Create a plan of action
Start your PC cleanup by thinking about what you're going to do with the files and photos collecting dust on your PC's hard drive. You have three choices when it comes to organizing: delete, file or store.
- Delete any files you no longer need.
- File any documents or photos you use regularly.
- Store items you will need in the future.
Delete
Clear out the clutter! Get rid of those old party invitations, bad digital photos, 2-year old PTA letters and software programs you haven't used in a few years. It's as simple as it sounds and improves your PC's performance.
Once you decide to delete a file, there are two ways to go.
- Click on the file and hit the Delete button on your keyboard.
- Drag and drop files and icons into the Recycle Bin on your desktop.
- Click the Start menu on the bottom menu bar.
- Select Control Panel.
- View programs and delete the ones you rarely use.
File
It happens. You quickly save a file to the desktop and before you know it, there are icons everywhere. Here's a quick, easy way to organize your most recent photos, important documents and current projects so you can find them fast.
- Open the folder on your desktop called My Documents (think of it as your file cabinet).
- Click Make a New Folder on left menu.
- Create folders, such as "Bills," "Homework" or "Jan 09" to organize documents that don't have a home.
Store
Whether your hard drive is full or you need an alternative spot for safekeeping important files like photos and scanned mortgage documents, additional storage is the answer. External storage makes it easy to take large chunks of data off your hard drive and just as easy to retrieve the information when you need it.
HP offers a variety of storage choices:
- HP Personal Media Drives
- HP Pocket Media Drives
- HP Media Vault
- Virtual storage via the Internet
A fresh start
By following the steps above, your computer will soon be more organized, your recent photos and documents will be easier to find, and your important files will be protected.