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Question:
My computer keeps telling me that my (C:) Hard Drive is full and I am not sure if I should remove files or upgrade? What is a quick fix for this problem?
Answer:
As this is a common problem for many of our customers we are quick to inform you that there are inexpensive ways to combat this dilemma and there are a couple of ways to free up space on your hard drive. These tips are good for users with a full hard drive and users that haven't filled there's up yet. Cleaning up your hard drive will help speed up your computer; make system backups faster and of course smaller. In order to check how much free space you have on your computer simply access the "my computer" icon and it will list the drives available on your computer. Your primary drive should be labeled as (C:). Right click on the C: Drive icon and choose "properties". Doing this should present you with a pie-chart that will help you determine how much hard drive space is in use. Please Note: When Windows is running it will use/need some of this space to operate so we recommend you should have at least 2 Gigabytes of free space in order for your computer to run properly.
1) Clean up your existing hard drive to free space.
First off you should remove any programs you do not use on your computer. A lot of times new computers come with pre-installed programs that you will never use and they consume a huge amount of hard disk space. Of course if you are not sure what to remove it's a wise choice to leave the program alone until you consult a professional like us. Make sure you do not remove windows updates, these are very important to keep your computer safe and running properly. In order to view the list of programs to uninstall, simply access your control panel under the "Start Menu" then choose "settings" then "Control Panel". For windows XP users in the control panel it will be called "Add/Remove programs", for Windows Vista users it will be called "Programs".
Your computer will also keep temporary files lying around that are hidden. These files sometimes do not get cleaned up automatically and can build up over time. You can remove these files manually but we suggest using a free program that will do it for you. "CCLeaner" is a great free program that will allow you to analyze temporary files on your computer and remove them. (http://www.ccleaner.com).
Videos and mp3s and pictures usually take up the most space on your computer so removing any videos or songs you do not listen to or watch is another great way to free up space.
2) Add more space to your computer
A quick and inexpensive way of adding more space to your computer is to purchase an external hard drive. Although you can get internal hard drives, external hard drives can be quickly added to your computer with minimal computer knowledge. Keep in mind you still want to have at least 2gigabytes free on your main drive to allow windows to function properly. The only down side to an external hard drive is you have to manually move files from your primary drive to the external drive (click and drag). But again in the future all your files can be saved to the external hard drive and that will keep your main drive from filling up.
External hard drives come in many different sizes and formats, it is important to double check before you purchase one that it will be compatible with your computer. All new computers within the last 3 years will have USB ports so it's a safe bet to purchase a "USB" External Hard Drive.
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