PC SupportRepair your PC your Self

Step 1: Where did all the space go?

I’m good at often backing up my information to DVD and moving some files enduringly to backups, but my 160GB hard drive is usually pushing full capability. To keep my machine running at a pace I like (and deserve!), I have to carry out regular maintenance. While there are lots of ways to optimize your hard drive, my basic technique requires only three steps

First, recognize how much disk space you’re using with WinDirStat. This free software, based on the Linux application, offers you an educational visual display of your hard-drive usage. It can also analyze your local devices, but let’s for now stay focused on just your local drive. Depending on the size of your disk, the initial WinDirStat scan may take fairly a while. Grab a cup of chocolate and come back.

When you return, you’ll see all of your files (for the drive or directory you decided to scan) displayed in a rainbow of colors. WinDirStat allocate colors to each file type, such as MP3, ZIP, EXE, JPG, and so on. By default, the files that take up the most space are tinted blue, the second heftiest are red, and the third largest green. After the first 10 color-labeled file types, the rest appear in gray–but you can vary these setting and colors through the Options menu.

Once you’ve recognized where your disk space has gone, you can then more easily come to a decision where you can save space. WinDirStat is loaded with features for organization your files, such as the ability to mechanically delete files without even bothering with the Recycle Bin.

Step 2: Manage your files

After you’ve examineed your usage with WinDirStat, it’s time to quickly rid yourself of needless files, such as application data for uninstaller software, temporary Internet files, and “recent document” lists. Enter CCleaner.

This helpful, free utility separates its optimization process into two windows, one for Windows and single for third-party applications. merely select the items that you’d like to clean, such as Windows log files, Chkdisk file fragments, or Flash player application data, and then hit “Analyze”. Depending on how many items you’re analyzing, you’ll soon have a list of files that you can delete.

Even although we’re talking about smaller items on your computer, the number of files quickly adds up. Don’t be surprised if CCleaner ends up saving you a few gigabytes of disc space.

3. Defrag your drive

So you’ve backed up and deleted the files you no longer need and cleaned your machine of needless system and application files. If you’ve deleted enough, you’ll right away notice the extra room, but you might not see any step up in your PC’s performance. That’s because you also need to defragment your disk.

When you save and delete files on your hard drive, you’re sending different parts of the same disk file over different areas of the disk. Those parts, called fragments, make it harder for your system to rapidly access them and can definitely degrade your disk performance in the long run.

Windows comes with a built-in disk defragmenter, but I find it to be rather slow and unfriendly. I’m a fan of Auslogics Disk Defrag, an excellent freeware program that offers one-click defragmenting and shows you in order about the defragmentation process as it’s happening with a helpful visual exhibit. Also, while both programs can’t fully defragment your hard drive unless you have 15 percent of drive aptitude available, Auslogics can still provide a partial defragmentation if you have less.

If you haven’t defragmented your hard drive in a while, you should see a noticeable improvement in your system presentation. For some people, the difference will be negligible, but for digital pack rats like me, a regular defrag is necessary.