CHAPTER 12
Optimize Computer Performance
Delete Files Using Disk Cleanup
REMOVE A PROGRAM
You can remove a program you no longer use from your computer. Removing a program will free up space on your computer’s hard drive.
Removing a program is different from removing a Modern UI app. See “Uninstall Modern UI Apps” in Chapter 1.
REMOVE A PROGRAM
Why doesn’t the program I want to remove appear in the Programs and Features window?
If the program you want to remove does not appear, the program may not have been designed for this version of Windows. Check the documentation supplied with the program to determine how to remove the program from your computer.
What should I do after I remove a program?
When you finish removing a program, you should restart your computer. Restarting your computer often deletes any remaining files that the program used. To restart your computer, see “Restart Your Computer” in Chapter 2.
DELETE FILES USING DISK CLEANUP
You can use Disk Cleanup to remove unnecessary files from your computer to free up disk space and help your computer run faster.
When you perform the next steps, Disk Cleanup removes only unnecessary files from your user account.
DELETE FILES USING DISK CLEANUP
Are there other ways I can remove unnecessary files from my computer?
Yes. Programs you no longer use and files you no longer need take up valuable disk space on your computer. You can remove unnecessary programs and files to free up disk space. For more information, see “Remove a Program” earlier in this chapter and “Delete a File” in Chapter 4 to delete files.
Can I see which files Disk Cleanup will remove?
Yes. Before Disk Cleanup removes unnecessary files from your computer, you can see which files will be removed. In the Disk Cleanup dialog box, select a file type of interest and then click the View Files button. A window appears, displaying the files that Disk Cleanup will remove. The View Files button is not available for some file types.
Using the Disk Cleanup tool to remove unnecessary files from your computer removes only the files from your user account. Other users should also run Disk Cleanup.
To keep your computer running optimally, you should run the Disk Cleanup tool at least once a month.
OPTIMIZE YOUR HARD DRIVE
To keep your computer running at the speed it’s designed for, after you delete programs and files, you should perform the maintenance option called optimizing your hard drive.
You must be an Administrative user or have access to an Administrative user password to optimize your drive.
OPTIMIZE YOUR HARD DRIVE
Windows 8 automatically optimizes your hard drive every week, but it’s a good idea to occasionally optimize it manually.
When you save a file, Windows looks for an empty space on the hard disk to write the data. If the first empty space it encounters isn’t large enough to store the entire file, Windows divides the file among several smaller spaces. When a file is stored in more than one space, it is said to be fragmented.
The next time you open the file, Windows must locate each of the fragmented pieces, and that takes more time than it would if the file were stored all together in one space.
Optimizing combines the file pieces that are broken apart into one single piece and stores it in a single space, thereby making it faster for Windows to locate and open.
CLOSE A MISBEHAVING PROGRAM
You can close a program that is no longer responding without having to shut down Windows.
When a program is not responding, you can wait a few minutes to see if Windows can fix the problem. If you choose not to wait and close the program yourself, you will lose any information you did not save in the program.
CLOSE A MISBEHAVING PROGRAM
How will I know if a program is not responding?
One or more of the following usually happens when a program crashes:
The program won’t let you do anything or it won’t respond to options you choose.
You may see a message on the program title bar (if it’s a program you run under the desktop) that says, “Not responding.”
An informational message may pop up on the screen saying that the application is not functioning.
The screen may fade to an almost white color.