Disk Cleanup to improve performance

[Frog]

Not unlike the impression I must give spammers about my own performance, my usually great box has slowed down a bit. Not bad, but lags that I notice.
It has the OS and all applications on a 128GB SSD (actually 111) with only 13G showing as free. Just like with a conventional HDD, that's not ideal, and I assume is adding to the sluggishness.
So, when I look to free up some space, the obvious culprit of 5.5G in the recycle bin os obvious, but how about the 6.62 in Windows Update Cleanup? Is there any potential downside to dumping this pig?

Then, it gets a little more mysterious when I click More Options and see the option to get rid of something called System Restore and Shadow.
I assume that this will remove all of the application data that makes up the images of all of the older restore points, right? How much will this free up? Is there a place to see this number?

Then, if worst comes to worst, I also assume that I could always restore from my Norton Ghost which resides on its own drive.

[Squeegie]

I use the Windows Disk Cleanup utility on every client system that I service.  It is part of my Preventive Maintenance schedule.

The Items you asked about are definitely worth deleting if you are looking to recover disk space. I have had zero negative results from removing any of the items in the "more options" section.

Here is a bit I found about SSD performance;

The benchmarks are clear: Solid-state drives slow down as you fill them up. Fill your solid-state drive to near-capacity and its write performance will decrease dramatically. The reason why lies in the way SSDs and NAND Flash storage work.
Filling the drive to capacity is one of the things you should never do with a solid-state drive. A nearly full solid-state drive will have much slower write operations, slowing down your computer.
If you have a solid-state drive, you should try to avoid using more than 75% of its capacity. Buy a larger drive with more storage than you need and you’ll ensure that you always have consistent write performance.

Since this is in reference to an SSD, I would also recommend you tun off the indexing as it will decrease the life of the drive.

I have seen lots of great deals in the last week for 256 GB and larger SSD's.  One of the best deals was the 480 GB Mushkin for $99. I scored 6 of them. (that was the limit)

[Frog]

I don't see any option to disable indexing on the SSD, my "C" drive, only data folders on my HDD, and frankly, that's where I search often anyway.

[Squeegie]

Within windows explorer, just right click on the C: drive, select Properties, then on the bottom deselect the check box.

Here:

[Frog]

and apply it to just Disk C or to Sub Files and Folders as well?

[jvanick]

that setting applies to the entire C-drive.  if you have other hard disks attached, you'll have to go deselect it there as well.

I also run CCleaner on my PCs
https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

cleans up the cache, and other junk.

[Frog]

that setting applies to the entire C-drive.  if you have other hard disks attached, you'll have to go deselect it there as well.

I also run CCleaner on my PCs
https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

cleans up the cache, and other junk.

Nope, the next window demands that I make a choice about disabling index on the C drive, whether to include sub folders or not. That's the question. I assume yes.
As for disabling Indexing on my other drive(s) I'd rather not as I frequently use the search feature there.

[Squeegie]

Subfolders and files on the C: drive.

Your other drives, if not SSD you can leave them indexed.

[Frog]

Subfolders and files on the C: drive.

Your other drives, if not SSD you can leave them indexed.

As I intended, thanks

[Rockers]

We use a handy little app called Clean My Mac 3. Works like a charm.

[Squeegie]

I doubt that will work on the PC.

[Frog]

We use a handy little app called Clean My Mac 3. Works like a charm.

I doubt that will work on the PC.

And besides, Widows actually provides all of the tools we need for this

[Gilligan]

Squeegie, where did you get that info on the SSD filling up slowing it down.

I have nothing to contest that, just doesn't seem right in my head and I'd like to read up on it.

Even platter drives will run till just about completely out before really showing any signs.... NTFS is WAY better and nothing like the old days.

I also vote for CCleaner as well as Malwarebytes (just as a precaution).

[Frog]

Squeegie, where did you get that info on the SSD filling up slowing it down.

I have nothing to contest that, just doesn't seem right in my head and I'd like to read up on it.

Even platter drives will run till just about completely out before really showing any signs.... NTFS is WAY better and nothing like the old days.

I also vote for CCleaner as well as Malwarebytes (just as a precaution).

I was also surprised (and disappointed) when learning of this trait, but found no shortage of references with a Google search.
This particular article contains a link to some actual benchmark tests

[Squeegie]

I too had the impression that SSD's would give the same performance full vs empty....apparently not.

I found the SSD info here;

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwjP9fm43MDNAhVKySYKHXSkD-8QFggbMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.howtogeek.com%2F165542%2Fwhy-solid-state-drives-slow-down-as-you-fill-them-up%2F&usg=AFQjCNEb_DsUz49W9Due84jak7-bJqn01g