Here's how: When you insert a blank disc into the PC, choose Like a USB flash drive from the list of options.Ĭloud storage using OneDrive. If your PC has a CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc drive that can read and write to a blank disc, you can use the drive to store data, much like an SD or USB flash drive. Check with your PC manufacturer to understand which USB ports your PC supports.ĭVDs and CDs. While you can use a USB 2.0 flash drive in a USB 3.0 port (at USB transfer speeds), you can't use a USB 3.0 flash drive with a USB 2.0 port.

Some newer PCs include a USB 3.0 port, which includes faster transfer speeds of up to 10 times USB 2.0.

Most PCs include one or more USB ports that you can plug a USB flash or external drives into. On Surface Pro, the card reader is located on the right edge, above the power connection. On Surface RT, the microSD card reader is located under the kickstand on the right side. Tip: If you're using Surface, you can add up to 64 GB of storage with a microSD card. If you need to free more space (the drive is still marked red), go to the next tip. Go back to Computer in File Explorer, select the drive you cleaned up, and then select Refresh. In the message that appears, select Delete files. To remove data from a previous installation of Windows, select the Previous Windows installation(s) check box. In the Disk Cleanup dialog box, on the Disk Cleanup tab, select the check boxes for the file types that you want to delete, and then select OK.

In the Disk Cleanup dialog box in the Description section, select Clean up system files. If prompted, select the drive that you want to clean up, and then select OK. In the search box, type Disk Cleanup, and then, in the list of results, select Disk Cleanup. Open Disk Cleanup by clicking the Start button. One of the easiest ways to clean up files you no longer need is by using Disk Cleanup. Cleaning out your PC on a regular basis frees up drive space and helps it run better.

How to free up space on startup disk