Delete Windows 7 temporary files and recover real estate.

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  1. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
       #1

    Delete Windows 7 temporary files and recover real estate.


    Over a period of time, the many applications that are installed and run leave a number of temporary files in the user’s temporary folder. These can also be AutoBackup files, log files, files in mid-creation etc., and unless checked and deleted these may occupy a large chunk of valuable disk space.

    Does deleting all these temporary files really speed up your PC? Have a look at an interesting discussion here .

    Whether or not it speeds up your PC, there is no denying that you will be recovering a lot of valuable real estate. This becomes more relevant if one is using an SSD with limited space.

    Windows Disk Cleanup does not touch the temp folder in the user directory. CCleaner with its default settings also does not touch it unless you specifically include it under the custom folder to clean.

    In this presentation the fairly easy manual cleaning as well as setting up the CCleaner for automatic deletion will be dealt with.

    Manual Cleaning:

    In the Windows Start Menu type run in the Search programs and files field and press ENTER. ( You can also use winlogo+r keys to bring up the run dialog box.)

    Delete Windows 7 temporary files and recover real estate.-1run-enter.jpg

    In the resulting run dialog box type %temp% and press ENTER.

    Delete Windows 7 temporary files and recover real estate.-2temp.jpg

    This will open up the C > Users > Username > AppData > Local > Temp folder where you can see all the files.

    Delete Windows 7 temporary files and recover real estate.-3win7temp.jpg

    Press Ctrl+a ( or Organise > Select all or Edit > Select all ) to select all files, right click and delete all the files. (or press the Delete key.)

    ( I was just playing around with Windows Live Movie Maker, loading it with 76 HD camcorder movie clips but aborted it midway and as you can see the temp folder had nearly devoured 1GB of disk space)

    There may be a few files in use and if so leave them alone and skip.

    Delete Windows 7 temporary files and recover real estate.-4filesinuse.jpg

    After the clean up I only had two files (in use) with 11.4KB.

    Do not forget to empty the Recycle Bin.

    Setting up the CCleaner:

    Before setting up the CCleaner to include the temp folder as the Custom Folder to be cleaned, one has to unhide the hidden folders.

    Control Panel > Folder Options > View > activate the Show hidden files,folders,and drives radio button > Apply > OK. Refresh your computer if need be.

    Delete Windows 7 temporary files and recover real estate.-5viewhidfold.jpg

    Open up the CCleaner, check Custom Files and Folders under Advanced and click on Options.

    Delete Windows 7 temporary files and recover real estate.-6customfolder.jpg

    Click on Include > Add > Browse to the temp folder > OK > select to Include files and subfolders in the Options field > OK

    Delete Windows 7 temporary files and recover real estate.-7include.jpg

    Delete Windows 7 temporary files and recover real estate.-8addfolder.jpg

    You can now run CCleaner and it will automatically delete all the temp files in the user folder.

    Keep your PC clean.:)
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 687
    Microsoft Windows 10 Professional / Windows 7 Professional
       #2

    CCleaner deletes temp files by default, You can see System / Temporary Files is already checked.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 293
    win 7 home premium 64 bit
       #3

    I have another question, is it safe to delete the "set up files" that are months old now? There are 355 MB worth and it does not appear they have been accessed in over 7 months. They are MS Win 7 files.

    If I delete these will this have any impact if I ever need to use sys restore or repair?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 22
    Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit
       #4

    OldMX said:
    CCleaner deletes temp files by default, You can see System / Temporary Files is already checked.
    me,too! I use ccleaner, it is safe to use the ccleaner. If you delete all tmp files. Something wrong might happen.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    OldMX said:
    CCleaner deletes temp files by default, You can see System / Temporary Files is already checked.
    What CCleaner cleans are the temporary files in C > Windows > Temp.

    As I had stated it does not touch C > Windows > Users > Username > AppData > Local > Temp, unless you add it as a custom folder to clean.

    This is what CCleaner cleans with System > Temporary files checked (default)

    Delete Windows 7 temporary files and recover real estate.-1cc-temp.jpg

    And this is what CCleaner cleans after including the custom folder.

    Delete Windows 7 temporary files and recover real estate.-2cc-custom.jpg


    Jeriff said:
    OldMX said:
    CCleaner deletes temp files by default, You can see System / Temporary Files is already checked.
    me,too! I use ccleaner, it is safe to use the ccleaner. If you delete all tmp files. Something wrong might happen.
    Your fears are unfounded. :)

    Just one little project with Windows Live Movie Maker and I had more than 1GB of .wmv files in it. Even after completing the project these remained. 10 such projects and my C drive will be full.:) What am I to do with those .wmv files?

    Well temp files are that - temporary files. One can safely delete them. The files in use will not be deleted.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 3,612
    Operating System : Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 6.01.7600 SP1 (x64)
       #6

    Attachment 183444


    1. win key + R
    2. type %temp%
    3. click run
    4. select all to delete
    5. empty recycle bin
    Last edited by brianzion; 26 Feb 2013 at 07:51. Reason: update with youtube video
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Continued:
    5. Empty the Recycle Bin.

    Hi brianzion, good attempt there. Nice visual background but not so nice - the news in the background. And you made it in a hurry and just now. Cheers.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 3,612
    Operating System : Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 6.01.7600 SP1 (x64)
       #8

    jumanji said:
    Continued:
    5. Empty the Recycle Bin.

    Hi brianzion, good attempt there. Nice visual background but not so nice - the news in the background. And you made it in a hurry and just now. Cheers.
    thanks updated :)
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 7,055
    Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
    Thread Starter
       #9

    legacy7955 said:
    I have another question, is it safe to delete the "set up files" that are months old now? There are 355 MB worth and it does not appear they have been accessed in over 7 months. They are MS Win 7 files.

    If I delete these will this have any impact if I ever need to use sys restore or repair?
    If you are talking of Windows setup log files, I can't think of anything else other than the C > Windows > Panther folder. It is only 852KB and I shall leave it alone.
    Windows Setup Log Files

    If you mean the Service Pack Backup files, yes , you can safely delete that if you do not intend to go back to the pre-SP1 age :).

    For that you can use the Disk Cleanup and in the second Cleanup window, click on Cleanup System files. You can view the Service Pack Backup Files among others which you can delete.

    Delete Windows 7 temporary files and recover real estate.-1clean-system.jpg

    Delete Windows 7 temporary files and recover real estate.-2clspbup.jpg

    Anything other than this ...... I do not know. :)
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 687
    Microsoft Windows 10 Professional / Windows 7 Professional
       #10

    Seems your ccleaner is messed up, take a look at my screenshot, it really deletes my user profile temporary files.

    Uploaded with ImageShack.us
      My Computer


 
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