BIN TEMP FILES ARE SWALLOWING UP MY DRIVE

[Paul]

Problem Description:

Running out of space on my 40GB hard disk. Have
only 5.5GB left.

I've tried defragging the hard disk and
removing all but the most recent restore point. This did
free up a few gigs
but i've noticed 11.1 GB of BIN files in the folder:
C:\Documents and
Settings\Paul\Local Settings\Temp.

These 16 files are sized between 21 MB and 800MB. All
start with the
letters 'CRW' and end with .tmp. Even though these files
seem like temp
files I'm reluctant to delete them in case these files are
needed by
the OS.

How were these files created and how can I free up some
disk space?

HELP ... ANYBODY!

 

[Ted Zieglar]

Pest Scan by Pest Patrol
http://www.pestpatrol.com/Products/PestScan.asp

Virus and Security Check by Symantec
http://security.symantec.com/default.asp?productid=symhome&langid=ie&venid=sym

Protect Your PC
www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[Ron Martell]

Problem Description:

Running out of space on my 40GB hard disk. Have
only 5.5GB left.

I've tried defragging the hard disk and
removing all but the most recent restore point. This did
free up a few gigs
but i've noticed 11.1 GB of BIN files in the folder:
C:\Documents and
Settings\Paul\Local Settings\Temp.

These 16 files are sized between 21 MB and 800MB. All
start with the
letters 'CRW' and end with .tmp. Even though these files
seem like temp
files I'm reluctant to delete them in case these files are
needed by
the OS.

How were these files created and how can I free up some
disk space?

HELP ... ANYBODY!

Files in the TEMP folder are temporary working files created by
Windows and by application programs. New program installs and updates
make extensive use of this folder.

All applications (and Windows itself) are supposed to clean up after
themselves and delete their temporary files when they are finished
with them or when the application is closed; and in a perfect world
that is what would happen. However reality is far from perfection and
in the real world files get left behind and so the temp folder
accumulates a collection of residual crud over time. This is
especially so if an application crashes and does complete its tasks or
shut down properly.

The only complicating factor is that new program installs and Windows
updates often use the TEMP folder to store files temporarily pending a
restart of the computer. On the restart the files in the TEMP folder
are moved to their intended final locations during the early stages of
the startup process, and then the TEMP files are deleted.

If you delete the files in the TEMP folder there is a possibility that
you might delete some files put there by program installs or updates
that have been run since the computer was last booted up.

So shut down the computer, restart it, and then clean house on the
TEMP folder. There should be nothing of any importance or value there
unless you put it there yourself.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."