After utilizing built-in tools on Windows, over 120GB of free space was restored on the C: drive. Initially, the drive had just under 36.5GB available, prompting a deeper investigation into storage usage. The user deleted large files and utilized the Disk Cleanup utility, which initially showed only 162MB of safe deletions. However, by including the "Recycle Bin," the reclaimable space jumped to over 9GB, resulting in a total of approximately 10.5GB freed through Disk Cleanup alone.
Additionally, the user employed Storage Sense, another built-in feature that checks for temporary files. Though it primarily functions similarly to Disk Cleanup, it offers helpful suggestions for further storage reclamation. After examining the recommendations, minimal deletions were found, but checking this tool is advised as it can provide valuable insights.
With these strategies, the user effectively cleared most of the temporary and non-essential files from both Windows and installed software, significantly enhancing the drive's available storage.