How to Clean Out Your Hard Drive for Free

There are ways to clean your hard drive for free.

Hard drives can become filled up quickly, with music, pictures and games all taking up space. There are things that can be done to clean out your hard drive, for free. Moving pictures and music to CDs or flash drives can help, but there are other actions that you can undertake to free up space and keep a computer running smoothly.

Things You'll Need

• CD's or flash drive

Instructions

1. Remove unused Windows components. There are some Windows components that can be safely removed to free up space. Open the Windows Control Panel by clicking on "Start" and "Control Panel."

2. Select the "Add or Remove Programs" icon. To the left of the window that opens, click on "Add/Remove Windows Components."

3. Select Windows components that are not being used. Some such programs might include Microsoft Fax Services, the standard Microsoft games, and MSN Explorer. Select the components you do not use and click on "Remove."

4. Search for files with a .tmp file extension. Click on the "Computer" icon. At the top right there will be a search box. In the search box type "*.tmp." Click the magnifying glass to the right of the search box. The files that are found can be safely deleted.

5. Let Windows find files that are not necessary. Click "Start." Click on "Programs." Select "Accessories." Choose "System Tools." In this file, find "Disk Cleanup" and click it to open the window.

6. Choose "Files from all users on this computer." Select the drive to be cleaned. Click "OK." A Disk Cleanup window will appear. Click the box to the left of each item that has an amount in it. Click "OK." The files will be deleted.

7. Delete Temporary Internet files by opening Internet Explorer. Select "Internet Options" from the Tools menu. On the "General" tab, under Browsing History, select the "Delete" button.

Tips & Warnings

• Schedule regular disk cleanup to keep temporary Internet files cleaned off of your computer.

• Regularly move music and pictures to other mediums. (CD's or flash drive's)

• Use the Windows Help file for further disk freeing information.

References

• Help With Windows: Clean up your Hard Drive