How to Clean Out Your Computer

Hard drives of all shapes and sizes work the same way on the inside.

Computers begin to collect temporary files and cookies as soon as they are used, and these files can add up and slow the system down. Regular maintenance should include cleaning out these unused files and tuning up the operating system with a few built-in utilities designed to keep everything running smoothly. Learn how to remove fragmentation from the hard drive, scan it for errors, and clean up unwanted remnants of programs and websites as well as all of the deleted files residing in the recycle bin.

Instructions

1. Log in to the system as an administrator or a user with administrative privileges.

2. Perform a full backup of the system prior to beginning the maintenance routine, or back up any important files to a USB flash drive, blank optical disc or network location.

3. Click "Start" (Windows orb), "Computer." Click "Desktop" in the navigation pane and right-click "Recycle Bin." Click "Empty Recycle Bin" and click "Yes."

4. Click "Start" and "All Programs," and then click "Accessories" and click "System Tools." Click "Disk Cleanup" and choose the "C" drive if it is not already selected. Click "OK" to start the analysis of the hard drive for temporary and unwanted files. Click each blank check box until all of the check boxes in the "Disk Cleanup" window are checked (selected) and click "OK" to begin the cleanup. Click "Delete Files" to perform the cleanup. Close the windows when the operation has completed.

5. Click "Start" and "Computer" and then right click on the "C" drive and click "Properties." Click "Check Now" under the "Tools" tab and check the box next to "Scan for and Attempt Recovery of Bad Sectors." Click "Start" and click "Schedule Disk Check" to schedule the procedure for the next time the system starts. Click "Start" and "Restart" to restart the computer and allow the disk scanning operation to run until it is complete, which can take an hour or more on some systems.

6. Click "Start" and "Computer" and then right-click on the "C" drive and click "Properties." Click "Defragment Now" under the "Tools" tab. Click on the "C" drive and click "Defragment Disk." Allow the system to complete the operation.

Tips & Warnings

• Empty the recycle bin once a week. Perform a disk cleanup and defrag once a month and perform a full disk check annually. Back up all important files daily.

• Set an automatic scheduled backup and defrag to run on the system during off hours.

• Run one routine at a time and allow it to complete before starting another routine to avoid delays.

References

• Microsoft: Delete Files Using Disk Cleanup
• Microsoft Windows: Improve Performance by Defragmenting Your Hard Disk

Resources

• Microsoft at Home: How to Back up Files and Recover Data
• Microsoft Support: How to Delete the Contents of the Temporary Internet Files Folder