The computer drive is totally full, but you still don’t know which files to delete. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
In fact, all software gets filled with garbage from time to time, including Windows. Everything from temporary files created by the OS and various applications, duplicates of system libraries, shadow copies, and installation files to web pages cached by the browser resembles a snowball that grows every day, and that causes your laptop slow and battery drain fast.
Fortunately, there are simple ways to clear junk from your computer’s disk memory without deleting any of the necessary data. Below, you will find handy tips to solve this problem! But before we begin, let us remind you that a huge study load shouldn’t be a pitfall to getting your gadgets organized.
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Use Built-in Disk Cleanup
This is the most effective and safest option on the list. To use it, you need to go to the “Start → Settings → System → Memory → Temporary files” menu. The system will examine all the files on the disk and suggest what is best to delete.
They include copies of Windows updates, image thumbnails, system services caches, diagnostic logs, etc. The total volume of the files mentioned above can reach tens of gigabytes. Pay attention to your Downloads folder so you don’t accidentally delete important information.
Make Sure There Are No Temporary Files
Even if you have disk cleaning programs installed, there is no guarantee that they will do their job perfectly. And to make sure your computer survives college, you need to learn how to clean it yourself. By that, we mean examining C:\Windows\Temp and C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Temp, the contents of which can be easily deleted. In addition, you can inspect C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming. There is always a lot of trash inside it.
Read: 3 Easy Ways to Check Your Internet Speed
Remove Shadow Copies
Typically, Windows creates copies of user and system files by default. To free up space, simply delete them. Here’s what you need to do: open the console with administrator rights.
Enter the vssadmin list shadows to view a list of existing shadow copies on the drive. Type vssadmin delete shadows /all. A similar result can be achieved by opening “Start → Settings → System → About the system → System protection → Configurations”) and clicking on the “Delete” button.
Delete C:\Windows\Installer
Few people realize that there is a folder with plenty of installation files. If you don’t clean it in time, the garbage will grow to unprecedented sizes. So, you’d better trust the PatchCleaner utility, which is a great tool for such purposes.
The program explores which installer files are linked with the software. Then, it suggests moving the unnecessary files to a larger folder or simply deleting them.
Don’t Forget About The Browser Cache
This is the easiest procedure that frees up tens of gigabytes. Depending on the browser, the process may vary. In the case of Google Chrome, go to the settings of your web browser, then open the menu “Privacy and security → Clear history”, specify the time range “All time”, then check the box “Images and other files saved in the cache” and click “Delete data.”
In Microsoft Edge, this toolkit is located in the menu “Settings → Privacy, search and services → Delete browsing data → Select items to delete.” In Firefox, you need to go to “Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and site data → Delete data.”
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Remove Unnecessary Accounts
Another reason why space quickly runs out is long-forgotten accounts with your files, such as photos, music, documents, and so on. You don’t even remember they exist. Therefore, go to the “Settings → Accounts → Family and other users” section to clean them up. This requires administrator rights.
Disable Unused System Components
There are many software modules that you can remove through “Settings → Applications → Additional components → Other Windows components.” So pay attention to Internet Explorer 11 browser, Windows Media Player, PowerShell tools, printing tools, the Windows Subsystem for Linux, and other components.
If necessary, disabled software modules can later be reactivated – Windows will automatically download all missing files from the internet.
Remove Crash Dumps
When something happens to your computer, the system saves RAM dumps in the C:\Windows\Minidump folder so you can see what the problem is. If the computer is functioning stably, you can safely get rid of the previously saved crash dumps – there is no need for extra files on the disk.
Compress The Files
If the steps listed above didn’t help, then you can use the automatic compression functions for files stored on the drive. This can be done by using the NTFS file system. Basically, you need to go to the properties of the system disk, “General” tab, select “Compress this disk to save space”, click “Apply” and wait for the files to be processed. Keep in mind that while this method aids in freeing up some space, it may slightly reduce the system’s performance due to the need for on-the-fly decompression during file access.
Make sure to backup critical data before initiating the compression to prevent any unforeseen data loss. Moreover, continuously monitor the available storage space to avoid future issues and manage your files routinely, ensuring optimal functionality and safeguarding the system against potential pitfalls stemming from insufficient space.
To Wrap It Up
We hope that the recommendations mentioned above will be beneficial for everyone who lacks free space on their computer disk. The tips will be especially relevant for owners of laptops, whose manufacturers usually use small-budget HDD/SSDs for data storage and thereby create a lot of problems for computer owners.
