While there are thousands of downloadable programs and software to clean up your computer, many of them are scams and a safe cleanup of your computer can be done manually to improve your computer’s speed and efficiency.
Tip #1
The easiest and simplest method is the Disk Cleanup. This removes unnecessary files like temporary Internet files from your computer and allows the drive to run more quickly. Begin by clicking the Start Menu and then Control Panel. This will open up a new window with several sub-categories to choose from. Click on Performance and Maintenance. There should now be a category labeled “Pick a Task…” (if you are set in Classic Mode the options will just appear in a list) Choose “Free up space on your hard disk”. A small window will now appear and you’ll have to wait a minute or two for Disk Cleanup to analyze the drive. After it is finished the window will disappear and a new window will open. Click OK at the bottom to remove the unnecessary files. I recommend doing this once every two weeks if you use the Internet frequently, watch a lot of movies online, or after downloading large files.
Tip #2
Using the Disk Defragmenter. This does quite a bit more than the Disk Cleanup and should only be done once or twice a year. I recommend every six months. The Disk Defragmenter works by moving broken and contiguous files around on the drive to improve efficiency and to help programs run faster. Begin by clicking on the Start Menu and then on Control Panel. Again choose Performance and Maintenance; now choose “Rearrange items on your hard disk to make programs run faster”. A window will then open. In the large white bar will appear information about your computer, maximum capacity (the total amount of space on your drive), the amount of free space and the percentage of free space. This information is good to know. Near the bottom left will be two highlighted and raised buttons, click Analyze. A small window will appear and the Disk Defragmenter will notify you whether or not you need to defragment the drive, if you do go ahead and click Defragment, get a cup of coffee and sit down to watch a good TV show. This will take a while, but it is worth the wait.
If you are comfortable with your computer and have a good knowledge of the programs you frequently use, go ahead with this tip. A quick and easy way to free up space on your hard disk is to remove programs that you are not using i.e. games that you’ve downloaded but no longer play, software for components you no longer use like an old printer, or files that are too large for your computer and slow it down for example iTunes or Adobe PhotoShop. Begin by clicking on the Start Menu then on Control Panel. This time choose Add or Remove Programs. A new window will appear with a list of all the programs currently installed on your computer. When you single click on a program a button will appear next to it that either says Remove or Change/Remove. Click this button to delete the program from your computer but be careful not to remove programs that are necessary to your computer or programs that you are unsure of. If you are unsure of a program you can Google it to see what it is and if it is necessary to your computer.
Tip #4
If you are computer savvy and feel confident in your knowledge of programs that are vital to the function of your computer go ahead and try this next tip. Begin by going to the Start Menu and clicking on Run. Type in “%temp%” . A new window will appear with hidden temporary files that are not necessary to your computer, you can now highlight and delete them.
If you are very confident, continue on by clicking on Tools at the top of the window and then on Folder Options. In the new window click the View tab and then in the scroll-down box check Show Hidden Files and Display the Contents of System Folders. Now either on the side or in the Address Bar go to the folder labeled Local Disk C:. Now click on the folder labeled Documents and Settings, then All Users. You can now choose the hidden folder Application Data where you can delete lingering files from programs you may have previously removed. You can also remove programs from here but again BE CAREFUL! Do not remove programs that are vital to your computer i.e. anything labeled Microsoft, or files that you are unsure of!! After you are done with this if you still feel comfortable go ahead and explore the other folders under Documents and Settings or go back to Local Drive C: and explore the Program Files Folder.
