Find and Get Rid of Old Files with an Advanced Explorer Search
It’s easy to visualize your hard drive usage by file size to get rid of big files you don’t need, but if you just want to hunt down the files you haven’t used in ages, this quick search query can help.
Whether you’ve installed Windows Search in XP or you’re using the built-in search tools in Vista or Windows 7, Explorer’s search capabilities are better than they’ve ever been. Tech tips weblog AddictiveTips highlights how to use the datemodified search operator in Windows Explorer searches.
You can do a date modified search with a few simple clicks, but if you want to find files older than a specific date, just add a < (less than) sign in front of the date you choose. It's a simple but effective search technique that can help you find files you haven't used for quite some time and that you might be able to get rid of to free up a little space.
Got a favorite Explorer search trick you like to use? Tell us about it in the comments.
