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Answer Line: To Delete or Not to Delete?

Identify files you can delete without regret, stamp out browser pop-ups.

Lincoln Spector

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I need to make room on my hard drive. What files can I safely delete?

Name withheld by request

I can't tell you exactly what files you can safely delete--it's a matter of judgment. But I can give you some general guidelines and advice.

When in doubt, move or compress the file rather than delete it. If you move files you think you don't need to a CD-RW disc or other removable media, or compress them in a .zip file, you'll soon know whether you were wrong about their expendability. If you haven't opened them after two months, delete them.

The chart lists files that you can probably delete safely, along with the folder you'll find them in. Note: In many cases, the files named are safe to delete only if they reside in the specified folders.

Start your search for deletable files in Windows Explorer. Right-click one of the folders listed in the chart's 'Location' column, and select Find (or Search in Windows Me/2000). In the Find (or Search Results) dialog box's Named field, enter the text that the chart's 'File type' column lists for that folder. If the 'Include subfolders' column in the chart says 'Yes', confirm that the 'Include subfolders' option is selected in the Find dialog box (in Windows Me and 2000, check Advanced Options and make sure Search Subfolders is checked). Click Find Now ( Search Now in Windows Me/2000).

Maximize the search window so it fills your screen. When the search is done, click the Modified column heading to sort the files found by date. You can delete every file that's more than two days old.

You could also use Windows' own Disk Cleanup accessory to delete unneeded files. (Select Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Cleanup.) McAfee's QuickClean (demo available in our Downloads library), the CleanSweep utility in Norton SystemWorks, and similar programs do a more thorough job, but they require more work (and more money).

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