Software performance improvement will inevitably increase the size of the software itself, and the required cache and various temporary files will grow exponentially.
Usually, we use a solid-state drive as the system disk, that is, the C drive. Assuming a 500GB solid-state drive, we allocate 200GB for the C drive and 300GB for the D drive.
Some computers have smaller C drives, so it is common for the C drive to run out of space.
I will share a set of methods I use to slim down the C drive in my daily life, hoping it will be helpful to you.
kcleaner#
This is a standalone version of Kingsoft garbage cleaner, without any advertising plugins or leftovers. It cleans up system junk and is fast. I have been using this tool for many years and I don't have to worry about it deleting anything it shouldn't. It gives me peace of mind.
Usually run once a week.
CCleaner#
A well-known system cleaning tool, I remember it used to focus on erasing all internet traces. It focuses on browsers and the registry, so use it with caution.
It clears junk files that are no longer used by the Windows system to free up more hard disk space. Another major feature is clearing the user's internet history. It can clean up junk in folders, history, recycle bin, and can scan and clean up junk items in the registry. It supports Simplified Chinese.
Therefore, after running this software, you will need to log in again for browser accounts and passwords, and refresh icons such as webpage bookmarks. From another perspective, if you plan to start fresh, use it on your office computer once, and all your browser-related records will be cleared, thus protecting your personal privacy.
Usually run once every one or two months.
IObit Smart Defrag#
This is an intelligent disk defragmentation tool that uses the most advanced disk fragmentation intelligent diagnosis technology in the industry to achieve fast analysis, organization, and optimization of hard disk performance. It supports organizing system file fragments, such as page files and hibernation files, MFT tables, registries, specified files, etc.
It can clean up fragmented junk that cleaning tools cannot remove, and the dashboard UI design is very beautiful.
Usually run once every three months.
TreeSizeFree#
If after using the above garbage cleaning and disk defragmentation tools, there is no significant increase in the capacity of the C drive, you should consider whether the C drive has installed large-sized software, such as Adobe series, 3D rendering, etc.
TreeSizeFree is an open-source and free hard disk space management tool that provides a tree-like description, displaying file sizes, actual space occupied, wasted space, and other information, allowing you to make corresponding deletion decisions. However, this decision is not easy to make, so friends who are not familiar with computer systems should use this tool with caution.
If it doesn't allow easy deletion, what's the use of it? It can let you know which files are occupying the C drive, so you can decide what to do next.
- Uninstall software that was installed for a short period of time and is no longer used.
- Can essential software be moved? For example, Adobe software can be moved to another drive using FreeMove, as we will mention later.
- If there is no software that can be moved and junk has been cleaned up, but the C drive capacity is still too small, what should you do?
- If the solid-state drive is divided into C and D drives, you can allocate excess capacity from the D drive to the C drive.
- Buy a large-capacity solid-state drive on Singles' Day. If it can be solved with money, don't bother.
Use as needed.
Geek#
A simple and easy-to-use system software uninstallation tool, the free version is sufficient. After uninstalling software, it also cleans up the corresponding registry entries. However, I must remind everyone to be careful when deleting registry entries!
For example, uninstalling PS 2023 version and deleting the corresponding registry entries will affect other versions, such as PS 2018, and reset the software's user settings.
Use instead of the system uninstallation tool.
FreeMove#
Its main function is to move installed programs to other partitions without any loss.
Free up space on the C drive by moving software installed on the C drive to, for example, the D drive, leaving only a shadow on the C drive while the actual software is on another drive. It's like the effect of Monkey King's hair.
The operation is clear at a glance, just test it with an unimportant software to learn more.
Use when needed.
AMBooter#
If the capacity of your system disk is small not because the hard disk is not large enough, but because it was initially allocated too small?
No problem, use a free partition assistant, for example, allocate the excess space on the D drive to the C drive. The operation is simple. After completing the allocation, click submit and restart the computer once. This capacity allocation is not a reinstallation and has no impact on the system or software. It simply transitions the excess space to the partition.
Alright, the C drive is resurrected!
Conclusion#
There are many tools available for slimming down the C drive, but no single tool can do everything. Cleaning up system junk, defragmenting disks, uninstalling unused software, moving large files, expanding partitions.
Each tool has different features and targets different areas of the C drive. If a doctor can cure a patient with just one prescription, they are either a quack or a fraud.
Regardless of how many software combinations we use, our goal is to slim down the C drive. But if your system disk is only 100GB, no matter how you shuffle things around, it won't be enough. The best solution is to solve the problem fundamentally, so spend a little less on cigarettes and buy a larger solid-state drive.
Download the all-in-one C drive cleaning package#
Everything is packaged, it's safe, free, and clean.
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