• Temporary Files

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    WSfitzalan
    AskWoody Lounger
    November 20, 2001 at 6:56 pm #363138

    The other day, after approx 2 hours on the internet , I was looking for a downloaded file and did a search for files accessed in the previous day and was shocked to find hundreds of files created during the online session. What is the best way to monitor and delete unwanted files?
    I tried guesswork deleting and it resulted in a changed home page and I really do not want any deletions to result in a crash.
    fitzalan hairoutAustralia

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    • WSJerryC
      AskWoody Lounger
      November 20, 2001 at 7:56 pm #553356

      you can delete files from your browser
      which browser are you using
      in netscape 6.1 go to edit – preferences – advanced – cache
      here you can delete files from memory or from the hard drive

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    • WSGranville
      AskWoody Lounger
      November 21, 2001 at 7:20 am #553468

      Or to clean Windows temp files at the same time, double click “My Computer”, right click your harddisk (Csmile, select properties and you will see a button “Disk Cleanup…” towards the bottom right. You can pick and choose the options you want.

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      • WSjimbo h
        AskWoody Lounger
        November 21, 2001 at 1:10 pm #553546

        I tried that it told me there was 7.9MB in the temp files folder.
        I ticked the box to delete the contents.
        If i look in windows explorer and look at c:windowstemp and then right click, properties, it tells me there is 177MB !!!!!
        There are loads of folders and files in there.
        Is it safe to delete these ??????

        regards
        JIM

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        • WSchrisgreaves
          AskWoody Lounger
          November 21, 2001 at 2:24 pm #553557

          I use a batch file delTrans.bat and you can find it here.

          I determined what directory Netscapr uses for cache, then used that name as part of my regular (each morning) deletion of transient files immediately following my regular (daily) backup procedure.

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          • WSjimbo h
            AskWoody Lounger
            November 21, 2001 at 3:58 pm #553576

            I don’t have a problem with deleting the IE cache files, it’s the temp folder in windows itself.

            Am I safe to delete the contents of this folder?
            It contains a wide variety of files including text files generated during installations of diff programs.

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            • WSMerC
              AskWoody Lounger
              November 21, 2001 at 6:36 pm #553607

              Hi
              Temporary Internet Files and the Temp file are not related (except that you might find them sitting next to each other). Unused files in the Temp. folder are litter. Delete ’em. If there is a file in there in current use, Windows won’t let you remove it, so you’re safe. Any file elsewere on your hard disk with the extension .tmp, .temp, .~mp and such like – litter also.
              If you want to make a convenient task-bar button that will empty this folder in a single click, pop over to my site, press the Index button and find the instructions in the ‘Autoclean Temp Files PDF or DOC.

              Rgds

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            • WSfitzalan
              AskWoody Lounger
              November 21, 2001 at 6:56 pm #553609

              Hello all,
              I used My Computer and Disk Cleanup. Its quite neat. Never realised it was there. I will try the other suggestions next time.
              Fitzalan

              Australia doh[

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            • WSchrisgreaves
              AskWoody Lounger
              November 22, 2001 at 12:39 am #553659

              > it’s the temp folder in windows itself. Am I safe to delete the contents of this folder?

              Go for it.

              If in doubt, delete it immediately after your daily backup. You do do a daily backup, don’t you? A backup? It’s what happens to me when they don’t and they expect me to recover their files.

              AFAIK any directory described by a DOS environment variable of the form TMP or TEMP points to files that are up for grabs.

              Deleting your WindowsTemp while Windows is running might cause it to burp, but oughn’t to cause it to crash. I think my DelTrans batch file deletes every TEMP directory I’ve ever discovered, and I run the job in a DOS window.

              >”You use computers don’t you ?”

              I use stereo systems too. Right now my 17″ monitor is raised on a stereo tuner, I needed more height. Doesn’t seem to affect reception or transmissioon at all, not eben withb the computer truned ok.

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            • WSjimbo h
              AskWoody Lounger
              November 22, 2001 at 8:57 am #553722

              >”You use computers don’t you ?”

              is part of my signature

              nuff said

              Jim

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            • WSd_rasley
              AskWoody Lounger
              November 26, 2001 at 12:30 am #554026

              I’ve done a little tweaking in my Autoexec.bat that may be useful too. Lovely little DOS command named DELTREE. grin Two little lines go a long way to keep things cleaned up automatically:[indent]

              DELTREE /Y C:WindowsTemp > NUL
              MD C:WindowsTemp

              [/indent]With every reboot the trash is automagically dumped. The ‘/Y’ tells DELTREE to run without prompting, and the ‘> NUL’ (note – only one ‘L’, not two) runs it nice and quiet, but also can be omitted if desired.

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            • DaveA
              AskWoody_MVP
              November 26, 2001 at 3:09 am #554044

              BUT, if you have installed some new software that requires a reboot, this deleting of the temp files may mess up the install, because it will delete the files needed when rebooting.
              Also with Windows Nt, 2K and XP the temp files are stored in each users folder under “Settings and Documents”, so this tip will not work for these OS’s.

              DaveA I am so far behind, I think I am First
              Genealogy....confusing the dead and annoying the living

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    • WSDreamboat
      AskWoody Lounger
      November 21, 2001 at 12:46 pm #553535

      If it’s internet explorer, I have complete instructions at:

      http://www.piersontech.com/07-CleanHardDrive.htm

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