WindowsXP Temp i.e. C:\Windows\Temp

[Jamess B. Holladay]

I have read a lot about keeping the Windows Temp folder emptied. Yet when I
review it I see lots of items listed which appear to be a major part of the
OS system e.g. there is a file named "Remove" which has 7 folders in it. The
folders are named for all the various Win versions. Each of these files have
from 17 to 41 setup lines in them. Temp itself has log, data and setup
files.
Are these files extras or left over from installation? Even though they
don't indicate that they are Temp files can the contents of the Temp folder
still be emptied?

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Jamess B. Holladay" <[email protected]>

| I have read a lot about keeping the Windows Temp folder emptied. Yet when I
| review it I see lots of items listed which appear to be a major part of the
| OS system e.g. there is a file named "Remove" which has 7 folders in it. The
| folders are named for all the various Win versions. Each of these files have
| from 17 to 41 setup lines in them. Temp itself has log, data and setup
| files.
| Are these files extras or left over from installation? Even though they
| don't indicate that they are Temp files can the contents of the Temp folder
| still be emptied?
|

The %windir%\temp is a leftover construct and is used for the OS or software that is old
and was hard coded to store TEMP files there. Otherwise software should follow the path set
by the environmental variables %TEMP% and %TMP%.

There are many applications and utilities that will leave remnants. To regain space in
improve the speed of anti virus scans and defragmentation, dump the contents of the TEMP
folder.