options”.
In the new window, go to the “Advanced” section and click on “Change”.
We install the disk from which the paging file will take memory. This is done as follows. Select drive C and check the box next to the “No paging file” property. To confirm, click on the “Set” button. With another disk, do the opposite and check the “Size by system choice” property.
If the window does not allow you to change properties (the field with disks is dimly highlighted), then uncheck the box next to the “Automatically select paging file size” option.
Hibernation
To save memory on drive C, you can turn off hibernation on your computer. Must be activated command line(Win + R combination) and write in it: powercfg.exe –h off. Press Enter and voila – hibernation is disabled. After restarting the computer, you may notice that there is a little more memory on the system disk.
However, it is better not to turn it off unless absolutely necessary. This is an extremely useful feature that allows you to restore previously running programs, even if the computer was turned off. To reactivate hibernation, you need to write the command powercfg.exe –h on in the console and restart the PC.
Checkpoints
Checkpoints are created after various changes in the system (updating drivers, installing new software, etc.). They allow you to roll back the system if any problems arise. But you have to pay for this opportunity. system memory. To free up drive C, you can delete checkpoints. This will give a couple of megabytes of memory. In this video you can learn how to delete restore points and thus clean up your local drive C:
Conclusion
The memory on drive C gets clogged up pretty quickly. This can cause a whole range of troubles. To avoid problems, you need to monitor the amount of free space and clean the system disk from time to time. Cleaning the C drive has a positive effect on the performance of the computer and does not take much time. There are many free ways to free up disk space when memory is full. Moreover, these methods are the same on all Microsoft operating systems. That is, disk cleanup on Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows Vista is identical.
Over time, a large number of unnecessary files accumulate on the main partition of the hard drive, which is called the letter C by default, taking up a lot of space. Since the disk allocated for the system and system elements most often has a small volume, the presence of temporary and remaining remote programs files may lead to free space the disk space will become catastrophically low. Manually deleting files from this drive is very difficult because they may be located very deep in the folder system, and it is also dangerous because you can accidentally erase items that are necessary for the computer to function correctly. To safely clean up your system disk in Windows 10, your best bet is to use the built-in Disk Cleanup program.
Windows 10 Disk Cleanup: Built-in Tools
There are several ways to open the Disk Cleanup program in Windows 10. Remember that you should only use it if drive C is full and there is no way to clean it by removing third-party programs.
Through command execution
Via control panel
How to use the program
- In the “Disk Cleanup” block, you need to check all the departments that you want to clean.
- Having selected a department, you can read all the information about what it contains, as well as view the files that belong to this section by clicking the “View files” button.
- To proceed to removing system files, click the “Clean up system files” button. You will need administrator rights to access this feature. But it is better not to remove any elements of the system, as this may lead to system breakdown or incorrect operation.
- In the “Advanced” tab, you can proceed to remove unnecessary programs by clicking the “Clean” button in the “Programs and Features” block.
- In the “System Restore and Shadow Copies” block, you can click the “Clean” button to proceed to deleting unnecessary recovery points that also take up space on drive C. It is not recommended to delete all points, and it is also better to save one or two of the last ones in order to always have the ability to roll back the system if some error occurs that cannot be corrected by other methods.
- Once you have selected which partitions you want to clean and have ticked them, click the OK button to begin the process. Do not interrupt the cleaning process or turn off the computer so that no errors occur and all files are deleted correctly.
Advanced Cleaning
Each user with administrator rights has the opportunity to launch the Disk Cleanup program with more options than there are during normal startup.
What to do if the application does not start
The program may not open using any of the above methods only because the file responsible for launching the application is not in the default path. Try to find this file manually, it may be located in the following path: C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386. If it is not there either, or the folder itself does not exist, then there is only one thing left to do - use third-party programs to clean up the disk.
How to clean up drive C on Windows 10 using third-party programs and applications
There are many programs that allow you to clean your hard drive from unnecessary and temporary files. Many of them are distributed on the Internet for free and are in no way inferior to the built-in Disk Cleanup program. Next, we will consider the most popular, convenient and easy-to-use applications.
CCleaner
TO positive aspects This program includes the following qualities:
Kaspersky Cleaner
A program from a well-known campaign that previously specialized only in antiviruses, but has now started producing applications with other tasks. You can download Cleaner from Kaspersky from the official website by finding it in general list all programs -
The main advantage of the application is its simple design, which allows you to complete all the necessary tasks by pressing one “Start scanning” button.
Also, if you don’t like the changes made by the program after the last session, you can cancel them by clicking the “Cancel Changes” button in the main menu.
What can cause your hard drive to fill up?
If you have cleaned up your disk using one of the above methods, but have not freed up enough space, try the following:
- Manually go through all the files stored on the drive and see which ones can be moved to another drive or deleted. Do not touch system files and programs; you can only move and edit elements that you personally added.
- Remove unnecessary third-party programs that are definitely not useful to you.
- Check your computer for viruses. Perhaps the virus itself takes up some of the free space or regularly downloads advertising files and applications that clog up the disk.
It is recommended that you clean out the C drive regularly, as how busy it is will determine how quickly the computer can find the files you need and present them to the user. That is, if drive C is overloaded, the system runs slower. And also, all browsers and other programs send temporary files and cache to the main disk by default, and if there is no space on it, then there will be nowhere to store the necessary elements. Based on all the problems described, we can conclude that it is worth cleaning the disk using special programs at least once a month.