PC Maintenance Guide for Developers

Purpose: Keep my dev machine running smoothly without performance issues

Last Updated: October 31, 2025

My Setup: Windows 11, WSL2/Ubuntu, Docker Desktop, Node.js development

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📅 Monthly Checklist (Set calendar reminder for 1st of month!)

Quick Health Check (5 minutes)

• Check disk space: Windows Settings → System → Storage

  • ✅ Goal: Stay under 75% full (< 715 GB / 954 GB)
  • ⚠️ Warning: Over 80% = performance issues
  • 🚨 Critical: Over 90% = system slowdown

• Run Disk Cleanup:

  1. Press Windows key
  2. Type "Disk Cleanup"
  3. Select C: drive
  4. Click "Clean up system files"
  5. Check: Temporary files, Delivery Optimization, Thumbnails, Previous Windows installations
  6. Click OK
  

• Restart if needed: Check Task Manager → Performance → Uptime

  • If uptime > 7 days, restart

• Empty Recycle Bin

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🗓️ Quarterly Checklist (Every 3 months)

Storage Deep Dive

• Clean Downloads folder: C:\Users\mikeb\Downloads

  • Delete or move files to external drive

• Review project folders:

  • Look for old node_modules folders (can be 500MB+ each)
  • Delete from old/abandoned projects
  • Can always npm install again if needed

• Uninstall unused programs:

  • Settings → Apps → Installed apps
  • Sort by size
  • Remove anything you haven't used in 6+ months

Developer-Specific Cleanup

• Docker cleanup (if using Docker):

  docker system prune -a --volumes

  • Removes unused containers, images, and volumes

• WSL/Ubuntu cleanup:

  # Open Ubuntu terminal
  sudo apt autoremove    # Remove unused packages
  sudo apt clean         # Clear package cache
  
  # Check what's using space
  du -h --max-depth=1 ~ | sort -hr | head -20

• Git cleanup (optional):

  # In each project directory
  git gc --aggressive --prune=now

• Clear browser caches (if massive):

  • Chrome: Settings → Privacy → Clear browsing data
  • Edge: Settings → Privacy → Choose what to clear

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🚨 When PC Feels Slow - Troubleshooting

Step 1: Check Task Manager

Press: Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Look for:

• CPU tab: What process is using >50% CPU?
• Memory tab: Is RAM >90% used?
• Disk tab: Is disk at 100% usage?
• Startup tab: Disable unnecessary startup programs

Step 2: Check Disk Space

Settings → System → Storage

• If >80% full, run Disk Cleanup
• If >90% full, find and delete large files immediately

Step 3: Check for Updates

Settings → Windows Update

• Install pending updates
• Restart if required

Step 4: Check VPN

• Temporarily disable VPN
• Test if performance improves
• Some VPNs can slow things down

Step 5: Restart

• Simple but effective
• Clears memory leaks
• Resets system processes

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🔍 Finding Large Files

Method 1: Windows Storage Settings

Settings → System → Storage → Click on C: drive → Show more categories

• Shows breakdown by category
• Can drill down into specific folders

Method 2: File Explorer Search

1. Open File Explorer (Windows + E)
2. Navigate to C:\Users\mikeb\
3. In search box, click "Size" dropdown
4. Select "Gigantic (>128 MB)" or "Huge (16-128 MB)"
5. Sort by size

Method 3: Command Line (for nerds)

# Find largest folders in user directory
Get-ChildItem -Path C:\Users\mikeb -Directory -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | 
  ForEach-Object { 
    $size = (Get-ChildItem $_.FullName -Recurse -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | 
             Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum).Sum
    [PSCustomObject]@{
      Path = $_.FullName
      SizeGB = [math]::Round($size / 1GB, 2)
    }
  } | Sort-Object SizeGB -Descending | Select-Object -First 20

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💾 Space Management Guidelines

Current System Specs

• Total: 954 GB
• Sweet spot: < 715 GB used (75%)
• Warning zone: 760-860 GB (80-90%)
• Danger zone: > 860 GB (90%+)

What Takes Up Space (My Common Culprits)

1. WSL/Ubuntu disk (~135 GB)

   • Docker images/containers
   • Node projects with node_modules
   • Build artifacts

2. Development projects (varies)

   • Each node_modules: 200-800 MB
   • Docker images: 500 MB - 2 GB each
   • Build outputs

3. Crypto mining data (learned this the hard way! 😅)

   • Old mining plots can be 100+ GB
   • Always check before installing mining software

4. Downloads folder (varies)

   • ISOs, installers, zip files pile up

Safe to Delete

• ✅ Temporary files
• ✅ Delivery Optimization files
• ✅ Old Windows installations
• ✅ Downloads folder (after reviewing)
• ✅ node_modules from old projects
• ✅ Docker images/containers not in use
• ✅ Old crypto mining data

DON'T Delete (unless you know what you're doing)

• ❌ System files
• ❌ Program Files folders
• ❌ AppData (unless specific cleanup)
• ❌ Active project files

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🛠️ Useful Commands Reference

Windows PowerShell

# Check disk space
Get-PSDrive C

# Force empty Recycle Bin
Clear-RecycleBin -Force

# Optimize WSL disk (after shutting down WSL)
wsl --shutdown
Optimize-VHD -Path "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\Packages\CanonicalGroupLimited.Ubuntu20.04onWindows_*\LocalState\ext4.vhdx" -Mode Full

Ubuntu/WSL

# Check disk usage
df -h

# Find large directories
du -h --max-depth=1 ~ | sort -hr | head -20

# Clean package manager
sudo apt autoremove
sudo apt clean

# Find and remove old node_modules
find ~ -name "node_modules" -type d -prune

# Remove specific node_modules
rm -rf ./node_modules

Docker

# See all images
docker images

# See all containers
docker ps -a

# Nuclear option - remove everything
docker system prune -a --volumes

# More conservative - remove stopped containers and unused images
docker system prune

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📝 Notes & Lessons Learned

October 31, 2025

• Problem: PC super slow, everything lagging
• Cause: Disk at 93% full (886/954 GB)
• Solution: Found 289 GB of old crypto mining data + cleaned up projects
• Lesson: Check disk space monthly! Performance tanks above 80%

Space hogs I found:

• C:\Users\mikeb\post - 183 GB of crypto mining data
• C:\Users\mikeb\cat-token-box - 106 GB (node_modules + docker stuff)
• Ubuntu WSL - 135 GB (projects + docker)

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🎯 Pro Tips

1. Set a monthly reminder - Add to calendar: "PC Maintenance Day"
2. Before starting new projects - Check disk space first
3. After finishing projects - Delete node_modules if not actively using
4. Keep external drive handy - For archiving old projects
5. Learn to use ncdu - Better disk usage analyzer for Linux

   sudo apt install ncdu
   ncdu ~

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🔗 Useful Links

• Docker Docs - System Prune
• WSL Disk Management

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✅ Quick Reference Card

PC feels slow?

1. Ctrl+Shift+Esc → Check Task Manager
2. Settings → Storage → Check disk space
3. Restart PC
4. Still slow? Check this guide!

Monthly 5-minute routine:

1. Check disk space (< 75%?)
2. Run Disk Cleanup
3. Restart if uptime > 7 days
4. Empty Recycle Bin

Common fixes:

• Slow = Check disk space first!
• High CPU = Check Task Manager → End heavy processes
• Can't install = Probably out of disk space
• WSL slow = Clean up Docker + node_modules

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Last major cleanup: October 31, 2025 Next scheduled: December 1, 2025