Quantcast
PCWorld.com is upgrading some back-end systems. Some site features, such as user registration, may be temporarily unavailable.
Subscribe to magazine

Answer Line: To Delete or Not to Delete?

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

Lincoln Spector

  • 0 Yes
  • 0 No

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).

  • Recommend this story?
  • 0 Yes
    0 No

Dell's December Days of Deals

Learn more about the Windows Phone PCWorld Gift Guide

Focus on Personal Productivitysponsored by Microsoft

  • Personal Finance 2.0 These free and fee-based Web services not only aggregate data from your online bank accounts, they give you tools for managing your money.
  • High-Tech Travel Tips Plenty of stories provide advice for elite mobile professionals. But what about you, the unproductive traveler?

People who read this also read:

  • 15 Minutes to a Secure Business Get the Secure in 15 toolkit starting with the "15 Minutes Month-at-a-Glance" calendar. McAfee will send you additional tools and tricks to stay protected around the clock.
  • A Buyer's Guide to Data Protection Implementing data protection products and processes can be daunting. Make the right decisions by exploring what is available and what makes sense for your organization. Use this simple guide to evaluate different vendor offerings.

Sponsored Links