Running Windows Disk Cleanup on a regular basis is really a great idea to keep your computer running lean and efficient. The only problem is, if you are like me, I’d almost rather visit my dentist than wait for the utility to complete its scan. It turns out that about 90% of the wait is the result of just one type of scan, and that scan is essentially pointless. Here are the steps for disabling this annoying “feature” and making your Disk Cleanups as fast and efficient as they should be!

The instructions are slightly modified from a Microsoft Knowledgebase article. The article discusses what to do if Disk Cleanup stops responding completely. It turns out the “fix” works perfectly well as a preventive measure.

The instructions below only tell how to remove the scan for “compress old files”, but you could probably remove any scan which you aren’t interested in, and that should speed Disk Cleanup even more. Just make sure to backup the original registry keys so that if anything does “blow up” you should be able to restore your system to its original configuration.

Warning: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To work around this problem, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Type regedit in the Open box, and then press ENTER.
3. Locate, and then click the following registry key:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
   Explorer\VolumeCaches
4. On the File menu, click Export, and then click Desktop, type VolumeCaches in the File name box, and then click Save.
   Note: This step creates a backup of the VolumeCaches registry key. If you experience any problems after you complete the steps that are listed in this procedure, you can use this backup to restore the VolumeCaches key to its original state. To restore the key, double-click the VolumeCaches.reg file on your desktop, and then click Yes.
5. Expand the following registry key:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
   Explorer\VolumeCaches
6. Delete the Compress old files registry key.
7. Quit Registry Editor.

Preventive Maintenance Helps Safeguard Data
Most of our clients find the information stored on the hard disk is much more important than the hardware that stores the data. Taking steps to protect this information makes sense. That is what preventive maintenance is all about.
Preventive Maintenance Improves Security
Regular virus and spyware scanning is critical to keeping your data safe. Security patches and software updates are released several times each month for a variety of software. Some notify you, but others do not. All are important if you wish to stay protected. System and security logs give a wealth of information about the state of the equipment and the network. By checking the logs, we often spot potential problems early and avoid emergencies by fixing problems before they become noticeable.
Preventive Maintenance Improves Performance
Some aspects of computer systems degrade in performance over time. This has even given rise to the colorful term of “Windows rot“. Preventive maintenance helps improve the overall speed of system and network performance in these respects.
Preventive Maintenance Saves Money
You’ve heard the old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” It may be trite, but it’s also true. Avoiding problems saves you money in the long run, compared with laying out cash for new components or repair jobs. Emergency repair procedures can consume your IT budget at alarming rates. Most preventive maintenance procedures are quite simple, compared to troubleshooting and emergency repair procedures. This saves you much time (and stress!).