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The Disk Cleanup tool searches your entire hard disk for files that are safe and possible to delete and helps free up needed space. You can choose to delete some or all of the files.

* Remove temporary Internet files.
* Remove downloaded program files.
* Empty the Recycle Bin.
* Remove Windows temporary files.
* Remove optional Windows components that you are not using.
* Remove installed programs that you no longer use.

You can start Disk Cleanup, by doing any of the following:

* Click Start, My Computer
* Right-click appropriate hard disk drive, then click Properties
* Select the General tab,
* Click the Disk Cleanup button
(Disk Cleanup will take a few minutes to examine your disk )
* When the Disk Cleanup dialog box appears, select the Files from the list that correspond to what you want to delete.
* Click OK
* Click Yes to "Are you sure you want to perform theses actions?" box
* Click OK

To Remove Files Stored on Your Hard Disk
To remove files stored on your hard disk that you no longer use, follow these steps:

* Click Start, and then click My Computer.
* Right-click the disk in which you want to free up space, and then click Properties.
* Click the General tab, and then click Disk Cleanup.
* Click the Disk Cleanup tab (if it is not already selected), click to select the check boxes next to the files that you want to remove, and then click OK.
* Click Yes to the proceed with this action, and then click OK.

To Remove Windows Components

* Click Start, My Computer
* Right-click Local Disk, then click Properties
* On the General tab, click the Disk Cleanup button
* Select the More Options tab
* Under Windows components, click Clean up
(the Windows Components Wizard starts)
* In the Components list, click to clear the check box next to the component(s) that you want to remove.
(A shaded check box next to a component indicates that only some of its subcomponents are installed )
* If you want to remove a subcomponent, click Details
* Click the check box next to the subcomponent(s) that you want to remove
* Click OK.
* Click Next.
* Click Finish
* Click Yes
* Click Yes to "You must restart your before the new settings will take effect" message
* Click OK

To Remove Installed Programs

* Click Start, then click My Computer.
* Right-click Local Disk, then click Properties.
* On the General tab, click the Disk Cleanup button.
* Select the More Options tab
* Under Installed Programs, click Clean up
(the Add or Remove Programs dialog box is displayed)
* In the Currently installed programs list, click the program that you want to remove, and then click Remove (or Change/Remove)
* Follow specific steps issued for each program if they appear
* Repeat above steps for each program you want to remove

To Remove Restore Points

* Click Start, My Computer
* Right-click Local Disk, then click Properties
* On the General tab, click the Disk Cleanup button
* Select the More Options tab
* Under System Restore, click Clean up
* Click Yes to "Are you sure you want to delete all but the most recent restore point?" message
* Click OK

If you are using Netscape Navigator, Mozilla Firefox, or Opera, this program does not clean temporary Internet files for those applications.

Disk Cleanup does not clear your browsing history. It certainly isn't necessary to clear these, but if you share your computer, there is a privacy issue when others can see where you go on the Internet