Disk Cleanup Extremely Slow

[Bob S.]

I have Windows XP Home, with all the updates. When I run Disk
Cleanup, it takes about 20 minutes to come up with the files to be
acted on. That happens, even if I have already emptied the Recycle Bin
and also deleted all the Temporary Internet Files (not the cookies).

One odd clue, which may or may not have anything to do with my
problem. I only have two accounts, "Bob" and "Guest" (and I log in as
"Bob". However, all my cookies go into a folder called
"Compaq_Owner/Documents and Settings/local Settngs/Temporary Internet
Files". There aree over 150,00 files in this folder. I tried deleting
all of the files, but they come back within hours.

Also, I believe that when I am on the net, and add a Favorite, that
favorite also goes into the "Compaq_Owner" folders, and not into the
"Bob" folders.

Any ideas. Thanks.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have Windows XP Home, with all the updates. When I run Disk
Cleanup, it takes about 20 minutes to come up with the files to be
acted on. That happens, even if I have already emptied the Recycle
Bin and also deleted all the Temporary Internet Files (not the
cookies).

One odd clue, which may or may not have anything to do with my
problem. I only have two accounts, "Bob" and "Guest" (and I log in
as "Bob". However, all my cookies go into a folder called
"Compaq_Owner/Documents and Settings/local Settngs/Temporary
Internet Files". There aree over 150,00 files in this folder. I
tried deleting all of the files, but they come back within hours.

Also, I believe that when I am on the net, and add a Favorite, that
favorite also goes into the "Compaq_Owner" folders, and not into the
"Bob" folders.

Is there even a 'Bob' folder under "Documents and Settings"?

With such a system as you have (a Compaq obviously) the account most often
created is 'owner' or some derivative. That account can be renamed - but
all of its information will remain in the folder under the original name -
nothing wrong with that.

 

[Bob S.]

That's good to know. Of course, there is a "Bob" folder, and
subfolders with the same names. However, there is nothing in the
Temporary Internet Folder, and the Farovites are not the ones that I
am now using. However, the "My Documents" folder under "Bob: contains
all of my recent documents. whereas the "Compaq_Owner" folder has none
of my documents.

However, my main question was about the slow running of my Disk
Cleanup. Do you have any ideas as to how I can speed this up? Thanks.

 

[Unknown]

Have you also run defrag?

That's good to know. Of course, there is a "Bob" folder, and
subfolders with the same names. However, there is nothing in the
Temporary Internet Folder, and the Farovites are not the ones that I
am now using. However, the "My Documents" folder under "Bob: contains
all of my recent documents. whereas the "Compaq_Owner" folder has none
of my documents.

However, my main question was about the slow running of my Disk
Cleanup. Do you have any ideas as to how I can speed this up? Thanks.

 

[Bob S.]

I haven't done Defrag because the Analizer shows ZERO % total and !%
file fragmentation. I will try it anyway. Thanks. BTW, the disk has
53% free space.

Have you also run defrag?

 

[Guest]

--
Tim Xie

i think you can use other software to do this work instead of winxp itself
,and then find out if other software works.

 

[Mark]

I have Windows XP Home, with all the updates. When I run Disk
Cleanup, it takes about 20 minutes to come up with the files to be
acted on. That happens, even if I have already emptied the Recycle Bin
and also deleted all the Temporary Internet Files (not the cookies).

One odd clue, which may or may not have anything to do with my
problem. I only have two accounts, "Bob" and "Guest" (and I log in as
"Bob". However, all my cookies go into a folder called
"Compaq_Owner/Documents and Settings/local Settngs/Temporary Internet
Files". There aree over 150,00 files in this folder. I tried deleting
all of the files, but they come back within hours.

Also, I believe that when I am on the net, and add a Favorite, that
favorite also goes into the "Compaq_Owner" folders, and not into the
"Bob" folders.

Any ideas. Thanks.

Have you watched Disk Cleanup run? When I run it on my XP system, it says
what it's doing - like "Scanning: Compress old files." I have a lot of old
files on my system so the section that checks to see if there are candidates
for file compression takes number of minutes to run. Since I choose not to
compress files, I seldom run the Disk Cleanup as it's much faster to
manually clear the temp internet files.

mark

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Have you watched Disk Cleanup run? When I run it on my XP system, it says
what it's doing - like "Scanning: Compress old files." I have a lot of old
files on my system so the section that checks to see if there are candidates
for file compression takes number of minutes to run. Since I choose not to
compress files, I seldom run the Disk Cleanup as it's much faster to
manually clear the temp internet files.

Compressing files is *optional* in disk cleanup.If you don't want to
compress files (as I don't), simply uncheck that option.

 

[Mark]

Compressing files is *optional* in disk cleanup.If you don't want to
compress files (as I don't), simply uncheck that option.

Indeed, compressing files is *optional*. There does not, however, seem to be
a way to prevent Disk Cleanup checking files to see if they're candidates
for compression. There is an option that sets a minimum age, in days, for
files to be considered as candidates for compression. On my system, that
minimum age seems to be limited to 500 days, but I have tons of files that
are years and years older than that maximum minimum so they're always
candidates for compression. It's not a big deal.

mark

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Indeed, compressing files is *optional*. There does not, however, seem to be
a way to prevent Disk Cleanup checking files to see if they're candidates
for compression.

Ah, I understand your point now. Yes, that takes some extra time.
However, since that checking takes place in the background, I never
notice it and don't worry about it.