(2024) Can Disk Cleanup Server 2012 Effectively Free Up Space?

As the years pass, excessive data and junk files can consume a large number of space on your Server 2012. You might even notice a "Low Disk Space" alert on your important device. When this notification appears, it typically indicates that your cherished Server 2012 can become sluggish and unresponsive when handling multiple tasks simultaneously.

You may have heard about Disk Cleanup and are considering using it to remove some of these accumulated files. But can it genuinely free up space effectively and make your PC run faster? Let's take a closer look at this utility.

About Disk Cleanup Server 2012

Disk Cleanup is an integrated utility in Windows operating systems, including Windows Server 2012. It is designed to free up disk space by removing files that are no longer needed or files that are unable to be removed in File Explorer. This tool can target and remove some common types of data, such as:

Over time, these files can accumulate on your system, and Disk Cleanup can often free up several gigabytes of storage space. This is particularly beneficial if you've been using your computer for an extended period without performing regular clean-up tasks, or if you frequently download and install updates and applications. Now, let’s clean up the full Server 2012 with this utility.

How to run Server 2012 Disk Cleanup for space releasing?

With Windows Server 2012 Disk Cleanup, you can delete certain types of files or remove programs you don't use to make more space on your computer. Also, it allows you to move some files from one place to another, such as from the C to the D drive. However, the Disk Cleanup mainly works on temporary files and mostly focuses on cleaning up the C drive.

Step 1. First, open File Explorer, right-click on the C drive, and select "Properties" from the menu.

Step 2. In the new window, go to the "General" tab and click on "Disk Cleanup". It will figure out how much space you can clear from the C drive.

Step 3. Put a checkmark in the boxes next to the files you want to delete, and then press the "OK" button.

Note: To prevent accidental deletion of essential files, you can click on "View Files" to preview the contents of the files beforehand.

If you've never used the Disk Cleanup tool on Windows Server 2012, you can enable it by following these steps. After installation, you need to reboot the computer.

• Go to Control Panel > Programs>Programs and features;
• Click Turn Windows Features on or off
• Click Add Roles and Features
• Choose Installation Type
• Select Role-based or feature-based installation and then click Next
• Click Next and Next and you’ll go to Features
• Locate User Interfaces and Infrastructure, expand it and check Desktop Experience
• Click Add Features
• Click Next and Install

During the process, we can find it is important to confirm what to delete in Disk Cleanup. If you remove files that your system needs, you could lose data or make your computer unstable. Furthermore, Disk Cleanup usually doesn't look for any hidden or protected files. This means you might not free up as much space as you expected.

How to effectively cleanup Server 2012 for performance enhancement?

Using Disk Cleanup on Server 2012 is a good choice for routine maintenance. However, if you need a more thorough clean to free up a significant amount of space to address a slow computer issue, it's recommended to use a professional computer management tool like AOMEI Partition Assistant Server. This tool can work on Windows Server 2025, 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012 (R2) and continue to receive updates.

To effectively free up space and improve the performance of your Server 2012, this multifunctional tool will share several solutions for you:

Solution 1. Run PC Cleaner to thoroughly remove junk files

The PC Cleaner function scans your device and categorizes unnecessary files, deciding which ones you might want to keep. Once the scan is done, you can choose to either clean up your PC by clicking "Clean All," or you can customize the file deletion based on your preferences.

Step 1. Run the installed AOMEI Partition Assistant Server, all the disks and partitions will be listed, click "Free up" on the top pane and choose "PC Cleaner".

Step 2. You can see "Approximate xx GB disk space you can free up" in the new window, click "Start Scan" to scan your PC for junk files.

Step 3. When the scanning is completed, you can choose the files listed, then click "Clean All" to start the cleaning operation.

Step 4. After all the junk files are removed, click "Back" to return to the main interface for other operations.

Solution 2. Allocate free space from sufficient drive

If you have extra partitions with ample space on one disk, this tool also enables you to transfer unused space from those partitions to a drive that needs it when your Windows Server 2012 disk full.

Step 1. Right-click on the partition that has redundant disk space and select  “Allocate Free Space”.

Step 2. At the pop-up page, specify the size of free space you want to allocate and select C drive as the destination.

Step 3. Preview the outcome and click “Apply” > “Proceed” to execute the pending operations.

The system drive is involved in the process, so your computer will need to be rebooted to complete it. In some cases, even if the process appears to be hanging, manually rebooting your computer will show that the drive has been extended.

Solution 3. Easily upgrade your disk

If you've been using Server 2012 for many years, being adapted to a new computer or system can be uneasy. So, upgrading your disk is a good choice for improving capacity and performance.

AOMEI Partition Assistant Server boasts a Clone Disk function that allows you easily transfer all the data to the new disk. Whether you're a computer novice or tech-savvy, this tool can effectively assist you in completing the task.

Step 1. Connect the new drive to your Server 2012 and make sure it can be recognized. Start the AOMEI Partition Assistant Server, right-click the system disk, and select “Clone Disk”.

Step 2. Select the copy method based on the prompts.

Step 3. Select the connected new drive as the destination disk.

Step 4. You have options to edit partitions on the new drive if you selected “Clone Disk Quickly” before.

Step 5. There is a note that says something about booting up Server 2012 after cloning. Then preview the outcome, and click “Apply”>“Proceed” to commit the pending operation. Wait for the process to be completed.

Step 6. Shut down the Server to change boot priority to the new hard drive in BIOS. Or, you can remove the old hard drive and keep the new drive installed to test if it is bootable.

Note: When cloning a hard drive between MBR and GPT, you must switch the boot mode between Legacy and UEFI/EFI (Legacy for MBR and UEFI/EFI for GPT). Alternatively, you can convert MBR to GPT on Server 2012 before initiating the cloning process.

Ending

In summary, Disk Cleanup Server 2012 is suitable for daily routine maintenance all the more. If you want to effectively free up space and make your PC run faster, relying on professional software like AOMEI Partition Assistant Server is a good choice.

Apart from the mentioned functions, it is also recommended to explore functions like Merge Partitions, OS Migration, App Mover, and more.