What is best program to clean unwanted files from your PC Hard Drive?

[Grandpa Troll]

I am once again upgrading my PC. I have 4 PC's and am acquiring 2 more older units. I want to delete any inappropriate files, as 3 of them were used by a teenager and I am pretty sure may have files that are questionable.

In addition, do you have to manually do this or will it do it automatically?

I have allways heard files stay on yourn Hard drive forever, or will a program such as I am looking for completely remove files/images?

If you believe you know of one, please post here and if possible a link or correct name of it.

Thanks for helping Gramps out

[SlowwHand]

CCleaner. Shiva turned me on to it.

http://www.ccleaner.com/

Click the Go button and off it goes. Hasn't messed me up as yet.

CyberScrub scrubs hdd space, but it's not free.

[Grandpa Troll]

So this would remove files or images from a pc?

Thanks

I am not 110% on what registry files are needed so am leary of messing with them.

Thanks

Gramps

[SlowwHand]

I don't know a good free registry cleaner. I use Registry Mechanic.

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
I don't know a good free registry cleaner. I use Registry Mechanic.

I dont mind buying one Slow, I just want something to remove unwanted files

[SlowwHand]

CCleaner will do it. I get rid of about 25 mb a day running it.

[Ari Rahikkala]

Re: What is best program to clean unwanted files from your PC Hard Drive?

I have allways heard files stay on yourn Hard drive forever, or will a program such as I am looking for completely remove files/images?

In most filesystems, deleting a file does not actually overwrite its contents, but simply removes the reference to it and marks the space it was on as free. The content will eventually get overwritten if you keep using the computer. This is a detail that you do not need to worry about this unless you're trying to pull out files you've deleted earlier. Programs will not be able to use files that you've deleted.

[Grandpa Troll]

Re: Re: What is best program to clean unwanted files from your PC Hard Drive?

Originally posted by Ari Rahikkala


In most filesystems, deleting a file does not actually overwrite its contents, but simply removes the reference to it and marks the space it was on as free. The content will eventually get overwritten if you keep using the computer. This is a detail that you do not need to worry about this unless you're trying to pull out files you've deleted earlier. Programs will not be able to use files that you've deleted.

But I am giving a pc to a few folks from older pc's I have.

I just dont want to give them a pc if any inappropriate images or content are on it.

Thanks for all the answers thus far

Gramps

[OzzyKP]

Magnets work pretty well i've heard. Big ones.

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by OzzyKP
Magnets work pretty well i've heard. Big ones.

Oh heck I got several, Thanks Ozzy, Ill be able to play my Civ and let the magnets do their job

Just in case, Il put this Foil Beanie on so the magnets wont get to my files I store in my short term memory in my Head

[Lul Thyme]

Why don't you just format it?
Is there anything on the computer you actually want to keep?
If not, formatting is way simpler are will do a better job then any CCleaner could do.

[reds4ever]

I agree, I just sold a laptop and the (by far) easiest thing to do was to format and clean install an OS before I sent it off to the buyer.

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by reds4ever
I agree, I just sold a laptop and the (by far) easiest thing to do was to format and clean install an OS before I sent it off to the buyer.

Ok, so that completely removes all files?
Thanks and I am asking because I was not sure.

Thanks

Gramps

[reds4ever]

Yep, it completely cleans the HD.

[Grandpa Troll]

Originally posted by reds4ever
Yep, it completely cleans the HD.

Thanks reds4ever