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Clearing hard drive space?

InxInx Registered User regular
edited September 2012 in Help / Advice Forum
So I'm trying to clear hard drive space on my computer, but I'm having trouble. I've gone into the Control Panel and removed useless programs, I've cleared my internet history and temporary files, I've deleted files I wasn't using, but I only gained back a very small percentage of my hard drive. Is there anything else I can do? I'm bad at this kind of thing.

Fearless Games

Inx on

Posts

  • SmasherSmasher Starting to get dizzy Registered User regular
    edited September 2012
    You want one of these guys: Windows, linux, OS X.

    Scan your hard drive with it (which will probably take several minutes) and then start clicking on the biggest bubbles (which represent the largest files) to see what they are. Delete any files/folders you don't need and hopefully you'll have cleared up a good chunk of space.

    Smasher on
  • iRevertiRevert Tactical Martha Stewart Registered User regular
    Do you use steam? Steamcleaner can clear up a surprising amount of space of the old odd bits left over from steam game installs.

  • InxInx Registered User regular
    I do use steam. Is steamcleaner PART of steam, or a separate thing?

    Fearless Games

  • iRevertiRevert Tactical Martha Stewart Registered User regular
    Separate
    http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2674206

    Any doubts you can ask about it in the steam thread for verification.

  • ArbitraryDescriptorArbitraryDescriptor Registered User regular
    Smasher wrote: »
    You want one of these guys: Windows, linux, OS X.

    Scan your hard drive with it (which will probably take several minutes) and then start clicking on the biggest bubbles (which represent the largest files) to see what they are. Delete any files/folders you don't need and hopefully you'll have cleared up a good chunk of space.
    Well that looks pretty damn cool, thanks.

  • EsseeEssee The pinkest of hair. Victoria, BCRegistered User regular
    Yeah, running CCleaner (Windows or OSX) and then taking a look with WinDirStat or similar programs if you're not sure what's still taking up space is what I'd do. CCleaner itself clears out more temp files than you'd normally find on your own, so while you almost certainly need WinDirStat/etc. to free up significant amounts of space, it could still free up some decent space. It also has a handy interface for deleting any old restore points if that's part of the problem.

  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    Smasher wrote: »
    You want one of these guys: Windows, linux, OS X.

    Scan your hard drive with it (which will probably take several minutes) and then start clicking on the biggest bubbles (which represent the largest files) to see what they are. Delete any files/folders you don't need and hopefully you'll have cleared up a good chunk of space.

    Yes, this. I use it all the time and it's great, especially if you have a lot of stuff on a drive and want to see what's taking up the most space. I also use it on my Steam directory to see which games I can remove that will have the biggest impact on hard drive space. Love this program.

  • ThanatosThanatos Registered User regular
    Just to echo everyone else: windirstat is fucking magical.

    It not only shows you the visual representation, you also get a file tree that tells you what folders are biggest, too.

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