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With the right measures, you can free up disk space and improve your computer’s performance even on an older operating system like Windows 7.
Free up disk space on Windows 7 with a system cleanup and optimization
Windows 7 may be an older operating system, but it is still used by many users. Over time, however, the available storage space can become scarce, which can affect system performance. We will show you how to save storage space with simple means and make your system leaner again.
- Delete temporary files: Windows 7 stores numerous temporary files during operation that remain on the hard disk and take up valuable storage space. Use the built-in “Disk Cleanup” tool to remove these files.
- To do this, click the Start menu and type “Disk Cleanup” into the search bar. Then select the desired drive (usually “C:”) and let the system scan the files to be deleted. After that, you can select the categories such as Temporary files and Recycle Bin and select Clean up system files and confirm the cleanup.
- Remove old restore points: Windows regularly creates restore points that can take up a lot of disk space. To remove old restore points, open the Control Panel, select System and Security and then System.
- Click on System Protection, then on Configure. Under “Disk Space Used” you can either limit the storage or delete all but the last restore point.
- Clean up Windows updates: After installing updates, old update files often remain on your system. You can remove these with the disk cleanup function (option “Windows Update cleanup”).
- Disable hibernation file: When you hibernate, Windows stores the contents of your RAM in a file called hiberfil.sys. This file can be several gigabytes in size. You can disable this function if you do not use it.
- Open the command prompt with administrator rights. To do this, enter “cmd” in the Start menu search bar, right-click on the search result and select “Run as administrator”. Then enter the command powercfg -h off and confirm with the Enter key.
- After a restart of your computer, the corresponding file is removed.
Data management and alternatives for saving storage space on Windows 7
While the system cleanup often includes the first steps for optimizing storage space, the management of personal data also plays a crucial role. By selectively cleaning out files, deleting unnecessary programs and using external storage solutions such as cloud services, you can create additional space on your hard drive.
- Uninstall unnecessary programs: Many applications that you rarely or never use take up unnecessary storage space. To uninstall programs, go to Control Panel and click Programs and Features.
- Then sort the list by installation date or size to identify large or old programs. Finally, highlight the relevant program and click Uninstall.
- Find large files: Sometimes, individual large files, such as videos or installation files, take up an enormous amount of storage space. With the help of tools such as TreeSize Free or WinDirStat, you can easily find storage space wasters. Move these files to an external hard drive or delete them if they are no longer needed.
- Use cloud storage: A clever alternative is to store files in the cloud. Services such as Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive make it possible to store large files online and free up space locally. Make sure you have a stable internet connection and take care with data protection.
