credit card numbers, social security numbers, data governed by FERPA) stored on your C: drive increases the risk that it will fall into the wrong hands.

See the Cleaning Up Your C: Drive To-do List: section below for backup recommendations.Īlso, keeping sensitive data (e.g.

Keeping this in mind, backing up important files from your C: drive is a critical step in ensuring the security of your data. All hard drives will inevitably fail, it’s just a matter of when. Relying on the C: drive for long-term storage is risky. The C: drive is best utilized as a temporary storage location for files you’re currently working on. Microsoft Office, Adobe, Mozilla Firefox) and files you download from the internet. The C: drive, also known as your computer’s hard drive, has the important job of storing your computer’s operating system (Windows, Mac OS, Linux, etc.), as well as applications you use (e.g. If you haven’t already, please review the Top 11 Tips for Cleaning-Up Your Files: Purpose of your Hard Drive (C: drive) If you have any questions about cleaning up your hard drive, contact the Help Desk ( or x7440). Please review the following in full before beginning to clean up your hard drive (C: drive).