When to use disk cleanup

Question

How often should you do a disk cleanup and when you do what should you delete?

Answer 1

I'm not a big fan of the Windows Disk Cleanup feature. I run the freeware CCleaner (formerly CrapCleaner) to clean things up every week or so. It depends on what I've been doing. Some activities create a lot of temporary files. When you have a lot of temporary files, performance can be affected noticeably, which is the mean reason I clean things up regularly.

The default settings in CCleaner go slightly too far in my opinion, so I always disable a few categories, leaving it configured to delete the following:

Internet Explorer > Temporary Internet files
System > Empty Recycle Bin
System > Temporary files
Firefox/Mozilla > Internet cache
Opera > Internet cache
Google Chrome > Internet cache

Refs:
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

Answer 2

I don't use much anymore, mainly because I do manual cleanup myself.

Options I Never use to use in XP disk cleanup is Compress old files, Downloaded Program Files, Office Setup Files.

Answer 3

I personally would only do it when low on space - then choose delete whatever I do not need.

Easy ones to free up space: Temporary internet files and Recycle Bin

You can also choose all the log file ones if you are not currently having any problems / you do not read them.

Finally there is the ability to compress hard drive - only do that if you are desperate for space as it can slow down the machine (marginally).

Answer 4

I agree that CCleaner is the better way however I do use Disk Cleanup to clean old restore points just before I make or update a disk image for backup.

Answer 5

You should use too tuneup utility and one good tool called

advance system care

it will keep your computer very fast by cleaning the junk files and more option in this software.