Additional folders to clean?

[gezginrocker]

Hello,

 

I am using CCleaner very often because I have limited hd space.

 

I have added some additional folders to clean, which you can see below.

 

Can you please recommend me more Windows 7 64 bit folders which its contents can be safely deleted?

 

Thanks

 

 

Folders I've added to CCleaner:

 

C:\ProgramData\Installations

 

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Temp

 

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts

 

C:\Windows\Downloaded Program Files

 

C:\Windows\Temp

[Aethec]

Downloaded Program Files folder has something to do with ActiveX controls, don't "clean" it.

The two Temp folders, in your profile and in the Windows folders, are already cleaned by CCleaner - but by default it only cleans files older than 48h.

Does Windows Live Messenger still works after deleting the Windows Live Contacts folder ? It seems to contain your contact data...

[gezginrocker]

thanks for your reply Aethec.

 

you are right about Downloaded Program Files, I was going to add Downloaded Installations, but accidentally I added Downloaded Program Files I guess. although it's no big deal, probably it will ask me to reinstall those ActiveX controls.

 

do you think is it safe to delete the contents of Downloaded Installations folder?

 

Windows Live Messenger still works after deleting the Windows Live Contacts folder. this folder came to my attention, it was over 500mb. I deleted the contents to recycle bin just to be safe, opened Live Messenger and it is working properly for me.

 

another question, ccleaner had the options to delete hotfix uninstallers on xp, but it is not available on windows 7. isn't it possible to delete hotfix uninstallers on windows 7?

[Aethec]

Where is the "Downloaded Installations" folder ? I can't find it

 

The hotfix uninstallers seems to be working only on XP and earlier versions - it is supposed to clean some folders which don't exist in Vista/7.

[gezginrocker]

C:\Windows\Downloaded Installations

[Aethec]

It isn't on my system, but a quick Google search returns that you can delete its content. Simply make a backup somewhere first, and if nothing goes wrong, delete the backup.

[DennisD]

If you're that desperately short of space, have you checked to see how many System Restore points you have.

 

If your PC is running well with no obvious problems, getting rid of a few would free up some much needed disk space.

 

How to Delete the System Restore Points in Windows 7:

 

Down the page you'll find a guide to deleting all but the most recent System Restore point. A good thing to practice now and again.

 

Are they called "System Protection" points in Win7? I've learned something new.

[gezginrocker]

after performing a clean windows installation, the first thing I always do is turning the bloody system restore off.

 

so thanks for the suggestion but it's already off. hibernation is off as well, that consumes a lot off space too.

[Aethec]

after performing a clean windows installation, the first thing I always do is turning the bloody system restore off.

 

so thanks for the suggestion but it's already off. hibernation is off as well, that consumes a lot off space too.

 

I hope you do a complete backup of your system at least once a week ? If you don't, you should leave System Restore on

[DennisD]

I hope you do a complete backup of your system at least once a week ? If you don't, you should leave System Restore on

 

 

I was thinking along the same lines, and was gonna suggest Macrium as something to look at, but with serious space problems I'm guessing gezginrocker may only have a single drive, which makes backups pretty difficult to do.

 

I gave up on System Restore a long time ago. I now rely on ERUNT registry backups along with Macrium Image backups.

 

If you only have the one drive gezginrocker, are there any programs you could live without?

 

Or, do you have any ginormous installations (such as Antivirus) which could be replaced by a much smaller alternative? Freeware alternative of course.

[Andavari]

I was thinking along the same lines, and was gonna suggest Macrium as something to look at, but with serious space problems I'm guessing gezginrocker may only have a single drive, which makes backups pretty difficult to do.

That's what my moms laptop is stuck with, and I dare not partition it because of the original Acronis restoration disk image on it. What I did was inserted a big enough USB Thumb Drive and let Macrium Reflect put the disk images on it which I had Macrium split up into 695 MB CD-R sized pieces, then I took it to my computer and burned a DVD. Of course depending upon how many GB are needing to be backed up may make DVD completely unfeasible, that's the only problem with having tons of data is how to back it all up.

 

At least having something to go back to even if it isn't last week/last month is definitely better than starting over from scratch.

[gezginrocker]

thank you both for your suggestions and interest in my low hd space issue. .

 

my way for safety is, I create 2 partitions, keep windows on 1st partition and all my personal data on 2nd partition. after a clean windows installation I also install all my necessary 3rd party software, do the necessary tweaks, and when I feel that the system is perfect, I create an image of the system and burn it to dvd. before I was doing this with 3rd party sw, but now I can do it easily from backup and restore at w7.

 

so in case of a system failure, I restore the image, and because all my personal data is on 2nd partiton all things return to normal in minutes. I have been using this method for years and it never failed. of course if hd fails physically, that is a problem, but I am keeping backups of my data at other mediums, music at ipod, movies at dvds etc...

[DennisD]

I managed fine with a single partitioned drive for a long time, and backed up everything onto DVD's, as well as a Macrium Image on the partition, but obtaining a second HD was the one of the best things I've done.

 

If the worst happens, and your drive fails, then you can usually retrieve all data not backed-up with free applications like "Paragon Rescue Kit 9.0 Express", but you'd need somewhere to retrieve it to.

 

It's a bit early, but a second Hard Drive (internal or external) would sit nicely on a Christmas list.

[ident]

No offense but that just seems ridiculous partitioning your hd, what happens if the HD it self breaks?

 

HD are cheap as chips now, get your self a second one.

[gezginrocker]

I think we have moving out of the main subject.

 

I guess no one can recommend any more folders to clean, so this thread can be closed.

 

it's pointless to discuss my hd problems on CCleaner forum.

 

thanks for your interest Aethec & DennisD.

[cherryjones]

I have used CCleaner for years and have zero problems with it and Avast 5 Free under Win 7 64 bit. I used to say CCleaner was the best free software but Avast 5 Free is the best free software by far.

 

BTW why only use CCleaner once? I use it daily. It has the only registry cleaner that I trust, cleans up temp files etc.

 

Edited May 26, 2010 by Andavari
Spam link removed and member banned

[Willy2]

I have ""C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\download"" added to the list of folders to be cleaned ( In the ""Include"" section of CC). This is a folder (in Windows XP) created by the Microsoft Auto update function and is used for temporary storage of files before installing. But those files are not wiped after installation. I think Vista and Windows 7 have a similar folder with a comparable name.

 

If you have limited diskspace then I would advise to uninstall large bulky programs. e.g. get rid of Adobe Reader and use Foxit Reader instead to read *.pdf files.

[ident]

I have used CCleaner for years and have zero problems with it and Avast 5 Free under Win 7 64 bit. I used to say CCleaner was the best free software but Avast 5 Free is the best free software by far.

 

BTW why only use CCleaner once? I use it daily. It has the only registry cleaner that I trust, cleans up temp files etc.

 

ccleaner can not be compared to avast, it's like comparing chalk and cheese, both completely different.

 

I hope you're not running reg clean daily

[gezginrocker]

thanks a lot Willy2, at last an additional folder to clean!

 

I think now I am obsessed with cleaning unnecessary files, it's not about just low disk space anymore.

[JDPower]

I think now I am obsessed with cleaning unnecessary files, it's not about just low disk space anymore.

Just be careful. I've been there, done that and broken Windows by doing just that (AND might I add by trusting a certain well respected Windows slimming guide)

[ident]

thanks a lot Willy2, at last an additional folder to clean!

 

I think now I am obsessed with cleaning unnecessary files, it's not about just low disk space anymore.

 

how much space u gain i9ng each day eh?