How to Free Up Disk Space in Windows Vista Using Disk Cleanup

Your computer files take up storage space on your hard disk.

One way to speed up your Windows Vista computer is to use the Disk Cleanup feature in Windows. Disk Cleanup calculates how much space you can save on your hard drive and allows you to remove unnecessary files. By running this utility, you can free up space on your computer, which can result in better computer performance.

Instructions

1. Click "Start," "All Programs," "Accessories," "System Tools" and "Disk Cleanup" to open the Disk Cleanup utility.

2. Click the appropriate option in the new window: clean up your own files only or all of the files on the computer.

3. Click to select the drive you want to clean, if given the option. Click "OK." Disk Cleanup will run a scan to calculate how much space it can free on your hard disk.

4. Click to place a check next to each item you want to clear. Click "OK."

5. Click "Delete Files" to confirm that you want to delete them. The Disk Cleanup Utility will start deleting files. This may take a half hour or so, depending on the amount and size of files being deleted. Once the process is complete, the Disk Cleanup Utility will automatically close.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are unsure what an item is, click it once to highlight it. A description of the item will appear. It is safe to select all items if you choose, as all of them are considered unnecessary by Windows. No damage will occur by removing them.

• Run the Disk Cleanup utility at least once a week.

References

• Microsoft Windows: Delete Files Using Disk Cleanup