Temp Folder(s) Issue

[writeaway]

Not sure if I am posting in the right place but this is not an issue specific to CCleaner.

 

1) In my Temp Folder (C:\Documents and Setting\Owner\Local Settings\Temp) there is 11.8 MB of files and folders. CCleaner does not clean the *.tmp files when asked to but neither does Glary Utilities. Strange?? SO in order to lighten the load, I have to manually remove them. I am very cautious about what I delete and limit myself to the files with .tmp extensions. HOWEVER, I am then left with tons of .dat, .idx, .xml, and html files.

 

Can I safely delete any of these?

 

2) Also in my Temp Folder are no less than 16 Folders called Temporary Directory 1 (or 2 or 3) for nameoftheprogram.zip. Inside the folders are a variety of files. Some are .txt files, some are .ico files some are .pdf files, then there are setup.exe files. I also have other Folders that have names that do not start w/Temporary Directory but have names like nsl172.tmp. Inside these folders are also a variety of files, .dlls, .bmp, .ini, etc., etc. (I won't even go into the ones with the long cryptic names.)

 

Is this normal? Can I delete any of them? I download lots of shareware (OK, I'm a junkie) and most of the folders I can identify as belonging to those programs, but I download to a file called "Downloads" (original, huh?) and keep the setup files there - so I don't see why I can't delete the folders in the temp directory. What do you think?

 

Thanks

[YoKenny]

In CCleaner click Options then Advanced then select Show detailed log of Internet Explorer temporary files that gets rid of a few more TIF files and the Mozilla/Firefox item as well if you use them.

 

Some files can not be cleaned as they are in use by Windows and are marked for cleanup upon a reboot.

 

I usually have 3 .tmp files left in my Temp Folder after a CCleaner run that Windows has in use so can not be cleaned.

[Humpty]

Also under Options then Advanced there is a setting to only delete windows temp folder files older than 2 days?

[davey]

Not sure if I am posting in the right place but this is not an issue specific to CCleaner.

Thanks

 

 

Also under Options then Advanced there is a setting to only delete windows temp folder files older than 2 days?

As Humpty says untick this option and don't even look in that folder because sometimes just looking updates some date most probably in the Directory and the files stay in there.

Watch your Analysis listing and you should see these files tumble out today, tomorrow, whenever. Just don't go near those folders or Directories or folders and they will tumble out. Member AlanB has also noticed this.

If you then want to keep more junk in there turn the option back on and they will build up again.

Remember don't look or they won't come out.

Gare Ron Teed !

davey

P.S. Why you wanna be a "shareware guinnea pig" anyway? Well, it's OK by me. You better have good back-ups and such or we are going to "shove" some good, free backup software into your Temp files. Ya heah me ?

As regards those "temp" files and Directories, I think I have tracked it down to some sort of "Quantum Physics" thing.

[Corona]

I hate the fact that if you call up properties on a file, Last Accessed....Today. Well DUH. How about a Last Accessed Before Today option, you friggin piece of MS (explodes).

[writeaway]

OK. Thanks guys - lots of answers. I have trouble w/the quote thingy so I will answer you this way.

 

To YoKenny: Hey, I use Firefox. Is that my problem? I have oodles and oodles of temp files. I only clean them out (manually) about 1x/mo. - after trying both cleaners.

 

To Humpty: When I first discovered the 100s of tmp files on my system, they were months, even years old. I don't have that option ticked anyway.

 

To davey: The analysis listing tells me there are no tmp files. As for the shareware, I try, I try, but I have not yet been restored to sanity. I was glad to learn the "temp" files and Directories are only a "Quantum Physics" thing. I'm sure I will be able to handle that. It's the little things that trip me up.

 

To Corona: Amen to that! I am always on the look out for some "Shareware" (hear that davey?) that will show me NOT the modified date, NOT the last accessed date (for the reason you described), NOT when it was created (though that comes in handy sometimes) but WHEN DID I LAST OPEN IT, MAKE A CHANGE TO IT AND SAVE IT? That's all I want to know but MS either isn't quite up to it or doesn't care what I want - Can you imagine that?

[YoKenny]

Firefox is over rated and from what I have read FF3 is the next bloatmobile.

 

I'll stick to IE with IE7Pro and its available User scripts and Plugins and the occasional use of Google Chrome on my real old PIII.

 

Have a read here and notice the file's Properties:

Speed Up Disk Access by Disabling Last Access Updating in Windows XP

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows/spe...g-in-windows-xp

 

Maybe its interpretation time and try to explain what Corona it trying to say so in the file's Properties:

WHEN DID I LAST OPEN IT = Accessed

MAKE A CHANGE TO IT AND SAVE IT? = Modified

 

Lets have a Quiz now>

 

What is Accessed time?

What is Modified time?

For additional points what is Created time?

For a whole lot more points what does Advanced permit you to do?

[Corona]

Alright, here's maybe a better option.....Last Run.

 

"Looking at it" counts as Accessing it. That's not what I'm interested in. Nobody is. Why is that even an option if the moment you look at any items' Properties it counts as the last time you accessed it? Not a good feature. Pointless.

[writeaway]

Firefox is over rated and from what I have read FF3 is the next bloatmobile.

 

I'll stick to IE with IE7Pro and its available User scripts and Plugins and the occasional use of Google Chrome on my real old PIII.

 

Have a read here and notice the file's Properties:

Speed Up Disk Access by Disabling Last Access Updating in Windows XP

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows/spe...g-in-windows-xp

 

Maybe its interpretation time and try to explain what Corona it trying to say so in the file's Properties:

WHEN DID I LAST OPEN IT = Accessed

MAKE A CHANGE TO IT AND SAVE IT? = Modified

 

Lets have a Quiz now>

 

What is Accessed time?

What is Modified time?

For additional points what is Created time?

For a whole lot more points what does Advanced permit you to do?

 

I don't know if Firefox is over rated or not. I like it because it's faster on my system than IE was and I like the add-ons. I am, however, sticking with my 2.0.0.16 version.

 

Thanks for the "HowTo" page tip!

 

As for the interpretation: Every file on my computer shows has TODAY'S date in the Accessed column. I promise you I have not opened but a few of them. If I move a file to another folder it also changes the modified date. You'd think that wouldn't matter much but I keep several similar documents and when I have occasion to move them, I lose track of which version I was last using (date created doesn't help) and finding out is a pain in the, uh, neck.

 

OK, I give up, what does Advanced permit me to do? Is it something I want to do? Where do I find it? I could use the points!

[davey]

Every file on my computer shows has TODAY'S date in the Accessed column. I promise you I have not opened but a few of them. If I move a file to another folder it also changes the modified date. You'd think that wouldn't matter much but I keep several similar documents and when I have occasion to move them, I lose track of which version I was last using (date created doesn't help) and finding out is a pain in the, uh, neck.

Writeaway,

What security programs are you running in the background or at the beginning of the day. Some of these change the date or they used to do that. Actually , I thought most had been changed but you may have an older version or something. Many scanning programs were dong this.

davey

P.S. Do you use Indexing? I am not sure if this changes the date last accessed or not.

[writeaway]

Writeaway,

What security programs are you running in the background or at the beginning of the day. Some of these change the date or they used to do that. Actually , I thought most had been changed but you may have an older version or something. Many scanning programs were dong this.

davey

P.S. Do you use Indexing? I am not sure if this changes the date last accessed or not.

 

I only just realized this was an issue and I don't know when it began. I know that at one time the Date Accessed was (almost) always the same as Date Modified so I removed it from the Explorer display and only looked at it yesterday. I don't have security applications running in the background - I don't think: Here is my list of security apps:

 

AVG Anti-Virus version 7.5.524 - It runs once a day.

AVG Anti-Spyware - Run manually every other day (usually).

Ad-Aware - Run only rarely.

SUPERAntiSpyware - Run manually every other day (usually).

SpywareBlaster

 

That's it. I use a backup program that runs in the background but it doesn't access every file on my system every day.

 

Please don't laugh but I don't THINK I use indexing. That's kind of like YoKenny's question, "For a whole lot more points what does Advanced permit you to do?"

 

I opened Total Uninstall to see if I've installed anything in the last couple of months that might be the guilty party but I don't see anything. Is there a way to change the way that particular date is reported? Maybe I changed something myself that causes it to show Current Date?

 

I guess this is taking us far from the TEMP file problem. Maybe I should post this in a separate thread -- or just live with it.

 

Thanks for answering.

[davey]

Please don't laugh but I don't THINK I use indexing. That's kind of like YoKenny's question, "For a whole lot more points what does Advanced permit you to do?"

 

I opened Total Uninstall to see if I've installed anything in the last couple of months that might be the guilty party but I don't see anything. Is there a way to change the way that particular date is reported? Maybe I changed something myself that causes it to show Current Date?

 

I guess this is taking us far from the TEMP file problem. Maybe I should post this in a separate thread -- or just live with it.

 

Thanks for answering.

Learning is no laughing matter. It can be FUN though !

Anyhow, I don't think Indexing has anything to do with it but for the learning and testing let us try this.

Start > r-click on My Computer > Manage. Welcome to the Computer Management screen. It is very handy and easy to get to. In the left panel Expand Services and Applications. Wow! look at that info on the right. You can explore there later. Anyhow the whole idea was to show how to get where you can find Services and Indexing info quickly.

You can just as well get to Services by Start > All programs > Administrative tools > Services You will also note Computer Management in the same menu. As many Windows evolved so did ways to get around in it.

 

SERVICES Go down the list of services and you will come to Indexing Service . Double click and it will expand. Now you can tell if it is Started , Stopped, Disabled, Manual or Automatic. I leave mine on Manual and Stopped. It only runs when I start it. Either here or when I use the "search" button and specifically turn it on.

What is your setting ? Anyhow for testing purposes let us set it to Manual and stopped.

Now wait a couple of days and check those dates as you go. Oops ! Stay away from those TEMP folders and file though.

 

I am presuming that you have all the latest versions of Security stuff anyhow.

 

What is this background Backup program ?

 

This is not taking time from the Temp problem. It is all related.

YoKenny's puzzle can be answered by looking at the Properties of any folder or file. You will find it!

 

Talk to you again,

davey

P.S. This whole TEMP file thing happens to be your thread. WE are in it, doing it, living it right now. I think that it is great and a great time to do it. I am learning from it.

BTW, any Temp files start to show in your Cleaner Analysis listing ?

Edited September 16, 2008 by davey

[Andavari]

Have a read here and notice the file's Properties:

Speed Up Disk Access by Disabling Last Access Updating in Windows XP

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows/spe...g-in-windows-xp

 

The negative side-effect of doing that "tweak" is it degrades the functionality of some smart disk defragmenting software that use the Last Access information for logically placing files on the disk during defragmentation, i.e.; the most used files get placed near the beginning of the disk after boot files (if the defrag program respects layout.ini) while those that are rarely used get placed at the end.

[writeaway]

Learning is no laughing matter. It can be FUN though !

Anyhow, I don't think Indexing has anything to do with it but for the learning and testing let us try this.

Start > r-click on My Computer > Manage. Welcome to the Computer Management screen. It is very handy and easy to get to. In the left panel Expand Services and Applications. Wow! look at that info on the right. You can explore there later. Anyhow the whole idea was to show how to get where you can find Services and Indexing info quickly.

You can just as well get to Services by Start > All programs > Administrative tools > Services You will also note Computer Management in the same menu. As many Windows evolved so did ways to get around in it.

 

SERVICES Go down the list of services and you will come to Indexing Service . Double click and it will expand. Now you can tell if it is Started , Stopped, Disabled, Manual or Automatic. I leave mine on Manual and Stopped. It only runs when I start it. Either here or when I use the "search" button and specifically turn it on.

What is your setting ? Anyhow for testing purposes let us set it to Manual and stopped.

Now wait a couple of days and check those dates as you go. Oops ! Stay away from those TEMP folders and file though.

 

I am presuming that you have all the latest versions of Security stuff anyhow.

 

What is this background Backup program ?

 

This is not taking time from the Temp problem. It is all related.

YoKenny's puzzle can be answered by looking at the Properties of any folder or file. You will find it!

 

Talk to you again,

davey

P.S. This whole TEMP file thing happens to be your thread. WE are in it, doing it, living it right now. I think that it is great and a great time to do it. I am learning from it.

BTW, any Temp files start to show in your Cleaner Analysis listing ?

Sorry - small financial crisis followed by small family crisis took me away for a couple of days - but nothing can keep me off the computer for long.

 

I know indexing (sort of) after all, I just get to it a different way. Indexing is set to Manual. The Status column is blank. On my system the Status always shows either "Started" or it shows nothing. The back up application is Second Copy. It is set up to copy specific files throughout the day. I did notice that Macrium Reflect Image Mounting Service is set to Automatic and Started.

 

Before answering your post, I opened Windows Explorer to check Accessed dates once more. In My Documents, all the folders show today's date and all the files have yesterday's date. I checked the back up program to see when the files in My Documents would have been copied last and that would have been yesterday at 7:00 p.m. but the Date Accessed is yesterday at 9:02 a.m. and other files in the system show the same date but with times shortly after 9:00 a.m. which leads me to believe that AVG is changing the dates when it scans. It is set to scan every a.m. at 9:00. Did we solve the mystery? I also ran CCleaner to check for temp files. It finds no temp files. Running Glary gets me a short list. Looking in C:\Documents and settings\Owner\LocalSettings\Temp, I see 12.6MB of stuff (for lack of a better word), .dat files, QuickFinder Information Files, and, of course, .tmp files. Also there are all the mysterious (to me) folders. Ooops! You told me to stay away from the temp files.

 

I checked out the information on the site that Andavari provided. Interesting, but I know I didn't add a DWORD value to regedit and I am unlikely to do so. Well, not today anyway.

 

Thanks for your help.

[davey]

Sorry - small financial crisis followed by small family crisis took me away for a couple of days - but nothing can keep me off the computer for long.

 

I know indexing (sort of) after all, I just get to it a different way. Indexing is set to Manual. The Status column is blank. On my system the Status always shows either "Started" or it shows nothing. The back up application is Second Copy. It is set up to copy specific files throughout the day. I did notice that Macrium Reflect Image Mounting Service is set to Automatic and Started.

 

Before answering your post, I opened Windows Explorer to check Accessed dates once more. In My Documents, all the folders show today's date and all the files have yesterday's date. I checked the back up program to see when the files in My Documents would have been copied last and that would have been yesterday at 7:00 p.m. but the Date Accessed is yesterday at 9:02 a.m. and other files in the system show the same date but with times shortly after 9:00 a.m. which leads me to believe that AVG is changing the dates when it scans. It is set to scan every a.m. at 9:00. Did we solve the mystery? I also ran CCleaner to check for temp files. It finds no temp files. Running Glary gets me a short list. Looking in C:\Documents and settings\Owner\LocalSettings\Temp, I see 12.6MB of stuff (for lack of a better word), .dat files, QuickFinder Information Files, and, of course, .tmp files. Also there are all the mysterious (to me) folders. Ooops! You told me to stay away from the temp files.

 

I checked out the information on the site that Andavari provided. Interesting, but I know I didn't add a DWORD value to regedit and I am unlikely to do so. Well, not today anyway.

 

Thanks for your help.

Well, you have found some interesting information. Very interesting and informative !!!

Now, historically speaking in my experience some users just have a hard time getting CCleaner to start cleaning that \Temp . Make sure that your User environment variables are set correctly.

They both(Temp and TMP) should have the following when you "Edit" them. "%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temp" without the quotes.

If all is as it should be then I would copy the whole Folder and then Delete everything in it.

After doing this most users have no further problems that I am aware of.

 

Fill us in when you can.

Thanks and Good luck,

davey

[writeaway]

Well, you have found some interesting information. Very interesting and informative !!!

Now, historically speaking in my experience some users just have a hard time getting CCleaner to start cleaning that \Temp . Make sure that your User environment variables are set correctly.

They both(Temp and TMP) should have the following when you "Edit" them. "%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temp" without the quotes.

If all is as it should be then I would copy the whole Folder and then Delete everything in it.

After doing this most users have no further problems that I am aware of.

 

Fill us in when you can.

Thanks and Good luck,

davey

 

I am very unsure here of what is needed. "Edit" them? I went to SystemProperties > Environment Variables. The box at the top, User variables for Owner shows this:

TEMP C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp

TMP C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp

 

Is that what I was to "Edit" or check? Looking in Windows Explorer the Temp and Tmp folders are exactly where you stated. Do you agree that everything is as it should be, then?

 

I don't understand "copy the whole Folder and then Delete everything in it." The Temp folder? Copy it why? Copy it to where? Name the copy something else? Scariest of all is the idea of deleting it. There are 308 objects there. It is full of folders - with stuff in them, Temporary Directories for programs I've downloaded, .dlls, .exes. Is that really what you mean I should do? Delete it?

[davey]

I am very unsure here of what is needed. "Edit" them? I went to SystemProperties > Environment Variables. The box at the top, User variables for Owner shows this:

TEMP C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp

TMP C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp

There is an "Edit" button below what you are describing. It should show the actual value as I listed. This way it will work for any user not just OWNER.

 

Is that what I was to "Edit" or check? Looking in Windows Explorer the Temp and Tmp folders are exactly where you stated. Do you agree that everything is as it should be, then?

 

I don't understand "copy the whole Folder and then Delete everything in it." The Temp folder? Copy it why? Copy it to where? Name the copy something else? Scariest of all is the idea of deleting it. There are 308 objects there. It is full of folders - with stuff in them, Temporary Directories for programs I've downloaded, .dlls, .exes. Is that really what you mean I should do? Delete it?

Can't blame you for being unsure. The reason you want a copy is to have a "backup" in case you need it.

However, I did not realize that you wanted to keep any of that data in the /Temp folder.

Just be aware of the fact that for some (lucky?) reason, you have folders and files in a "temporary" area.

These are not files that you are depending on for 'active, actual, productive reasons" are they. If so, you definitely need to "copy" that whole folder for back-up purposes.

I am not sure why CCleaner has not cleaned them out in your case. It would have cleaned them out of my \Temp file. I would at least make a "copy" and put it somewhere that you would like it to be. Who knows "tomorrow" that \Temp folder could disappear, vanish. It is a temp file and they have way of being temporary. At least you will have your own Backup copy".

 

I thought all your "shareware" stuff was now being put somewhere else. How about setting up another folder and calling it \SharewareTemp . Sorry, wish I understood more about the general practices of "shareware' software.

 

This is an example of WHY some users that have used CCleaner and then report that their "active production" files and programs etc. have disappeared. It is because the files and programs were stored in "temporary" ares and not someplace "safe" or "normal" like \Program Files for example and \Application Data.

 

We need the advice of more "Shareware" experienced users, please !!!

 

Good luck,

davey

[YoKenny]

davey, I wish that you would put your responses outside of the quoted material as it makes it difficult to determine what is being asked.

 

We need the advice of more "Shareware" experienced users, please !!!

I don't use "Shareware" as I can't afford it.

 

I haven't found the need for "Shareware" as the freeware I have does everything I need.

[writeaway]

Thanks again, Davey. There was indeed an Edit button and it showed just the information that it should. I will do as you suggest with the folder. It might take me a couple more days to work up the courage but I'll come to it. Just be warned, I'll be back if I run into trouble.

 

YoKenny: I have loads of freeware but tend to combine freeware and shareware rather than always saying freeware and shareware. It saves energy and space. Once in a while I purchase some shareware that I absolutely (so I believe) need. When people ask me what I want for my b'day, I name some program I've been pining for. I make use of GOTD (a place I found reading one of your posts), Bits du Jour (might have found that the same way) and I used to check out Software Deal of the Day before it got stuck in the time warp.

[Andavari]

TEMP C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp

TMP C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp

That looks like the valid Temp folder location on your system for that user profile. So you really have no need to fiddle with the settings pointing to it.

[writeaway]

Thanks for all the input. I reread the whole howtogeek page. I am pretty sure it must be AVG that is changing the last accessed date but whatever it is I wish it would stop. Using the tweak wouldn't really be of any use to me as I still wouldn't be able to determine when a file had been accessed. I'll have to chalk it up to a lost cause and one more useless Microsoft tool.

 

Davey: Look what I found in a DonationCoder post:

 

"I am not sure whether to mention this or not, but it seems to me that the wrapper system used by GAOTD is easily circumvented, since it unpacks the contents to a TEMPorary location. Keeping a local copy of the unpacked file would allow re-installation of the application in the future."

 

My plan is to move these elsewhere before deleting anything. Whaddayathink?