[Kavika2014]

I have an external hard drive (seagate freeagent go) and it is full. I want to clean it and remove unnecessary files, folders and programs. Really I just want to be sure to save pictures, documents, tax records, etc.

My question ... is there any way to see everything on the external hard drive at once? When I explore it I find levels and levels and levels of history, so files are hidden away.

I would LOVE to be able to sort the entire contents by type of file and then proceed with the cleaning.

Also, do I need to keep any programs on the external hard drive? It looks like there are lots of Windows files, Internet Explorer files, etc. I just want to protect MY stuff and keep it simple.

Thanks in advance for any sage advice!

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First off you didn't mention what operating system you had. With Windows 8.1 go to control panel look for folder options, select view and select "show hidden files and folders", then click o.k..

Believe for Windows 7 or Vista usually just right click and should be and option for folder options.(sorry been awhile using Win7 i have Win 8.

You can change this back after you decide what needs to be removed, to be able to see all the files on this Drive.

Now if you have used this drive to install software on it, i would be careful what you select to delete, for programs to be on an External Drive there should be a main Programs folder, D:/, E:/, F/: or G/: Program Files (x86) whichever drive letter was assigned.

Another thing is if you are wanting to still use the Drive manager software that comes with this drive and most External Hard Drives, usually to automatically back-up file and folders for you.

I use a External Western Digital hard drive i preferably do not care for the back-up software. You can just use an external drive for backup and not put that software on it, but that is your preference to do it and if you did.
For me i start off with a formatted External Drive and not use any of the back-up software that came with it.

Then i can make any folders and name them whatever i want, Pictures,Music, Documents and Videos(Movies), to keep an order to the files i put in them for easy access.

I was not sure if you do have software on it or not, or just files (pictures,doc.'s)

I would when you figure it out, to be able to clean it well, temporarily move files and folders you want to have on this drive to your main C: Drive, sort things out and delete what you do not care for on the External.
Then format it and put back what you want on it only, go from there in the future.

[jds63]

First off you didn't mention what operating system you had. With Windows 8.1 go to control panel look for folder options, select view and select "show hidden files and folders", then click o.k..

Believe for Windows 7 or Vista usually just right click and should be and option for folder options.(sorry been awhile using Win7 i have Win 8.

You can change this back after you decide what needs to be removed, to be able to see all the files on this Drive.

Now if you have used this drive to install software on it, i would be careful what you select to delete, for programs to be on an External Drive there should be a main Programs folder, D:/, E:/, F/: or G/: Program Files (x86) whichever drive letter was assigned.

Another thing is if you are wanting to still use the Drive manager software that comes with this drive and most External Hard Drives, usually to automatically back-up file and folders for you.

I use a External Western Digital hard drive i preferably do not care for the back-up software. You can just use an external drive for backup and not put that software on it, but that is your preference to do it and if you did.
For me i start off with a formatted External Drive and not use any of the back-up software that came with it.

Then i can make any folders and name them whatever i want, Pictures,Music, Documents and Videos(Movies), to keep an order to the files i put in them for easy access.

I was not sure if you do have software on it or not, or just files (pictures,doc.'s)

I would when you figure it out, to be able to clean it well, temporarily move files and folders you want to have on this drive to your main C: Drive, sort things out and delete what you do not care for on the External.
Then format it and put back what you want on it only, go from there in the future.

[Kavika2014]

Thanks for the reply! I took this question to a computer store today and the tech thought about it for a while and came up with a brilliant answer ...
"Just buy another one and don't mess with it"!

[jds63]

Your Welcome....................
Ummm...... Well that is a salesman not a computer tech in my opinion.

Why buy a new one ? How old is the External drive you have ?

This is not that complicated to do, although i do not know exactly what type of files and software you may have on your External Drive.

Buying a new one means your still going to have to know what you want to move to the New Drive, plus it will come with back-up software also.

Your choice to do this, in my opinion i don't use the back-up software, unless you want the function of the automatic back-ups it does.

Just backup this software that comes with the Drive on a disc or your system drive in case you want to use it again and format the new one and then you can make it the way you want it to be for you.
I mean you can create folders on this new drive and name them whatever you want, documents,pictures,etc.., will be easier this way and less confusing.

This is way i use it, i always back up important, documents, pictures, music and anything i do not want to loose in case my system drive goes.

Good Luck on what you choose to do.

Edited by jds63, 20 March 2014 - 12:15 PM.

[123Runner]

I will ask the question of what you are using to back up the files and folders?
Are you using a software program that backs it up as images? or
Are you copying and moving files and folders yourself?
How many back up drives do you have? If the only back up you have is 1 drive, then it is not enough.
My system has the original files and folders, then I have 2 separate physical hard drives that are back ups.

I use a program called "syncback free". It will back up on a schedule what ever you want. I arrange it so that I have some daily and some weekly back ups.

If what you have is folders and files you can visually look at, then you need to create some type of order before you even start to delete anything.

[jds63]

Thanks for the reply! I took this question to a computer store today and the tech thought about it for a while and came up with a brilliant answer ...
"Just buy another one and don't mess with it"!

Think he or she took this option to resolve it ,123Runner