May 13, 2003

Using Disk Cleanup

A system clogged with unnecessary files runs more slowly, and the mess makes important things harder to find. To cut through the clutter, open the Start menu and select Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Cleanup. (You can also go to My Computer and right-click on the drive C: icon. Left-click on Properties and click on the Disk Cleanup button.)

The Disk Cleanup applet calculates the amount of space you can save by emptying the Recycle Bin, deleting temporary Internet files, and (for NTFS drives) compressing old files. Check off the options that make sense and click on OK to regain the specified amount of hard drive space.