Regardless of the fact that doing a computer cleanup improves system performance, risk must also be considered prior to rushing in. Consider the possibility that files could accidentally be deleted, when using cleaning software, or by accident when manually selecting files and folders for deletion. And cleaning out the files that are no longer needed requires some commitment in terms of time particularly when the manual methods are used but automated cleanup tools can consume time. For most people these risks are minimal and the benefits clearly override any minor obstacles.

Cleaning out hard disk content can be accomplished in several ways; one option is to go through all files and select the ones to remove, or secondly you can use an automated tool to do the job. Manual scanning means stepping through all drive areas and deciding which of the files are no longer needed, and removing them depending on which should stay and which should go. There is less chance of losing unwanted data than automated methods but this way can be tedious if many files exist. Software tools can be used instead, tools that detect info which include file properties, last opened dates, etc. and then automatically create a table of files and folders that need to be removed.

Search the internet and you will find many cleanup tools which interpret the drive cleanup task in their own style. Some of these fall into the content filter category, and for the better ones you can often obtain a free trial. There is usually much is more that these applications can perform; a few of them are also able to do perform drive 'washing', scan and remove inappropriate content, detect pirated software, and analyzed used and free space.