Those pesky temp files

[RogerR]

What are we supposed to do with temp files?

With compelling names like a81df204-8d65-4a94-8ebb-145b3c68a909, one is never quite sure what it is, or what will happen if it is deleted. They pile up in drifts like winter snowbanks but no spring sunshine ever seems to melt them away.

OTOH, if they have no value at all, why does the system natively hoard them?

 

[richc46]

What are we supposed to do with temp files?

With compelling names like a81df204-8d65-4a94-8ebb-145b3c68a909, one is never quite sure what it is, or what will happen if it is deleted. They pile up in drifts like winter snowbanks but no spring sunshine ever seems to melt them away.

OTOH, if they have no value at all, why does the system natively hoard them?

Do a disc cleanup. The system will remove anything that is not needed. Go to C drive than properties.

 

[RogerR]

I do that from time to time when I have nothing but time on my hands.

However case in point: C:\Windows\Temp has 13MB in 81 folders and 60 files, yet disk cleanup offers only to remove 1.8MB of files and even that is not by default, since the Temporary files checkbox must be manually toggled.

This further enhances the perception that a lot of these files are useful or necessary. And this is an installation that is only a month old. Imagine what it might look like for an average user after a year or two.

 

[richc46]

I do that from time to time when I have nothing but time on my hands.

However case in point: C:\Windows\Temp has 13MB in 81 folders and 60 files, yet disk cleanup offers only to remove 1.8MB of files and even that is not by default, since the Temporary files checkbox must be manually toggled.

This further enhances the perception that a lot of these files are useful or necessary. And this is an installation that is only a month old. Imagine what it might look like for an average user after a year or two.

Do you clikc on clean up system files, also. It is on bottom left.

 

[SlackerITGuy]

CCleaner - Home

=)

 

[TGSoldier]

CCleaner - Home

=)

+1

 

[richc46]

CCleaner - Home

=)

+1

Me bad, I must go with CC Cleaner, too.

 

[RogerR]

I know I can (and do) delete files in this way - but its still angst-inducing for typical users to root out temp files on various drives.

Most (all?) of these files have a fairly short useful half-life. Can't the Temp folder be auto-programmed to self-purge files after a certain age?

 

[seekermeister]

It is not a function of Windows to delete/purge temp files, these are created when installing a program or update, and they should have been deleted by the installer. I often go through the temp folders and delete everything that I can, but I have had instances in which I wasn't able to with certain files, because they were apparently still being used, even after the installation was complete. I really don't think that there is a way to avoid collecting these, because there are too many programs poorly written, and don't clean up after themselves.

EDIT: I remember that there was a method of using del/deltree commands automatically on boot to empty these folders, but I can't remember exactly how that was done, or if it would work on W7 in the same fashion.

 

[Dom]

i am a vista user, so i'm not certain if there is a way in W7 that can hide files and folders. can someone clarify this?

 

[seekermeister]

i am a vista user, so i'm not certain if there is a way in W7 that can hide files and folders. can someone clarify this?

You could change the attributes in Properties to enable "hidden", but they would still be there, even if unseen. Of course, that would only work if you had hidden files not to show in folder properties.

 

[Dom]

i am a vista user, so i'm not certain if there is a way in W7 that can hide files and folders. can someone clarify this?

You could change the attributes in Properties to enable "hidden", but they would still be there, even if unseen. Of course, that would only work if you had hidden files not to show in folder properties.

yes, but then it wouldn't look so cluttered when you open the location of the temp files.
not sure if he wants to not see the files or have a way to stop windows keeping it in view to the user?

 

[rbmorse]

CCleaner - Home

=)

+1

Me bad, I must go with CC Cleaner, too.

Me too. Accept no substitutes.