How to Free Up Space on a Hard Drive

If your computer seems to be in a time warp and loading slowly, then it may be carrying too much of a load. Unburden the computer of unneeded processes to make it work faster. Follow these simple steps to free up space on your hard drive. Watch your computer return to its former speed.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Run Disk Cleanup

1. Click the "Start" button on the bottom of the screen. Select "All Programs" from the list. Go to "Accessories" and "System Tools."
2. Choose "Disk Cleanup" from the options.
3. Wait for the cleanup process to begin. Select the files you want to delete. The easiest way to do this is to not deselect the files the computer selected, which is usually "Temporary Internet Files" and "Compress Old Files." Click "OK." Answer "Yes" on the "Are You Sure" screen.
4. Select "Yes" when you see "Do you want to uninstall?"
5. Repeat the process to clear more space on the hard drive.

Delete Unneeded Programs

6. Click "Start" on the desktop.
7. Select "Control Panels."
8. Choose "Add or Remove Programs."
9. Look for a program that you installed but no longer need. Click on the program name.
10. Click "Change/Remove" and wait for the process to start.

Tips & Warnings

• The computer compresses the old files on the machine. These are files that have not been used recently.
• The amount of time it takes for each step to process depends on how many programs and graphic and sound files are loaded on the computer. The number of programs running simultaneously also slows the processing time.
• The actual wording of the Install/Uninstall step varies depending on the program manufacturer, but the steps are basically the same.
• Click "OK" if you get the error message, "Some elements could not be uninstalled."

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