How to use Windows built-in tools for disk cleanup and defragmentation

If you have been working on your Windows computer for long, you have undoubtedly noticed that it gets slow with time. This can be caused by a congested hard disk, fragmented data, and too many programs operating in the background. Fortunately, Windows includes built-in tools to optimize your hard drive and improve system performance.

In this article, we'll look at how to use two of these tools: Disk Cleanup and Windows Defragmentation.

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How to use Windows built-in tools, Disk Cleanup and Defragmentation

1) Disk Cleanup

Disk Cleanup is a program that helps you clear up hard disk space by eliminating unwanted files. Temporary files, cached web pages, system files, and other items that take up valuable disk space are glaring examples. Follow this procedure to utilize Disk Cleanup:

1. Press the Start button and enter Disk Cleanup in the search field.
2. In the search results, choose the Disk Cleanup app.
3. After you run the software, it will scan your hard drive for data that can be safely removed.
4. From the list, select the type of file you wish to remove. Check the options thoroughly to prevent removing any important files.
5. Click OK to confirm the deletion of the files you've chosen.

It is crucial to note that Disk Cleanup only deletes files that are safe to erase and will not remove any important system files or documents. Using Disk Cleanup on a regular basis can help ensure your hard drive is clear of junk files and enhance system performance.

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2) Windows Defragmentation

Files on your hard drive might get fragmented over time, which means that they are stored in multiple locations on the disk. This might cause your computer to slow down since the hard drive needs to work harder to access and read the data.

Windows Defragmentation is a feature that reorganizes data on your hard drive to store them in continuous blocks, allowing your computer to access them more easily and quickly. Follow these procedures to utilize the feature

1. Click on the Start button and type "Defragment and Optimize Drives" into the search box.
2. Click on the Defragment and Optimize Drives app in the search results.
3. Select the Drive that you want to defragment from the list provided.
4. Click Analyze to check whether the drive needs to be defragmented.
5. If the analysis shows that the drive needs to be defragmented, click Optimize to start the process.

This process might take some time, depending on how fragmented and large it is. To keep your hard drive functioning smoothly, run Windows Defragmentation on a regular basis, possibly once a month.

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Tips for optimizing disk performance

While Disk Cleanup and Windows Defragmentation can help improve system performance, you can also optimize your hard drive by doing the following:

• Remove programs you no longer use: This will free up disk space and lower the number of programs operating in the background.
• Use an external hard drive or cloud storage: An external hard drive or cloud storage can assist in limiting the amount of data kept on your hard disk.
• Delete temporary files on a regular basis: This can help clear up disk space and improve system performance.
• Keep your hard disk organized: Sort your data into folders and remove anything you no longer require.

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Conclusion

Regular hard drive repair is essential for keeping your computer functioning efficiently. Disk Cleanup and Windows Defragmentation are two built-in utilities that can assist you in optimizing your hard disk and improving system performance.

You can keep your hard disk in good health and increase its lifespan by utilizing these tools on a regular basis and following the suggestions given above.