TEMP and TMP environment variables

[Richard]

Hi
I have an older machine with a partitioned drive and i'm running out of
space on c:
I can start cleaning up all the $uninstall type files but i would prefer to
avoid it if i can. My only issue is that if i burn an audi cd using WMP11 it
creates a 700mb temporary file in c:\windows\Temp even though the CD drive
has been told to use D: (which it obeys when writing a data disk). After the
next batch of Windows updates i doubt there will be enough room to burn any
more music :-(
I wondered if it was something to do with the TEMP and/or TMP environment
variables? I have created user variables of the same name for my logon which
point to a folder on the D: partition but it hasn't stopped WMP from using
c:\windows\Temp while creating an audio cd.
Perhaps it is nothing to do with environment variables? Or should i change
the values for the actual system variables instead of using user variable -
would this cause problems, i have a feeling it might destroy my system!
I'm on XP SP3

Thanks in advance,
Richard

 

[SoCalCommie]

Hi
I have an older machine with a partitioned drive and i'm running out of
space on c:
I can start cleaning up all the $uninstall type files but i would prefer
to
avoid it if i can. My only issue is that if i burn an audi cd using WMP11
it
creates a 700mb temporary file in c:\windows\Temp even though the CD drive
has been told to use D: (which it obeys when writing a data disk). After
the
next batch of Windows updates i doubt there will be enough room to burn
any
more music :-(
I wondered if it was something to do with the TEMP and/or TMP environment
variables? I have created user variables of the same name for my logon
which
point to a folder on the D: partition but it hasn't stopped WMP from using
c:\windows\Temp while creating an audio cd.
Perhaps it is nothing to do with environment variables? Or should i change
the values for the actual system variables instead of using user
variable -
would this cause problems, i have a feeling it might destroy my system!
I'm on XP SP3

Thanks in advance,
Richard

Change them both to the drive of your choice. I've had both User and System
TMP and TEMP variables set to D:\TEMP on all three of my systems (2 XP Pro,
1 Win2K) forever... No problema!

 

[Olórin]

Hi
I have an older machine with a partitioned drive and i'm running out of
space on c:
I can start cleaning up all the $uninstall type files but i would prefer
to
avoid it if i can. My only issue is that if i burn an audi cd using WMP11
it
creates a 700mb temporary file in c:\windows\Temp even though the CD drive
has been told to use D: (which it obeys when writing a data disk). After
the
next batch of Windows updates i doubt there will be enough room to burn
any
more music :-(
I wondered if it was something to do with the TEMP and/or TMP environment
variables? I have created user variables of the same name for my logon
which
point to a folder on the D: partition but it hasn't stopped WMP from using
c:\windows\Temp while creating an audio cd.
Perhaps it is nothing to do with environment variables? Or should i change
the values for the actual system variables instead of using user
variable -
would this cause problems, i have a feeling it might destroy my system!
I'm on XP SP3

Thanks in advance,
Richard

If your TEMP and/or TMP system variables are currently pointing at
C:\Windows\Temp (or %SystemRoot%\TEMP), go ahead and repoint them to the
folder on your D:\-drive. There's no reason this would destroy your system -
but do it immediately after a restart, without opening any apps, to flush
any temp files in use and avoid any knicker-twisting by Windows.

If disk space is this tight for you, though, you might want to look at:
1) buying a new hard drive;
2) repartitioning what you've got;
or
3) moving large folders/files to D:\ (eg repointing your My Documents /
downloaded files / Temporary Internet Files / e-mail storage / pagefile /
Java cache inter alia to new locations on D, ensuring files are successfully
copied as necessary).