• Several disk cleaning tools exist to unclutter your hard drive.hard drive image by BigDog from Fotolia.com
  
  A cluttered computer, much like a cluttered desk or workspace, can lead to a lack of productivity. When you have files that are overloading your hard drive, your computer can often begin to respond slowly, slowing down whatever work you're trying to accomplish. Fortunately, however, several Windows XP-compatible tools exist for cleaning up your hard disk.
  
  

Disk Cleanup Tool

• The Disk Cleanup Tool is a built-in utility that comes with the Windows XP operating system, meaning that it doesn't require you to purchase or install any other programs. This tool helps you identify and remove files that are not necessary for your operating system to run. Disk Cleanup allows you to remove temporary Internet files, downloaded program files, Windows temporary files and other Windows components that you no longer need.
  
  

AbsoluteShield Disk Cleaner

• AbsoluteShield Disk Cleaner is a program that deletes personal and private files that are stored on your computer. It focuses on cleaning Internet browsing history and other computer activities. Once deleted, AbsoluteShield claims that files are unrecoverable. This is an important feature because when you manually delete a file, you can often recover the file using data recovery software. Another major feature of AbsoluteShield is the ability to add plug-in support for various other software including Microsoft Office, Media Player and WinZip. That is, you can use AbsoluteShield to automatically clean your activity in any of those programs. This program is released using the ShareWare model. This means you can download and try it for free, but it costs $24.95 to purchase a full license.
  
  

4DiskClean

• 4DiskClean is a disk cleaner that helps identify unneeded files and remove the files permanently. 4DiskClean scans various file types including temporary data, old backups and duplicate files. One beneficial feature of this tool is that it provides graphical images representing disk usage. That is, you can graphically see how much space you are saving by removing unnecessary files. 4DiskClean is a freeware tool, which means you can download and use it for free. It is compatible with multiple operating systems including Windows XP and Windows Vista.
  
  

Advanced Disk Cleaner

• Advanced Disk Cleaner works much like most other disk cleaners. This tool quickly searches your entire hard drive and identifies temporary files left behind by programs. Once scanned, the results are displayed and you can decide whether to keep or delete certain files. Advanced Disk Cleaner is available for a free 30-day trial. You can, however, get a full license for free by registering online with your name and email address. Advanced Disk Cleaner works with all versions of Windows.