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Free up & increase hard disk space on Windows computer

These are the days of large hard disks, and seldom do we come across a case that someone is running out of disk space. Nevertheless, if you think you are running out of disk space on your Windows computer, you need to free up & increase hard disk space, before your system starts facing issues or starts getting the Low Disk pace notifications, you may have to consider options to free up some disk space fast. !ere are some steps you may take to reclaim lost disk space in Windows.

Free up & increase hard disk space:". #un Disk Cleanup Utility. Type Disk $leanup in tart %enu or tart creen and hit &nter to bring it up. #un it. 'ou may also wish to consider the %ore (ptions that it offers. 'ou may also want to activate the enhanced version of the Disk $leanup Tool or make it delete even ) day old temporary files. 'ou can also free up additional disk space by removing all but the most recent system restore point using the Disk $leanup utility. *. Uninstall programs that you do not use, through the $ontrol +anel. Windows , users may also want to uninstall Windows tore apps they do not use. -. Download and install some good freeware unk cleaner like $$leaner or use our portable .uick $lean. They are good and safe utilities that will help you remove your unwanted /unk files in a few clicks. 0. Disa!le "i!ernation and delete the !iberfil.sys file, if the space problem is critical on your ystem Drive. 1ts a hidden file on the root directory of your system drive. (pen $ontrol +anel. Type !ibernate in the search bar. elect turn !ibernate (n 2 (ff. 3. 1f you have some data files or pictures, etc, that you don4t access fre5uently, consider compressing them using the 6ip or the rar formats. 7lso consider moving them to another drive or back them up e8ternally, instead.

1f you have installed a ervice +ack recently and things are file, you can reclaim disk space by deleting the unwanted !ack up files. Windows ) users may want to see this. Windows :ista users may check this post.
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). 'ou may want to consider compressing some files. (ne option not considered by many, is the ability of your Windows to compress files and folders. %ost feel that after compression, re;accessing files and data is slow and that it takes time to open such compressed files. 1 urge you to try it. 'ou will find that the time difference is imperceptible. <ut you will be able to reclaim a lot of disk space this way. Do note however, that you should not compress the Windows or the Program Files Folder using this method. # do not recommend the following to sa$e disk space: ". 1 do not suggest deleting the +refetch files. &very time you clean up the %refetch folder, you delay application load times, the ne8t time you launch them. 1ts only after the second time that you regain optimal application load times. (nly one +refetch file is created per application. Windows cleans this folder at "*, entries, down to the -* most used 7pplication4s prefetcher files. This folder does not occupy more than around 3=%<. $leaning the +refetcher can therefore be construed actually as a temporary self;inflicted un;optimi6ation measure> *. &og files may be re5uired during uninstall4s, and if they are not found, application uninstall may fail. !ence do not delete them. -. 'ou never know when you re5uire !ak files. 7 good reason to not delete them. 0. 'hum!s(d! files help you in loading thumbnail images faster, and in any case get re;created? unless of course you disable thumbnail caching. o disable thumbnail caching instead, rather than deleting them every now and then.. 3. Do not also consider deleting anything from the Win @ folder or the Windows 1nstaller folder. They are system folders which play an important role. 9. Do not disable System )estore to save disk space. 'ou never know when it could save your skin> If you need to know whats eaten up your Disk Space, you may use some freeware like Disk Space Fan. ou will !e a!le to know which file or folder is occupying what space. +ost ported from Win:ista$lub, updated and posted here.