How to Clean Up a Disk in Windows Vista

After a computer has been used for a long time, the hard drive tends to become cluttered with files that no longer serve a purpose. The Disk Cleanup utility in Windows Vista is designed to assist with this problem by scanning the hard drive for certain types of files and remove them. Use the Disk Cleanup utility to remove files from your Windows Vista--based computer that are no longer useful, and reclaim hard-drive space.

Instructions

1. Click the Start button.

2. Type "Cleanup" in the search box at the bottom of the start menu, and then click "Disk Cleanup" from the results list. Alternatively, click "All Programs," "Accessories," "System Tools" and "Disk Cleanup." When the utility launches, it will scan certain areas of the hard drive for files that can be removed, including files in the Recycle Bin, old logs and memory dumps.

3. Click the "More Options" tab. From this screen, you can delete all of your System Restore points except for the one created most recently. On some computers, this may free up several gigabytes of space. However, once older restore points are deleted, they cannot be used. Click the "Clean up" button under "System Restore and Shadow Copies" if you would like to do this.

4. Click the "Disk Cleanup" tab. This screen shows the types of files that Disk Cleanup can remove from the computer, along with the amount of hard-drive space that will be reclaimed by removing each type. In most cases, it is safe to check every box on the screen. Click "OK," and then click "Delete Files" to complete the operation.

Tips & Warnings

• By default, Disk Cleanup will permanently delete the files that are in your Recycle Bin. Before running the utility, it is wise to check the Recycle Bin to confirm that there are no files that you would prefer to keep.

References

• Microsoft Website: Delete Files Using Disk Cleanup