why is zero not zero?

[rothesay]

Windows 10, Ccleaner 5.44.6575

1. I open Ccleaner and click on Analyze.

2. Presently it says, Details of files to be deleted, and a list follows, with estimates (I assume estimates) of the bytes or kbytes involved.

3. I click, Run cleaner.

4. Presently it says, [X number of] tracking files and [Y] kbytes of junk deleted.

5. I immediately click Analyze a second time.

6. Presently it says, 0 bytes to be deleted.

7. I click on Run cleaner anyway.

8. Presently it says (for example) 2 tracking files and 96 bytes of junk deleted.

9. I immediately click Analyze a third time.

10. Presently it says, 0 bytes to be deleted. (again)

11. I click Run cleaner a third time anyway.

12. Presently it says (for example) 7 tracking files and .50 MB of junk deleted.

13. I close my browser and disconnect from the internet.

14. I repeat steps 1-11.

15. I still get [X>0] tracking files and [Y>0] junk deleted in step 12.

 

Why does Ccleaner EVER give me Analyze = "0 bytes to be deleted" followed by Run cleaner = "NON-ZERO files and junk deleted"?  For that matter, I've repeated the entire process, offline, as many as five times, and still get a positive number in stuff deleted.

 

Thank you kindly.

[Nergal]

This is likely caused by windows recreating empty dat files to replace the removed ones. I would wager a guess that the files weren't yet recreated when you ran analyze but had formed when you ran clean.

[nukecad]

I like to explain it like this -

Your computer is using and creating temporary files all the time.

These files are created as empty 'storage' and 'fill up' with information as you use your computer. (So even though it shows 0.5MB it/they could be empty).
Rather than trying to edit these and delete any contents, it's simpler just to delete the whole file and let Windows create a new, empty, one.
So when you run CC again it finds and deletes these files again even though they are empty.

Think of it like someone putting an empty box on your desk and then coming back and putting notes inside it; you throw the box away getting rid of the notes and they put new empty box in its place, you throw that away and they put a new empty box ..............

[rothesay]

Thank you, Nergal, nukecad. And I guess the "tracking" files are also something Windows does. It's nice to know that Ccleaner is doing what it's asked to do, even if Windows is not, so much. Thanks again.

 

Beer. Oh, but yes.

And moderators must do a lot of both laughing and crying. Probably swearing, too.

[nukecad]

55 minutes ago, rothesay said:

 I guess the "tracking" files are also something Windows does.

There's another thread about that somewhere on here.

To put it shortly- what that dumbed-down screen is calling 'Tracking Files' is not what you or I (or anyone else) would normally consider as tracking files.

In fact I ran a test and that screen calls every file found by CCleaner a 'tracking file'.

It's just advertising to make you think you may be being infected/tracked (and so may install the Avast offer).
It was one of the reasons there were a lot of complaints about that new dumbed-down screen and they had to put the option of the old 'Advanced Report' screen back.

Go to Options>Advanced and select 'Advanced Report' instead of 'Summary', that will give you a better idea of just what CCleaner is cleaning.

[rothesay]

Oh! Well, thank you again -- I shall certainly go enable that screen.

Have a lovely beerday, sir.

 

cheers,

---rothesay