[conceptualclarity]

I have a huge amount of unwanted junk on my system, which I am seeking to trim greatly prior to backing it up. Most of it is not subject to uninstall procedures. I'm dealing with some unwanted/redundant files and folders in the hundreds of MBs range. I'm using Advanced System Care, Glary Utilities, and another such program from the context menu, but it's going pretty slowly. I'd like a free program that is powerful enough to handle the really big files and is fast.

Computer
Dell Computer Dimension 2400 (desktop) 2003
Operating System 
Windows XP Home Edition (original and pre-installed) 32-bit SP3
reinstalled 02-20-2014
CPU
Intel Pentium 4
Northwood 0.13um Technology
RAM
2.00GB DDR @ 166MHz (2.5-3-3-7)
Motherboard
Dell Computer Corp. 0G1548 (Microprocessor)
Graphics
Default Monitor (1280x1024@60Hz)
Intel 82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV Graphics Controller (Dell)
Storage
80 GB Seagate ST380011A (ATA) 28 °C
3.94 GBGB Lexar USB Flash Drive USB Device (USB)
500.11 GB HGST USB Device (external hard drive)
Optical Drives
SAMSUNG CD-R/RW SW-252S
Audio
Unimodem Half-Duplex Audio Device
Anti-Virus
Roboscan

[Advertisements]

Are you talking about just junkware and adware?

 

MBAM would clean the majority of it.

 

http://downloads.mal....org/file/mbam/

[Alan1998]

Are you talking about just junkware and adware?

 

MBAM would clean the majority of it.

 

http://downloads.mal....org/file/mbam/

[conceptualclarity]

I'm not talking about temporary files or about poorly regarded programs, just stuff I don't need or want anymore, like data from avast!, several AVs ago for me. I don't want it taking up space in the recycling bin. I just want to get rid of it.

[azarl]

I can recommend http://eraser.heidi.ie/

[conceptualclarity]

^{I have gotten Eraser.}

[hazard209]

The best I've found, which I'm sure you've already tried, is CCleaner.

 

The problem is that file shredders tend to delete and then overwrite the space that the file that was just deleted previously occupied. This is can take a long time, especially with a machine that has some dated specs such as yours. You might be better off just deleting them from the recycling bin and the scrubbing the free space on your drive overnight.