- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 98
- Date added: March 08, 2007
- Total Downloads: 238,159
- Downloads last week: 2,500
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 136 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
Identify how much disk space you're using with WinDirStat. Based on the Linux application KDirStat, this great piece of freeware offers you an informative visual display of your hard-drive usage. It can also analyze your local devices. Depending on the size of your disk, the initial WinDirStat scan may take quite a while, so be prepared to go grab a cup of coffee for 5 to 10 minutes.
When you return, you'll see all of your files (for the drive or directory you decided to scan) displayed in a rainbow of colors. WinDirStat assigns colors to each file type, such as MP3, ZIP, EXE, JPG, and so on. By default, the files that take up the most space are colored blue, the second heftiest are red, and the third largest green. After the first 10 color-labeled file types, the rest appear in gray--but you can change these settings and colors through the Options menu.
Once you've identified where your disk space has gone, you can then more easily decide where you can save space. WinDirStat is loaded with features for managing your files, such as the ability to automatically delete files without even bothering with the Recycle Bin. It's one of those tools that you didn't know you needed until you started using it, but once installed, it's hard to imagine life without it.
Publisher's description
From Bernhard Seifert :WinDirStat is a disk usage statistics viewer and cleanup tool for Microsoft Windows (all current variants). WinDirStat reads the whole directory tree once and then presents it in three useful views: the directory list, which resembles the tree view of the Windows Explorer but is sorted by file/subtree size; the treemap, which shows the whole contents of the directory tree straight away; and the extension list, which serves as a legend and shows statistics about the file types.
More popular File Management downloads
- 41,560 downloads 1. Easeus Partition Master Home Edition
- 11,214 downloads 2. GoodSync
- 7,903 downloads 3. CompuApps SwissKnife V3
- 7,722 downloads 4. HJ-Split
- 7,570 downloads 5. Unlocker
- See all File Management downloads
User reviews
- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 136 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
-
Showing 5 of 126 user reviewsSee all 126 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
12 out of 16 people found this review helpful
Version: WinDirStat 1.1.2
"you like colors? you'll love this..."
Pros: every little itzy, bitzy, piece of stuff in your pc is in the finished scan as a colored blob and on the side the percentage of each piece. you can even delete a piece of something you don't want anymore in your system from this board too!
Cons: you know what? my advanced windows care finds the stuff i shouldn't have in my system without all the colors in the world in front of me...again, as i said at the top: you like colors? you'll love this!
-
2 out of 13 people found this review helpful
Version: WinDirStat 1.1.2
Pros: none
Cons: If you like colors that are useless go for this otherwise for a useful tool look elsewhere.
-
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Version: WinDirStat 1.1.2
"BEST DISK ANALYZER ON THE INTERNET"
Pros: This is amazing software! It is ultra fast and does a whole lot more than just look colorful. You can see exactly what is taking up what on your hard drive. It is like looking a a picture of your hard drive! Another amazing thing is that you can click on an individual little square and see exactly what file it represents! Even if you don't care the slightest about what is on your hard drive, at the very least it is fun to look at! Oh, and i almost forgot, it's FREE!!
Cons: Only an idiot would put something in this area.
-
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
Version: WinDirStat 1.1.2
Pros: I had to find out where over 50G of drive space went to so I found this little bugger and found it in seconds, after the initial scan of course. Seems to work just fine, does what it's supposed to. It may look a little cheesy, but it's a very intuitive visual of your hard drive.
-
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful
Version: WinDirStat 1.1.2
Pros: Colorful, yes!
I give WinDirStat five stars because it does all that it claims to do, and quite well, too. Will I keep it on my system? I haven't decided yet.
Many people have different learning styles. For those who are extremely visually-oriented, this program will no doubt be invaluable. For others, it offers a great Windows Explorer-like feel.
It's both lightweight, a reasonably small download size, and free. It offers a help file, too. Deletions you make can be put in the recycle bin, or optionally, permanently and irreversibly deleted, so choose wisely!
The color-coded 'legend' is both easy to use and easy to understand. The program actually displays a whole lot of information, and can be extremely useful. I've had a whole lot of fun getting to know it.
Cons: The help file lacks a certain 'something', clarity-wise. There are other, similar programs available that I believe to be just as effective.
The colors actually distract me, personally, but I know of some people with visual preferences who would benefit greatly from this program. It has its' merits (good ones, too), but to each his or her own (style).
- See all 126 user reviews Write review
Submit your review
- See more CNET content tagged:
- Microsoft Windows,
- hard drive
