Howto - Clean up to free disk space
Where's All My Disk Space Going?
My Situation
I’d ever bought a 160 GB hard drive. But a couple of months later, I accidentally found there were only 5GB
free space left. I was definitely astonished, for I could clearly remember I only saved 60GB of files in
there. I could not help asking myself: “where was the rest 95 GB free space going?”, “How could I get all
them back?”
After reading many related texts, I had finally found the reason. So, in this article, I would tell you what
I had learned from these texts. I sincerely hope it could help you a lot.
Usual Situations
It is really common that your free space showing in your computer differs from its actual one, or you think
it cannot be so fast to be reduced.
It can be caused by numerous possible reasons, and I would choose several main reasons to explain for you.
Quick Solution
1, Deleted trash files, defrag disk with freeware Recuva
2, Resize disk partition to redistribute disk space with Partition Wizard Free
Possible Reasons
1. Manufactures.
As we all know, 1TB equals to 1024 GB and 1 GB equals to 1024 MB in theory. But the manufacture makes it only
1000 GB per 1TB or 1000 MB per 1GB. What’s worse, you eventually only get about 900GB or 900 MB to put your
stuff. So that is to say, your HD absolutely doesn’t have so much capacity as it’s marked. And the number
could reduce much more when your capacity of HD becomes larger.
Therefore, because of the difference, you may also encounter this problem. In this situation, you could
delete more files to free your HD space.
2. System trash files (Temporary/Working Files)
You may not know that our computers usually generate some system trash files such as IE cache files, temp
files or folders and files in recycle bin, etc, when we freely browse the various webs, watch the videos and
write some important files. Even though every one of them may only take up a really small capacity of your
storage, they can be a horrible disaster of your computer storage as they have been calculated for a really
long time. They not only reduce your free space of HD, and also slow your computer.
Therefore, in this situation you’d better download professional software like CCleaner to clean them for
you.
3. Some hidden stuffs
Some computers intentionally or accidentally have been set some hidden stuffs. Even though you cannot see
them, they are actually there and take up your storage. These hidden stuffs can be some systems files or
just some single files; they also can be some recovery partitions which are set by the manufactures for
recovering your systems; they can also be some disk which has a large capacity.
Therefore, under this circumstance, you could let all the files and folders show out and delete some of them
according to your needs. You could follow these steps to let them show out: open “My Computer”, choose
“Tool”, click “Folder Options”, select “View”, and choose “Show hidden files and folders”.
4. Disk fragmentation.
Disk fragmentations are produced in the process of storing our stuffs. Generally speaking, if we store our
files in the same place, we could be easy to open and manage it, which could also take less space. But our
computer sometimes could not be so caring; they would automatically save our files in different or
discontinuous places. That could take much time to read a file and occupy much space. And the disk
fragmentation is generated in this process.
Same as these system trash files are, they also could make a great difference to our free space when they
have been ignored for a long time.
Therefore, after realizing this problem, we could defrag these fragmentations to free our storage space:
right-clink local disk, open prosperities choose disk de-fragmentation and apply it.
5. System backup
You may find out that the windows system has the backup function, it always remand you to back up your data.
The backup could occupy a lot of space.
Therefore, under this situation, you could move your backup in some external disk or removable disk, which
usually work a lot.
6. Virus
Our computers may be also attacked by some virus. In this situation, we need open our anti-virus software to
deal with this problem.
7. Your HD problems
If you have tried every possible method but make no difference, that may be the problems of your HD. At this
time, you need take your HD to ask the professional expert for help.
Usual Solutions to Free Up Your HD
1. Clean and defrag your computer
As we have mentioned above, it may be occupied by some system trash files or full of some disk
fragmentations, cleaning and defragging them should be tried firstly.
2. Show all your files and folders
Showing all your files and folders could let your have a better control of your computer, and decide which
part stay there, and which part can be deleted.
3. Format your HD
If we really cannot catch the solution, we could back up our important data and format this HD. Actaully, in
my opinion, this solution can be most efficient.
4. Anti-virus your computer
If our computers have been infected by some virus, we need anti-virus our computer to save our data.
5. Ask expert for help
If there is much difficulty with this problem, and don’t want to get too much troubles, you could take your computer to ask some professional expert for help. That could be easy and simple.
The end
These are all I have learned form reading texts, and I also choose the third solution to resolve my
problems. I wish you could find your problem and settle them like me.
PS:
I think I have to emphasize three points.
1. If you want format your computers, you should remember to back up your data before your format.
2. If you still forget to back up your HD before your formatting, you could apply iCare Data Recovery Free to help
you. You could download it there.
3. You should choose the solution that is in accord with your problem.