Cleaning the hard drive from unnecessary information. Clean C drive from unnecessary files and free up space

12.10.2021

Advice

Any operating system, during its own work, saves some temporary files in a specially designated place on the disk space. So a fairly solid amount of information gradually accumulates, especially unnecessary. That is why it is important to periodically clean the C drive. There are 10 ways to free up space on the C drive that will seem simple even to a beginner.

Method Navigator

1 way. Using the Windows utility.

10 ways to clean up a disk with include the main and not the most effective way to clean it system disk from files that are not needed. This is a built-in Windows utility. Thanks to it, you can delete data that does not affect the work and unnecessary to the system, and it takes only a couple of minutes to do this. To do this, you need to run the tool by opening the "My Computer" window and selecting the properties of drive C. In the menu that appears, select the "General" tab, which most often opens by default. Next, you have to click on the clear button. After a certain period of time, the utility can issue a list of temporary files, information about the work operating system and even the data located in the basket.

3 way. Empty the basket.

It is important to remember that all deleted files are most often sent to the Recycle Bin. A folder called "Trash" acts as a temporary storage for everything that is deleted. In fact, this folder takes up a lot of space on the PC. In order to permanently get rid of the data from the basket, you should right-click on it, and then select the appropriate item "Empty Trash".

4 way. Clear folders Temp.

Windows has 2 Temp folders where various temporary files are stored. For example, files that are needed when installing drivers, programs, updating antivirus or Windows. After these files become useless, you can simply delete them, freeing up some space on the C drive. To do this, you will have to open "Computer - drive C - Windows folder”, find the Temp folder there and delete all contents.

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5 way. Restore the system.

Another way to free up space on the C drive is to delete restore points. They also take up a certain number of megabytes. To see them, you should go to "Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - System Restore".

6 way. Clean up your desktop.

If you want to clean up the C drive, the first thing to do is clean up your desktop. Everything, the files that are on the desktop of the computer are physically located on the "C" drive. In this regard, moving files from the desktop to another drive, for example, to drive D, will instantly free up a large amount of occupied system space.

7 way. Use CCleaner.

A great program called CCleaner can help you clean up your C drive. It is the most popular utility among garbage cleaners.

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8 way. Remove duplicates.

Duplicate files are a more serious problem. And almost everyone has it. In fact, the same folders with photos, music and videos are always on the disk. They are real disk space eaters. You can find them without using a special program, especially if you have a good memory. If the memory is bad, you can use special software, for example, the Duplicate Killer program.

9 way. Removing unused programs.

Removing unused programs will help free up space on the C drive the fastest, but some programs take up very little space and removing them will hardly change the overall picture. In this regard, in the "Programs and Features" section, programs can be sorted by size. To do this, press Win + X and select "Programs and Features". You should click on the name of the "Size" field with the mouse so that the applications are sorted by size. Next, you can choose necessary programs and click the "Delete" button.

10 way. Disable sleep mode.

When the computer is in "sleep mode", the system saves the contents random access memory on the hard drive. This allows the user to continue using the computer from where they left off while waking up the computer. Windows stores the contents of RAM in the Hiberfil.sys file on drive C. To save space on your hard drive, you should turn off hibernation and delete the Hiberfil.sys file.

Everyone once faced such a problem when the computer starts to freeze, and files are downloaded very slowly. And in most cases, people simply forget to clean their computer of junk. The size hard drives on modern PCs, it can reach several terabytes, but someday the free space still runs out.

What are junk files?

Unnecessary files on your computer are movies, videos or games that you have not been interested in for a long time, but you just forgot to delete them. Some files, after using the uninstall utility built into them, leave memory about themselves and, as a result, turn into a pile of rubbish. It also includes your uncleaned browsing history and all files created by the operating system.

Cleaning the laptop junk files without installing extra programs and without registration

What are unnecessary files on your laptop and why you need to get rid of them, we have already figured out. Now we will tell you how to clean your computer of garbage and speed up its work without installing unnecessary programs.

How to clean up your computer: uninstall programs

Cleaning a laptop from unnecessary garbage is carried out by uninstalling programs. To do this, run the "Control Panel" - "Add or Remove Programs" - "Add / Remove Programs" (Windows XP) or "Programs and Features" (Windows 7, 8). You will see a list of programs that are installed on your personal computer. After that, you can remove all garbage from hard drive.

Disk Cleanup

Every operating system has a utility called Disk Cleanup. With its help, you can destroy any file without compromising the performance of the OS.

The program is launched as follows:

Open "Start" - "All Programs" - "Accessories" - "System Tools" - "Disk Cleanup". Select the disk on which you want to clean up.
Open "My Computer" and with one click select the desired section and its properties. Click "Properties" - "General" and "Disk Cleanup".
Open the search for programs "cleanmgr" and select the partition to clean the computer.
By pressing the Ctrl, Alt and Delete keys at the same time, you automatically launch the "Dispatcher Windows tasks", where you can select the "File" tab, and in the "New command (run)" field, write "cleanmgr" and select the desired section.

Additional programs for deleting unnecessary files on the computer

how to clean the computer from unnecessary files? In addition to standard system tools, we can use programs to clean our PC. Consider two options that are the most popular and reliable.

CCleaner

This program cleans the system folders and registry of the operating system. CCleaner can be downloaded for free, just by going to the official website. She is considered the best program for cleaning unnecessary files, because it is quite understandable even for beginners. It is also often installed on a mobile phone.

This cleaning program consists of several sections, and this will allow you to quickly find the desired option. For example, in the "Cleanup" section, you can manually mark the list of files to be removed from the computer. With the help of analysis, you can understand how much will be freed HDD.

This program can be used to clean files of various types. You can manually restrict uninstall access cookies or the program will not pay attention to them at all. The versatility of CCleaner lies in the fact that it can be used to fix errors in the registry. Mostly such errors appear due to incorrect removal of programs from the computer.

Programs in the "Service" section

"Uninstall programs". This function is designed to display absolutely all programs on the computer.
"System Restore" restores the system from a point that the operating system automatically creates.
"Erase Disc" suitable for those users who do not want their deleted files to be restored.

Uninstall Expert

The Uninstall Expert program is necessary not only to speed up your computer, but also to remove unnecessary programs. Even after uninstallation, many small files remain on your computer that need to be deleted. The Uninstall Expert program completely removes all unnecessary files from your PC and improves computer performance. It's absolutely free program, which is easy to install on your computer and starts quickly.

The Program list shows the list before installed programs, which can be easily removed and, in addition, clean up all the garbage behind them. Using Startup Items, you can remove those programs that are activated with the operating system. If you don't want your disk to be full of junk files, you'd better download the Uninstall Expert program.

Regular cleaning of unnecessary files is the key to the speed of your computer!

Now you know what you need to work for a long and fast work your PC. Sometimes it is necessary to carry out the function to remove several programs, and all your problems will be solved instantly. Also, do not forget about clearing your browser history, because even there a large amount of garbage can accumulate. We strongly recommend that you clean your computer in a timely manner, and then you will not constantly receive unpleasant reminders about the lack of hard disk space.

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What is stored on drive C?

Let's start with exactly what objects are present in the system partition. The main directory here is Windows. It contains the files of the installed operating system. It goes without saying that you cannot delete it (in fact, the system itself will not allow this to be done under any circumstances, even if you are an administrator at least three times).

Two folders, ProgramData and Program Files, contain information about installed programs. You can delete nested components only if some applications have not been completely uninstalled. If you get rid of folders completely, almost all user applications will stop working.

The Boot directory (hidden) contains information on booting the system. It, as already clear, cannot be touched either.

Finally, the Users folder is responsible for setting up and storing the data of all users registered in the system. Partial cleaning of this directory can be done. We will dwell on this separately.

And it hasn't been about backup files yet. So what can be removed from drive C? Everywhere you look, solid bans. It seems so only at first glance. In fact, in the system partition, you can do a lot of things that you can delete without fear of consequences at all.

Cleaning drive C: what to get rid of first?

So, let's start with the simplest. If suddenly the system reports that there is no free space on the C drive, first of all check the status of the Recycle Bin.

If anyone does not know, when remote objects are placed into it, they do not disappear from the hard disk, but are stored in a specially designated area for this. Clearing the Recycle Bin, if it is full, will just free up additional space in the system partition (if there is a virtual partition, and on it, too, provided that files and folders were deleted from it, since there are as many such storages in the system as there are sections).

Cleaning by means of the system

In the operating rooms themselves Windows systems there is a fairly powerful tool for removing unnecessary components. Disk C can be cleaned by pressing the corresponding button on the general tab in the properties section of the selected partition.

First, this tool will check, and then it will give a list of all those elements that you can get rid of. Check everything that is, and set the start of the process with the button to clean up system files. There is nothing wrong with this, since critical components of the operating system itself will not be removed.

Updates

If downloaded update files are present in the list, disk C should be cleaned with an indication of their removal, since downloaded updates usually do not disappear after they are integrated into the system. Getting rid of them manually is quite troublesome.

Temporary system files

Now one more point related to Windows settings. We assume that you still need to free up space on drive C. What to remove? It's time to get rid of the so-called temporary files that are stored in the Temp folders, since the built-in system tool does not delete them.

In order not to search for these directories for a long time, in the usual "Explorer" set the search by the criterion% Temp%. Percentage symbols are used only because folders may be hidden and not visible in normal mode. After they are found, completely clear their contents.

User Documents

Now, on the question of what can be deleted from drive C, let's consider one of the most important points. After all, the My Documents folder is also located in the system partition, and many users completely forget about what was saved there. Some programs may by default save, say, pictures, music or videos in the appropriate directories of the user directory.

Check the contents of each subfolder and, if necessary, get rid of unnecessary files (images, music and videos can take up quite a lot of space). Don't forget the Downloads directory. By default, that the system, that the same torrent clients save the downloaded content exactly there. Thus, you will free up space in the system partition, especially considering that after installing programs, many installation distributions turn out to be clearly unnecessary. If you still need them for the future, move them to a logical partition or to removable media.

Rarely used programs

What else can be removed from drive C? Programs that you rarely use or do not use in your daily work at all. In addition, some applications tend to be installed into the system without the knowledge of the user and clutter up disk space.

To get started, go to the Programs and Features section and see what's on the list. Don't rush to delete unnecessary applications, since the built-in uninstallers of the operating system itself or installed programs, after performing the standard procedure, can leave a bunch of garbage. These are registry keys, files, and directories. All this will have to be cleaned manually.

In order not to do this, it is better to immediately apply programs like iObit Uninstaller, which not only uninstall unnecessary applications, but also relieve you of the need to clean up the “tails” manually. To do this, they use a special powerful (in-depth) scanning mode. But when deleting leftovers, do not forget to use the file destruction item.

Garbage in browsers

A disk with Windows 7 or any other system can also be cleaned up by removing unnecessary garbage that accumulates in web browsers, since they are installed by default in the system partition. Accordingly, their cache and temporary files are stored there.

In the settings of any browser, you can find a special item for clearing the history of visits, after calling which a menu will appear suggesting deleting several types of elements. Check all that you need and set the cleanup. By the way, after such a procedure, the browsers themselves will start working much faster.

swap file

Finally, we come to the most significant procedures. The paging file, which is responsible for using virtual memory when there is not enough RAM for programs to work, takes up a lot of space in the system partition. It should be disabled if possible.

You can access these settings through the performance section. Usually the parameter is set in such a way that the system itself determines its size. Disable this option, and then at least see what is offered in terms of size. And do not flatter yourself about the fact that at the bottom of the window a size like 1-2 GB will be indicated. In fact, when using virtual memory, the allocated disk space can be ten times larger. So, for example, when installing automatic settings on a computer with 8 GB of RAM, the allocated space for the system partition will be 3-4 times more. Do you understand what we are talking about? Use the "No paging file" option, save the settings and reboot. After the restart, the space will be freed automatically.

hibernation file

Finally, on the question of what can be deleted from drive C, special attention should be paid to the hibernation file, which is responsible for the appropriate mode that saves the settings and parameters of all currently active programs in the system partition. Its size can also be quite large. You cannot delete it manually, but you can disable the mode itself, after which the file will be deleted from the system.

To do this, use the command prompt, run as administrator, and enter the command powercfg.exe -h off in it. Once done, restart your computer and see how much space is freed up.

Additional utilities

As additional tools, you can use utilities specially designed to optimize the system like CCleaner (there are a lot of them now).

In addition to cleaning the disk, they have special modules that allow you to optimize even the system registry. As for the cleaning of the system partition, you can set either a one-time optimization, or leave applications at startup so that their clients clean up in background. If you do not want the utilities to start with the system, disable their autoload either directly in the program or through the appropriate section Windows settings. You can also use highly targeted programs that are designed solely to remove debris from the system, but comprehensive care is more preferable.

Conclusion

Above, the main methods were considered to get rid of everything that can clutter up the system partition to a fairly high degree. Many may have questions about disabling the paging file and virtual memory. Nothing wrong with that. As practice shows, if you do not run heavy programs like AutoCAD or professional applications for working with multimedia on your computer, but work only with office documents, the system works even without it not only normally, but even faster, since when programs are launched, direct access is made to RAM, not to the hard drive. This is confirmed even by the reviews of the owners of inexpensive laptops with weak 2-core processors and two gigabytes of RAM.

As Windows usage temporary files accumulate on the disk system programs, the contents of the basket, old images for OS recovery and other data. You can remove them.

Right-click on the system drive in File Explorer (usually drive C) and select "Properties" → "Disk Cleanup". In the next window, mark the items that take up the most space, click OK and confirm the deletion.

To erase even more temporary files, including data from updates and obsolete restore points, click Disk Cleanup again and click Clean Up system files". Select the largest objects in the list that appears and delete them. Then go to the Advanced tab, click on Clean up under System Restore and Shadow Copy and confirm the deletion.

It is especially useful to perform such cleaning after updates, as a large backup copy may remain on the computer. previous version Windows.

Browsers and other installed programs fill up the system with temporary files over time. Sometimes this data can take up a significant amount of storage space. But you can quickly get rid of such garbage with the help of free utilities like .

There may be large files on your computer that you do not need and only take up disk space in vain. Looking for them manually is a thankless task. Moreover, there are those that analyze the disk and display a list of all folders and files on the computer, ordered by size. Use one of them to find and remove unwanted objects.

Over the years of using a computer, duplicates usually accumulate on it: accidentally copied pictures, songs downloaded several times, and other objects. You do not need these copies, and together they can take up a significant amount of storage space. In order not to search for them yourself, use one of the to find and remove duplicate files for this.

Windows 10 has a built-in Compact OS utility that can make the system smaller. This is done by removing unnecessary OS elements and compressing the rest of the data. This way you can free up to 6 GB on local disk where Windows is installed (usually drive C). If you are interested, just in case, do backups important data and use .

Good afternoon, dear readers of my site. I didn’t write for a long time - I didn’t have time, because changed jobs and took part in the construction of Olympic facilities in Sochi. In general, it was not up to the site, but more on that another time. Today we will discuss how to clear drive C, in other words, how to free up space on it, because this is not easy, but systemic disk. As a rule, such issues do not arise with cleaning other disks - you simply delete unnecessary files that you yourself once downloaded. The volume of the system disk increases not only from the programs you installed, but also from various files that the system itself and programs constantly save on drive C. Over time, there are more and more such files and this does not affect the performance of your computer in the best way - noticeably. It is recommended to leave at least 12% of free space on a regular hard drive and not less. It is better not to bring it to this and periodically clean up the system disk. Before cleaning, just in case, create a system restore point.

How to clean drive C using Windows7.

To clean up the system or any disk in Windows7, there is a built-in utility that can be called in the Disk Properties window:

Another way is to press the combination Win + R and in the window that opens, paste the cleanmgr command:

Click OK and select desired disk. In our case, this is drive C. After scanning the drive, a window will appear for selecting unnecessary files to be deleted and the amount of free disk space.

In my case, this is 3 GB, and most of it is occupied by unnecessary system updates. Next, click OK and get rid of unnecessary gigabytes to the system.

By the way, about updates - update files are saved in winsxs folder, which over time grows to a very impressive size. For example, it occupied 12.6 GB for me, which was 1/3 of the volume of files located on drive C:

Attention!!! It is absolutely impossible to delete files from this folder manually! Another nuance is that in order to effectively clear this folder using Windows7, you must have the update installed. It was after installing it that the estimate of the updates being cleared increased to 2GB:

On the Advanced tab of the Disk Cleanup system tool, you can proceed to remove unnecessary programs and system restore points:

Click Clear in the Programs and Features section and go to the window of installed programs, in order to see the largest ones, click on the black triangle in the Size column and check the boxes in the necessary items:

Carefully study the list that opens, do you use all the programs? As a rule, in this list, in addition to programs familiar to you, there will also be a large list of applications and system components. If you find an unfamiliar program, then before deleting it, look for information about it on the Internet and (let me remind you again) be sure to create a system restore point. I usually uninstall all programs that I haven't used for more than a month. Which filter you apply - decide for yourself

Restore points can also be deleted, but in my opinion it is better not to do this. The system itself will warn you about this:

The last point will certainly remain, but whether you need the rest - decide for yourself.

How to clean drive C manually.

First of all, check your Desktop, because it is part of the system disk. Many people have a habit of saving documents, photos or even movies on the Desktop. It's clear - it's easier to find later desired file, but it's still not worth it. It is better not to store anything on the Desktop except shortcuts to frequently used folders and shortcuts. If you have the opposite situation, then transfer all unnecessary files to disk D. Ideally, the volume of the Desktop is measured in kilobytes and will be like this:

Next, check the system folders My Documents, My Videos, My Pictures, etc. on drive C, even if you did not save anything in them, various programs could do this without your knowledge, by default saving their files in these folders. Sometimes they grow to a very decent size, especially if you often use video editors or play computer games. Analyze the files in these folders, as a rule, more than half of them can be safely deleted. You can clear the system disk of such files by transferring data from system folders to drive D, but the usual Cut-Paste method will not work. But there is a way out, you need to change the location in the properties of each folder:

You will learn more about this in this. In the same way, you can transfer the Downloads folder, into which most Internet browsers, as well as download programs ( download master, µTorrent) save files from the Internet by default.

Cleaning the system disk with third-party programs.

There are enough special programs to clean drive C, the most famous are free utilities and WinDirStat. But I use another program, namely Auslogics BoostSpeed, for the reason that it is universal for and has many tools, including for working with disks:

The Browse Disks tool evaluates hard disk space, including system disk space, and determines which files and folders take up the most space:

The result of this assessment may surprise you. The list of found folders may contain long-forgotten, deeply hidden or hidden files. Again, if you are not sure, then do not delete or secure yourself with a restore point.

The Disk Cleanup tool is similar to the built-in system cleanup described above, but goes deeper:

And as a result, it finds a larger amount of useless files on the system disk, although the comparison is a little incorrect, I will still give it:

And the comparison is incorrect because Disk Cieaner has a much larger selection of scanned folders. Also, the list of these folders in these programs is slightly different, so it is better to use them in addition to each other.

Auslogics BoostSpeed also has a built-in tool for finding and removing duplicate files and folders, which can also help free up C drive:

I think everything is clear here: select the disks to scan, select the type and size of files, click Search.

More ways to free up drive C.

If all of the above methods did not lead to the desired result and there is still not enough space on the C drive, then the first thing you can do is disable hibernation (if you do not use it) and delete the hiberfil.sys file, which has a size equivalent to the installed RAM ( i.e. the more memory is installed, the larger this file). The second is to increase the size of the system disk. Both of these methods are used quite rarely and deserve a separate note.

That's all on the issue of cleaning drive C, if you have any questions - ask in the comments