It would take a very long time for a normal user like us to use up the hard drive capacity unless you have a ton of high-resolution photos, long-quality movies, or thousands of songs you love. 6 ways to clean up and increase hard drive capacity often work better for older computers, where the hard drive is not large and from operating systems lower than Windows 10 updating. This computer cleanup task should be done regularly because it will help you manage data better, and your computer will run more smoothly.
Method 1: Delete old Windows versions
For those upgrading from lower versions to Windows 10, the computer will automatically create a folder that allows you to revert to the old operating system whenever you want, called the Window.old folder. Certainly, to store information from the old operating system, this folder will undoubtedly take up a considerable amount of space on the hard drive. If you are satisfied with Windows 10, deleting Window.old is essential.
Step 1: Right-click on your Window installation partition and select Properties.
Step 2: Choose Disk Cleanup.
Step 3: Select Clean up system files.
Step 2: Scroll down and locate Window Update, right-click, and choose Stop
You've just disabled Window Update, now it's time to remove unnecessary update files
Step 3: Press Window + R and enter C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\ then click Ok
Step 4: Delete everything except the Download folder
Step 5: Enable Window Update again by following steps 1 and 2, change the selection from Stop to Start
Method 3: Delete Hibernate Data
Hibernate and Sleep are two power-saving modes when your computer is idle. The main difference between the two is that Sleep stores all work in RAM and turns off the screen, while Hibernate saves to the hard drive and fully shuts down the computer
If you don't use Hibernate mode, you can turn it off. This will automatically delete files related to Hibernate mode
To disable hibernate function
Step 1: Press Window + X and choose Command Prompt (Admin)
Step 2: Paste the following command powercfg.exe -h off and press Enter
Method 4: Delete Delivery Optimization files
In recent updates, Microsoft introduced a feature to download optimized versions from other computers. While theoretically faster, users have complained about increased network usage and significant memory consumption. The simplest solution is to delete these files, but first, you need to disable this feature
Step 1: Press Window + I and select Update & security
Step 2: In the Window Update tab, choose Advanced options
Step 3: Select Choose how updates are delivered
Step 4: Disable this function by sliding it to the left
Step 5: Type Free up in the search bar and select the result as shown in the image
Step 6: Choose the drive containing the operating system and press Ok
Step 7: Check Delivery Optimization Files and select Ok
Step 8: In the new window, select Delete files
Method 5: Delete OEM Recovery Partition
Most computers come with this feature to aid in system recovery. It's added to partitions not containing Windows, usually used with USB or external hard drives
Step 1: Type Create a Recovery Drive in the search bar
Note: Portable storage devices will be formatted during the following operation. Readers are advised to use devices wisely
Step 2: Insert your USB and through a series of Next steps, this function will provide the option to delete the OEM Recovery Partition. Simply choose the correct partition and select Delete
6. Delete Window 10 Recovery Partition
Note: You should only perform this function when unable to access the computer through recovery tools. Deleting this partition means losing access to Window 10's default recovery tools
Step 1: Press Window + X and choose Command Prompt
Step 2: Enter Diskpart and press Enter, then type Listdisk and press Enter
Step 3: Enter Select disk <>< strong=''> number>, where the number corresponds to the recovery partition location. If you have one hard drive, choose 0. If multiple, determine the correct order. Then a list of partitions will appear, select the Recovery-labeled partition with Select volume <>< strong=''> number>. Finally, type Delete volume and press Enter.<><>
With the 6 methods to clean up and increase the storage space of your computer, you've likely freed up a significant amount of space. This space can be used to install new software, store important documents, and be useful for you. If you find this process too complicated, CCleaner is also a great solution for one-click cleanup, clearing junk, and freeing up hard drive space. CCleaner is well-known for efficiently restoring your computer's smooth operation. Install CCleaner now to assist your computer.
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