Using The Disk Cleanup Tool

Using the Disk Cleanup Tool in Windows XP

This is a great method to create quite a bit of space on your hard drive. This tool will automatically search your hard drive for files that can be safely deleted. Files that the Disk Cleanup tool searches for are:

Temporary Internet Files
Temporary Program Files
Files in the Recycle Bin
Windows Temporary Files
Unused Optional Windows Components
No Longer Used Previously Installed Programs
...and more!

To use this the Disk Cleanup tool:

1. Go to Start>> Run. Type in: cleanmgr [Enter] or click OK.
Alternately, Go to Start>>All Programs>> Accessories>> Disk Cleanup.

2. When the Disk Cleanup tool utility starts, select the Hard Drive that you would like to clean (usually C:).

3. Click OK. Disk Cleanup will begin to calculate how much space you will be able to free-up on the selected drive. This may take a few moments.

4. Once Disk Cleanup is finished calculating, it will provide you with lists of files to be deleted within the Disk Cleanup screen. Before doing anything with these files, click the "More Options" tab at the top of the window. You will now be given three categories:

Windows Components
Installed Programs
System Restore

5. First, in the Windows Components category. Click the Clean up button. Then, click next. Finally, click the Finish button.

6. Next, in the Installed Programs category. Once the Clean up button is clicked, you will be pointed to individual unused programs that Windows has deemed "Safe to Delete". Each time you click the Clean up button in this category, you will be given the option to remove the unused program. I have always gone with these recommendations. Once the program is removed, you will be taken back to the Disk Cleanup tool.

7. This last option, the System Restore category, when you click the Clean up button you will be deleting all but the most recent restore points.

8. Now that you're done in the "More Options" tab, click the Disk Cleanup tab.

9. Under "Files to delete:", select all that have a value. Then, click OK.

10. Click Yes to allow the procedure.

11. The Disk Cleanup tool will remove all of the files that you've previously selected.

Good job! You now have a nice squeaky clean hard drive!