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PC Cleanup - Basics

In usual use, your computer stores various records - if one is familiar with where to look, one can find information concerning websites visited, videos downloaded, documents recently opened, etc. Such stored information brings up not only privacy concerns, but also simple space and efficiency concerns - simply put, anything stored on your computer takes up hard drive space and if left to accumulate long enough can take up significant space thereby also slowing computer function. To combat this problem, one can use the built in Microsoft Disk Cleanup (see below) and Internet Cleanup tools (see manual browser cleanup below) or various software and freeware cleanup utilities.

Common Cleaning Areas

Windows Temporary Folders:
Windows and other programs create temporary files during installations and through normal operation. These accumulate, take up disk space, and ultimately create computer slowdowns if not deleted.

Index.dat files:
A record of web sites visited from web surfing with Internet Explorer. You can't reach these files through an ordinary search on Windows. You can, however, view them and erase them with a freeware utility called Spider. Spider was the original index.dat cleaner, many other clean-up utilities now erase these files as well. Try IE Privacy Keeper , a solid freeware product, erases index.dat without system restart.

Internet Cookies:
A small piece of information stored by your web browser when you visit a website. This allows the website to recognize you as a return visitor and so facilitates more efficient function. For example, by use of a Cookie, a website may not require you to re-enter user name or preferences - hence the activity of web surfing becomes more personal. On the other hand, cookies present an obvious privacy concern and in fact some cookies may track surfing habits for advertisers. See our Spyware section for information on utilities that detect, delete and prevent such adware/spyware cookies.

Internet Cache:
Your browser stores a copy of any website visited in the "Internet Cache". When you request the same page subsequently, your browser will look first to the cache for the site which is of course much faster than a new download from the website server. This makes for efficient surfing especially if you are using your browser's back button to re-visit a page or site you were just looking at moments earlier. After awhile, however, the cache begins to use up a significant amount of disk space and becomes unwieldy in use. Cache Tip: To make sure you have a fresh copy of a webpage and not one from the cache, use your browser's reload or refresh button

To use the Microsoft Disk Cleanup tool:

In Windows Vista type 'cleanup' into the start search -> select 'Disk Cleanup' from the results panel -> select the drive to clean and select 'OK' -> the Disk Cleanup tool will run and provide options for removal

In Windows XP go to Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Cleanup -> select the drive to clean and select OK -> the Disk Cleanup tool will run and provide options for items to be removed.

Manual Browser Cleanup:

Basic Cleanup - step by step instructions for cleaning cookies, cache, temp files, and history, in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Mozilla, and Netscape Navigator.

More tools:

As a learning tool try WindowWasher. One-click to clean - the rolling display reveals the cleaning process in action. Click to get cleaning statistics. By reading over the areas of your PC being cleaned and by using the help files you can gain some insight into the cleaning process and the nature of your computer. I also suggest System Mechanic  - provides a quality suite that includes cleanup. A freeware product to try is  CCleaner  - try a few, you'll have a better understanding of  'PC Cleanup' and a better running PC too!

Keep in mind that a cleanup utility is often bundled as an added feature in a security suite. For example Zone Alarm Security Suite comes with a built-in cleaner which is just fine for most users. It doesn't clean index.dat files but you can clean those with a freeware product called  CCleaner or the original index.dat cleaner, Spider. Also browsing with Firefox doesn't accumulate index.dat files.

IECookiesView - view detailed Internet Explorer Cookie info and clean, freeware