Deleting data Without Formatting HDD.

[Matthew-san]

I have a 1TB HDD that has 9.6 GB space left. I would like to format the hard drive but my Windows 7 OS is installed on that HDD. I do not have any other HDD or SSD and I have a bunch of games to download.

I have swapped motherboards and CPU's twice since I have had this 1 TB HDD but I have never formatted it before. How can I format the hard drive and still keep my OS functioning? Or is there any other way I can free up storage space?

 

[rgd1101]

try http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

 

[Matthew-san]

Thanks for the link, I'll try it out.

 

[Matthew-san]

It freed up about 2GB which is good but I'm going to need a lot more space than that that. I'm going to need about 200-300GB for all my games. I honestly don't have much on my HDD right now. Only about 10 games, 20 pictures, no movies, hardly anything at all. I always assumed that when you replace a MOBO and re-install the OS that the HDD is wiped but apparently not.

Will it be easier to purchase another 1TB HDD instead? I know of one I can get for around $60.

 

[rgd1101]

use this to see where the disk space go. Just don't delete anything that you don't know(e.g. system files).
http://windirstat.info/

 

[Matthew-san]

Thanks again. The software wouldn't work for some reason. The first time it said I wasn't connected to the internet and the next time time it said something about not being configured. That's alright though. I think I'm just going to purchase a new HDD. If you know of any 1TB hard drives for less 60 dollars please let me know.

 

[Matthew-san]

The CCleaner is doing a much better job now! It has freed over 40GB so far and it hasn't even moved one percent yet, sounds like good news to me. I had it scan my 'old windows installation' and now the software is deleting many things. Perhaps I won't need that new HDD after all.

 

[Alabalcho]

Windirstat does not need Internet in order to work.
There is also the possibility that your 1TB hard drive is partitioned your C:\ partition got filled up. You cannot format it while Windows is running, and if you format it your Windows installation is gone

 

[Matthew-san]

Thanks for the info. but my problem is solved now. CCleaner freed up 687 GB!