The easiest way to clear disk space is to delete files you don't need, but you can't always tell which files are safe to delete. Windows 98's Disk Cleanup utility helps remove some of that uncertainty.

To run Disk Cleanup, click StartòAccessoriesò System ToolsòDisk Cleanup. You'll see the dialog box shown in FIGURE 1. Then click OK to delete files in each of the four categories listed in the dialog box: Temporary Internet Files, Downloaded Program Files, Temporary Files, and Recycle Bin.

Deleting temporary Internet files and downloaded program files removes data and programs deposited on your drive by Web sites you've visited. If you frequently visit a site, these files help you avoid repetitive downloads, but if you rarely visit the site, the files are dead weight.

Software programs created the files listed under Temporary Files for temporary use but didn't delete them at the end of the session. There's no danger in deleting them. If you're hesitant to empty your Recycle Bin, just uncheck the box next to its listing.

The Disk Cleanup utility's More Options tab (see FIGURE 2) lists two options: Windows components and installed programs. Both launch the Add/Remove Programs applet found in Control Panel. Search under the Windows Setup tab for files you can live without, such as the 30MB of Desktop Themes or the 31MB of Web TV for Windows. Under the Install/Uninstall tab, you can remove old or unwanted programs. Always use Add/Remove Programs to remove programs; deleting the program's files via Explorer may leave behind troublesome system files and Registry entries.

If you upgraded to Windows 98 from Windows 3.x or Windows 95, Windows backed up the old operating system files to disk. You can free up many megabytes of disk space by uninstalling the backup. You'll find it listed on the Install/Uninstall tab if it's still on your hard disk.

Finally, scan all the large files on your hard disk. You may be surprised at how many useless files lurk there. In Explorer, select the hard drive and press <F3> to bring up Find. On the Advanced tab, select At least and 100KB for 'Size is'. Select Find Now to generate a file list, and click the Size column header to sort the resulting list by size.

By Kirk Steers