[1] Each operating system (OS) has its own basic disk utility, and there are also separate programs which can recognize and adjust the different filesystems of multiple OSes.
The compression/expansion process adds a small amount of overhead to disk access and may complicate error recovery on the affected volume.
Disk compression fell into disuse by the late 1990s, as advances in hard drive technology and manufacturing led to increased capacities and lower prices.
This is not to be confused with a disk cleaner, which can find files that are unnecessary for computer operation, or take up considerable amounts of space.
Most of these applications analyze this information to generate a graphical chart showing disk usage distribution according to folders or other user defined criteria.