So you are trying to install a new piece of software on your PC or are downloading a movie that you really want to have and then you get the "not enough disk space" error message. Annoying, isn't it? The most important thing when you get this error is to stay calm and not start deleting files and uninstalling programs. There are better ways of freeing up hard drive space. Here is what you need to do.
The first thing you should do when you start running out of disk space is to delete temporary files. Unless you have an automatic file cleanup utility installed on your computer, you are likely to have gigabytes of disk space taken up by all sorts of temporary files that you no longer need. You can delete them by running the disk cleanup utility (Start - Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Disk Cleanup) or install FileCleaner to delete them automatically in real time.
Another thing you should do to free up space on your PC is to look for programs you no longer use and uninstall them. To do that, simply go to the Control Panel and go through the list of your software. There are bound to be some programs that you don't need.
Even if you've deleted all junk files, there might still be files on your computer that are taking up valuable disk space - duplicate files. These files are useless copies that get saved multiple times to different folders. Deleting them has a great potential and can definitely free up a lot of disk space. You can either use the Search feature to find some duplicates, or use a program like Easy Duplicate Finder to find all sorts of duplicate files, from documents and photos to songs and emails.
If you have a lot of movies, songs or photos on your computer, it might make sense to store them on an external hard drive. Not only will it free up tons of space, but it will also keep them safe in case something happens to your PC. Alternatively, you can use a cloud-based service like DropBox, CX or Google Drive to store your files online. It's a great way to back them up and to have access to all your stuff from any computer, anywhere in the world.
