%temp% question

[Octavio]

By typing "%temp%" in the Run window, we get "all" the temporary files in
the computer, I was told (is that correct? All the temporary files,
including any necessary temporary Window files?).
I get a lot of yellow folders and things inside each one of these folders.
Some of the yellow folders have familiar names, like the one from "Adobe",
for instance, but some others have unfamiliar name codes or numbered names
that I don't what they are.

My question:

Can I selet "all" these folder and do I delete these yellow folders in their
entirety? Is that safe? Or do I delete what is inside each of the the
folders, and leave the yellow folders empty there?
(For example, I get there an "Adobe" folder with temporary files. Do I
delete the entire folder without opening it or I am supposed to delete what
resides indside that folder only and leave the "Adobe" folder there empty?)
What is the correct procedure?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

By typing "%temp%" in the Run window, we get "all" the temporary files in
the computer, I was told (is that correct? All the temporary files,
including any necessary temporary Window files?).
I get a lot of yellow folders and things inside each one of these folders.
Some of the yellow folders have familiar names, like the one from "Adobe",
for instance, but some others have unfamiliar name codes or numbered names
that I don't what they are.

My question:

Can I selet "all" these folder and do I delete these yellow folders in their
entirety? Is that safe? Or do I delete what is inside each of the the
folders, and leave the yellow folders empty there?
(For example, I get there an "Adobe" folder with temporary files. Do I
delete the entire folder without opening it or I am supposed to delete what
resides indside that folder only and leave the "Adobe" folder there empty?)
What is the correct procedure?
Thanks in advance.

You can delete anything in the temp folder. Some files will
be locked because they are currently in use. It does not matter.

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Octavio" <[email protected]>

| By typing "%temp%" in the Run window, we get "all" the temporary files in
| the computer, I was told (is that correct? All the temporary files,
| including any necessary temporary Window files?).
| I get a lot of yellow folders and things inside each one of these folders.
| Some of the yellow folders have familiar names, like the one from "Adobe",
| for instance, but some others have unfamiliar name codes or numbered names
| that I don't what they are.
|
| My question:
|
| Can I selet "all" these folder and do I delete these yellow folders in their
| entirety? Is that safe? Or do I delete what is inside each of the the
| folders, and leave the yellow folders empty there?
| (For example, I get there an "Adobe" folder with temporary files. Do I
| delete the entire folder without opening it or I am supposed to delete what
| resides indside that folder only and leave the "Adobe" folder there empty?)
| What is the correct procedure?
| Thanks in advance.

The environmental variables %temp% and %tmp% do in fact point to the logged on user's
temprary files.

By default, they would point to...
C:\Documents and Settings\USER_ACCOUNT\Local Settings\Temp

There are folders created by software such as the MS Office suite and Adobe. They are ALL
safe to delete as each will recrreate their respective temporary data sub-folders when you
execute them and the software needs them.

The correct procedure is to is to reboot the PC.

Shutdown ALL software ( so they don't have *.TMP files open in that folder ).

Sort the TEMP folder by date. Delete all files and folders that do not have the current
date and relative time.

Another temporary file folder is; %windir%\temp

 

[Guest]

Simply go to edit,select all,delete all.The files are not in use.

 

[Octavio]

"You can delete anything in the temp folder. Some files will

be locked because they are currently in use. It does not matter."

So then it would be safe to delete the "Adobe" yellow folder that is there
without even opening it. By doing so, I assume that it would not delete any
thing that needs to remain in the original Adobe program.
Please confirm.

A related question: Are all the files and folders that show there "always"
safe to delete?

 

[Anando [MVP]]

Hello,

The best and safest way to get rid of the temporary files is to run the disk
cleanup utility from Start/All Programs/Accessories/System tools.

--
Anando
Microsoft MVP- Windows Shell/User
Microsoft Certified Professional
http://www.microsoft.com/mvp
http://www.mvps.org

Folder customizations
http://www.anando.org/folder

 

[Wesley Vogel]

By typing "%temp%" in the Run window, we get "all" the temporary files in

the computer, I was told is that correct?

No.

Typing %temp% or %tmp% in Start | Run should open...
C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Local Settings\Temp

Typing temp in Start | Run should open C:\WINDOWS\Temp

Start | Run | Paste this in the box:
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5
will open
C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Local Settings\
Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5

And there are these paste any of them into Start | Run...
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Temp
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temp
C:\Documents and Settings\NetworkService\Local Settings\Temp

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\
Temporary Internet Files
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\
Temporary Internet Files
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\
Temporary Internet Files
C:\Documents and Settings\NetworkService\Local Settings\
Temporary Internet Files
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files
C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\
Temporary Internet Files
C:\WINDOWS\Temporary Internet Files

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\
Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\
Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\
Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5
C:\Documents and Settings\NetworkService\Local Settings\
Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5
C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\
Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5
C:\WINDOWS\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Octavio]

Thanks for all your help, now I understand these better.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

See below.

So then it would be safe to delete the "Adobe" yellow folder that is there
without even opening it. By doing so, I assume that it would not delete any
thing that needs to remain in the original Adobe program.
Please confirm.

Yes, you can delete it. And whenever you're not sure about
such things, move the problem files or folders to a different
location, then wait a week or two. If all is well, you can obviously
delete them permanently!

A related question: Are all the files and folders that show there "always"
safe to delete?

As the many other respondents said, files in the temp folders
can always be deleted.

 

[antioch]

Hello,

The best and safest way to get rid of the temporary files is to run the
disk cleanup utility from Start/All Programs/Accessories/System tools.

--
Anando
Microsoft MVP- Windows Shell/User
Microsoft Certified Professional
http://www.microsoft.com/mvp
http://www.mvps.org

Hi Anando
Which??? temp files would they be - those removed by DiskCleanup, that is.
Antioch

 

[Plato]

By typing "%temp%" in the Run window, we get "all" the temporary files in
the computer, I was told (is that correct? All the temporary files,

Incorrect. While any temp folder's contents may be deleted with no harm,
many apps save "temp" files in special folders and/or with special
names,

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Temporary Setup Files
Temporary Internet Files
Old Chkdsk Files
Recycle Bin
Temporary Files
Temporary Offline Files

Description of the Disk Cleanup Tool in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310312

Explains the available options for Disk Cleanup...
How to Automate the Disk Cleanup Tool in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315246

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[antioch]

Hello Wesley
Unfortunately, DiskCleanup does not work for everybody.
It did not work for me for over two years on two systems running XP Home
SP2 - this was pointed out in a thread of mine a couple of months ago.
Once a week I do a Disk Cleanup having first checked that I do have
folders/files in the two main temps. In the last three months, nothing has
shown in Temp Files.
I first found hundreds(900+), folders and files in the Run - %temp% - that
is in C:\Docs & Sets\Users Name\Local Settings\Temp.
Some have said they have thousands in that one.
I also found hundreds in Run - C:\Windows\temp - that is in
C:\Windows\Temp.
This can also grow over a period of weeks, but not as prolific as the other.
The remainder of the Temp folders never appear to have anything in them - I
have been keeping an eye on them for a few months now.
I even had contact with Ramesh, and between us we were unable to resolve my
particular issue at that time, which was, for some unknown reason, the Run -
%temp% Folder stopped collecting 4 - 6 files every time I switched on my
computer.
I have still not found the reason for this happening.
I still only get one or two entries each time I switch on.
The C\Windows\Temp still increases in size though and requires manual
removal.
The below is the link to Ramesh's site re temps in case the OP would like to
read it and see if they find that what is written there does not work!
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/cleantemp.htm

Rgds
Antioch

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Hi Antioch,

I quit using Disk Cleanup long ago. I use Disk Cleaner, it runs at boot and
I use it manually several times a day.

I have Disk Cleaner set to run quiet at startup. Runs for 5 seconds or so
and exits. I also like the fact that, after you set it up, it cleans all
the following with one click (and/or automatically at boot). Makes XP's
Disk Cleanup look like a piker. XP's Disk Cleanup will *not* clean
Content.IE5.

Disk Cleaner will Clean:
Temporary Internet Files {Including the contents of the Content.IE5 folder}
Internet Cookies
Internet History
System Temporary Folder
Recent Documents
Run... Dialog List
Find Document List
Find Computer List
URLs in IE Address Bar
URLs in Shell Address Bar
Media Player Recent URLs
WinZip Recent Files
WinZip Extract To Folders
Paint Recent Files
WordPad Recent Files
Cleans Recycle Bin (what else?)
Opera Cache
Opera Cookies
Opera History
Opera Visited links
Opera Download History and Download folder
Firefox Cache
Firefox Cookies
Firefox History
+ more

Disk Cleaner
http://www.robertenfemke.nl/~diskclean/

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[antioch]

Thanks, Wesley, for the reminder re Disk Cleaner - I told myself over 6
months ago to run it on my system, having read about it here in the groups.
Rgds
Antioch

 

[Wesley Vogel]

;-)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In