disk clean is slow

  • Thread starter Thread starter Joe K
  • Start date Start date
J

Joe K

I am helping someone via phone on how to clean their computer.They have
never done computer maintenance before.So there are many temp files and
old cookies and Temp internet files.
When they tried to click disk cleanup it does nothing.I think because
they have so much to clean up.Also they have no patience.
Can I ask them to just delete the c:windows/temp folder and TIF folder
and cookie folder?
Won't these folders be created again at boot up or when needed.
 
Why are you trying to "help" someone if you don't really know what you're
doing yourself ?

You can delete the contents of the 'temp' and 'tif' directories, NOT
the directories themselves. The locations of these two storage locations
are set in environment variables, your environment wouldn't like pathnames
to directories that don't exist !

An "aged" (i.e. a couple of years old or more), xp platform could take an
hour, or a couple of hours or more to defragment. A friend of mine using
an xp1800 cpu (1.53ghz) had to leave his machine running overnight to
defragment his hard disks using Diskeeper 8. He would have benn wise to
have emptied the aforementioned directories as well ! ...before
defragmenting.

regards, Richard
 
In such cases I start the system in safe mode, browse to the temp
folder and delete 50 or so at a time.
Select the first, hold down the shift key and select the next
[say 50th], you can delete everything in the temp folders but do
leave the original folder structure intact. EG
C: \%username%\Cookies
C: \%username%\Local Settings\Temp & \TIF
C:\Windows\Temp

You will have to have "enable show hidden files and folders" set to
see all of the above directories

rgds
Li'l Roberto
 
In such cases I start the system in safe mode, browse to the temp
folder and delete 50 or so at a time.
Select the first, hold down the shift key and select the next
[say 50th], you can delete everything in the temp folders but do
leave the original folder structure intact. EG
C: \%username%\Cookies
C: \%username%\Local Settings\Temp & \TIF
C:\Windows\Temp

You will have to have "enable show hidden files and folders" set to
see all of the above directories

rgds
Li'l Roberto
 
RJK said:
Why are you trying to "help" someone if you don't really know what you're
doing yourself ?

You can delete the contents of the 'temp' and 'tif' directories, NOT
the directories themselves. The locations of these two storage locations
are set in environment variables, your environment wouldn't like pathnames
to directories that don't exist !

An "aged" (i.e. a couple of years old or more), xp platform could take an
hour, or a couple of hours or more to defragment. A friend of mine using
an xp1800 cpu (1.53ghz) had to leave his machine running overnight to
defragment his hard disks using Diskeeper 8. He would have benn wise to
have emptied the aforementioned directories as well ! ...before
defragmenting.

regards, Richard
Click to expand...
Richard, you answered my question in the second and third
paragraphs.That is all I asked for. But there was no need to insult me.
Don't start giving advice by insulting someone first because the advice
after is meaningless.So don't give me anymore "help".
 
In addition:

Restore Disk Cleanup - cleanmgr (Line 84)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Disk Cleanup freezes during the Compressed File Phase: This edit corrects
the problem:

Disk Cleanup - Compressed Old Files Freezes (Line 48)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

To use the Regedit: Save the REG File to your hard disk. Double click it
and answer yes to the import prompt. REG files can be viewed in Notepad by
right clicking on the file and selecting Edit.

Disk Cleanup Tool Stops Responding While Compressing Old Files
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;812248

Disk Cleanup Utility Stops Responding
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;enus;812930

How to Automate the Disk Cleanup Tool in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q315246

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com


Li'l Roberto said:
In such cases I start the system in safe mode, browse to the temp
folder and delete 50 or so at a time.
Select the first, hold down the shift key and select the next [say
50th], you can delete everything in the temp folders but do leave the
original folder structure intact. EG
C: \%username%\Cookies
C: \%username%\Local Settings\Temp & \TIF
C:\Windows\Temp

You will have to have "enable show hidden files and folders" set to
see all of the above directories

rgds
Li'l Roberto



Joe K said:
I am helping someone via phone on how to clean their computer.They have
never done computer maintenance before.So there are many temp files and
old cookies and Temp internet files.
When they tried to click disk cleanup it does nothing.I think because
they have so much to clean up.Also they have no patience.
Can I ask them to just delete the c:windows/temp folder and TIF folder
and cookie folder?
Won't these folders be created again at boot up or when needed.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Joe said:
I am helping someone via phone on how to clean their computer.
Click to expand...

Thanks everyone for your help.I will use the simple method over the
phone.When I can get there I will check out the cleanmgr file.
 
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