Disk Cleanup All Users

[GB]

As admin of our family PC, how can I run Disk Cleanup (or other utility) to
delete temporary internet file cache for all users?

I find that some of the users don't do this from one year to the next, amd
the simplest is just to do it for them every couple of months. Thanks for
any help.

 

[Ayush]

Replied to [GB]s message :

As admin of our family PC, how can I run Disk Cleanup (or other utility) to
delete temporary internet file cache for all users?

I find that some of the users don't do this from one year to the next, amd
the simplest is just to do it for them every couple of months. Thanks for
any help.

You can make a script (e.g. bat) for this ..


→ Ayush [ Good Luck ]

 

[Bruce Chambers]

As admin of our family PC, how can I run Disk Cleanup (or other utility) to
delete temporary internet file cache for all users?

I find that some of the users don't do this from one year to the next, amd
the simplest is just to do it for them every couple of months. Thanks for
any help.

Unfortunately, Disk Cleanup only cleans the files stored within the
profile of the user who invokes it. This means that, even when logged
in with an administrative account, the only temporary files that get
removed are one's own.

There is one product, Crap Cleaner (http://www.ccleaner.com/), that is
quite useful in this regard, as one can use it to specify which folders
are to be scanned and cleaned.

However, I must add one caveat: CCLeaner also contains a registry
"cleaner" that should be used only by the most experienced of
technicians. CCleaner seems relatively benign, as long as you step
through each detected "issue" one at a time, to determine if it really
is an "issue" or not, and then decide whether or not to let the
application "fix" it. In my experience, most of the reported "issues"
won't be issues, at all. I tried the latest version on a brand-new OS
installation with no additional applications installed, and certainly
none installed and then uninstalled, and CCleaner still managed to
"find" over a hundred allegedly orphaned registry entries and dozens of
purportedly "suspicious" files. (CCleaner's main strength lies in its
usefulness for cleaning up unused temporary files from the hard drive;
as a registry "cleaner," it's no better than any other snake oil remedy.)


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[GB]

Unfortunately, Disk Cleanup only cleans the files stored within the
profile of the user who invokes it. This means that, even when logged in
with an administrative account, the only temporary files that get removed
are one's own.

Thanks for confirming that.

There is one product, Crap Cleaner (http://www.ccleaner.com/), that is
quite useful in this regard, as one can use it to specify which folders
are to be scanned and cleaned.

However, I must add one caveat: CCLeaner also contains a registry
"cleaner"

I don't want to let one of those near my PC, as the cure could be worse than
the disease. I think I'll just encourage the users to run Disk Cleanup
themselves. I wonder what admins on large systems do?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I don't want to let one of those near my PC, as the cure could be worse than
the disease. I think I'll just encourage the users to run Disk Cleanup
themselves.

Very wise of you. However, you can still use CCleaner's file cleaning
capabilities without using its registry tool.

I wonder what admins on large systems do?

We use registry modifications to limit the amount of space that IE can
use for temporary files and scripts/batch files to periodically
(quarterly, on the systems I manage) clean up temporary files.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[GB]

Very wise of you. However, you can still use CCleaner's file cleaning
capabilities without using its registry tool.

I was worried that one of the other users might promote themselves to admin
(which they do quite often if I leave the computer with my account logged
in) and then try to run a registry clean. I think that we are safer just not
having this stuff on the PC.

We use registry modifications to limit the amount of space that IE can use
for temporary files and scripts/batch files to periodically (quarterly, on
the systems I manage) clean up temporary files.

Is there any reason why I should not just delete the temporary internet
files manually? I can always write some vbs if it gets tiresome to do. I was
worried that IE might not like it if you deleted its cache files.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I was worried that one of the other users might promote themselves
to admin (which they do quite often if I leave the computer with my
account logged in) and then try to run a registry clean. I think
that we are safer just not having this stuff on the PC.

There are certain problems that software cannot fix.
If you are leaving your administrative level account unlocked and alone on a
machine - that is a problem that cannot be fixed by software.
You should NEVER walk away leaving an unlocked administrative level account
logged in.
At least lock the screen.

Is there any reason why I should not just delete the temporary
internet files manually? I can always write some vbs if it gets
tiresome to do. I was worried that IE might not like it if you
deleted its cache files.

A batch script could even do it.

 

[GB]

There are certain problems that software cannot fix.
If you are leaving your administrative level account unlocked and alone on
a machine - that is a problem that cannot be fixed by software.
You should NEVER walk away leaving an unlocked administrative level
account logged in.
At least lock the screen.

Well, it is only the family computer. But the point is well taken, and
really I ought to set up a separate admin account then demote my main a/c.

A batch script could even do it.

So, there's no harm in deleting the IE cache files outside IE? I thought
there must be an index that would get messed up by doing that.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

So, there's no harm in deleting the IE cache files outside IE? I
thought there must be an index that would get messed up by doing
that.

It'll get recreated.

 

[GB]

It'll get recreated.

Thank you for your help, both of you.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I was worried that one of the other users might promote themselves to admin
(which they do quite often if I leave the computer with my account logged
in) and then try to run a registry clean. I think that we are safer just not
having this stuff on the PC.

You'd be far safer to not leave the computer in such an unsecure state.

Is there any reason why I should not just delete the temporary internet
files manually? I can always write some vbs if it gets tiresome to do. I was
worried that IE might not like it if you deleted its cache files.

None, whatsoever, beyond the time required and the sheer tediousness of
the chore.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell