safe to get rid of these files?

[decibelle]

I'm trying to familiarize myself with the stuff that CCleaner cleans up. Could someone please tell me whether it is perfectly safe to remove the files listed under System temporary files? I have years' worth of these on my computer.

I also have the same question about office xp files. I looked at the file names and they were a mix of stuff relating to documents and folders I had recently added or changed, all with .LNK suffix.

I have an image backup in case anything goes wrong, but I still would like to know that I'm not doing anything inherently harmful.

Thanks,
Ellen

[Medico]

Without looking directly at your system, I do not think anyone can be positive, but with an Image in place, I try to find and delete all temporary files that I can find on my system. I use several cleanup apps and a cleanup batch file I use, and I delete ALL temporary files I find. I have never had a problem in doing so. YMMV. I would go for it. Just my opinion.

[decibelle]

I should add that I'm finding CCleaner to be very flaky acting. When it analyzed my Windows temp file folder, it showed only a small portion of what was actually in there. And, I have a number of cookies I want to keep, but they are not in the list of cookies that CCleaner has, although they are currently showing when I check them in Firefox.

I have not been satisfied when seeking answers at the CCleaner forum, either. I wonder if anyone here has an answer.

Ellen

[Medico]

This is one reason why I use more than one cleaner. I also use Privacy Mantra. They both seem to find things the other miss.

I also run a batch file at Windows Start Up:

Copy the following into Notepad and save to your Desktop as a .bat file. Put this batch file into the Start Up folder and this cleanup will run each time you start Windows:

@Echo off
cls
cleanmgr /sageset:99
del /F /S /Q "%systemroot%\temp\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "%systemroot%\Prefetch\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Temp\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\History\*.*"

del /F /S /Q "C:\Documents and Settings\%UserName%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:\Documents and Settings\%UserName%\Local Settings\Temp\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:\Documents and Settings\%UserName%\Local Settings\History\*.*"

del /F /S /Q "C:\Documents and Settings\%UserName%\Local Settings\Application Data\Temp\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:\Documents and Settings\%UserName%\Local Settings\Application Data\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5
\*.*"

del /F /S /Q "C:\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History\*. *"
del /F /S /Q "C:\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Low\Content.IE5\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Temporary Internet Files\Low\Content.IE5\*.*"

del /F /S /Q "C:\Users\%UserName%\AppData\Local\Temp\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:\Temp\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "C:\Users\%UserName%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\W indo ws\Temporary Internet Files\Low\Content.IE5\*.*
del /F /S /Q "C:\Users\%UserName%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\W indo ws\History\*.*


::Rem: No need to duplicate the following section for each registered User
del /F /S /Q "%homepath%\Cookies\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "%homepath%\recent\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "%homepath%\Local Settings\cookies\*.*"

del /F /S /Q "%homepath%\Local Settings\History\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "%homepath%\Local Settings\Temp\*.*"
del /F /S /Q "%homepath%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\*.*"

cleanmgr /sagerun:99



Please note: The Sageset command near the top only needs to be included the first time you run the batch file. This sets Windows own Disk Cleanup Utility to a cleanup on steroids. What I would do is create the Batch file, run it once, choose all the disk cleanup files to remove this time, then remove the Sageset command. It will not hurt to leave it but will not be required to leave it. After you remove it, close Notepad and save it, then move the batch file to your Start Up folder on Start Orb, Programs.

[mipendance]

Hi, Ellen -

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNK_file

"File shortcuts (also known as Shell Links) were introduced in Windows 95^[1]. Microsoft Windows uses .lnk as the filename extension for shortcuts to local files, and .URL for shortcuts to remote files, like web pages. Commonly referred to as "shortcuts" or "link files", both are displayed with a curled arrow overlay icon by default, and no filename extension...."

Hope this helps.

[CLiNT]

You should also be clear on what exactly you are refering to.
At one point you mention "System Temp Files" (example), and another, you seem to refer to your browser's cache.
Please clarify. In XP there are also a few other places that can be cleared up outside/separate from the browser cache area.

List the full path to these directories that you are wanting to delete files from, like Ted did in his post above.
It is also a good idea, at least temporarily, to unhide protected/hidden operating system files in order to see what exactly there is in any particular temp directory.
Everything and anything in the browser's cache is fair game for removal. You may loose logon info and other browser "conveniences" in the process though.

[decibelle]

Ted, thanks for the advice. I'm not quite up to speed on that, but I will give it a try soon.

Clint, What I meant by system temp files was everything in C:\WINDOWS\Temp. There's a lot of "perflib" stuff and a ton of SBS_MACHO_UNIV stuff, and a handful of other stuff, including subfolders like cookies, etc. Is it generally safe to delete all that? Actually, I see that today CCleaner is showing more files than it did yesterday, a fair amount of stuff with the ini and tmp suffixes, and the other type that I mentioned above, but not all files, and none of the subfolders.

The Office XP files I was referring to are here: C:\Documents and Settings\Ellen\Application Data\Microsoft\Office\Recent .

I always have my files set to show hidden files and protected operating system files, BTW.

Thanks,
Ellen

[CLiNT]

The contents of the C:\WINDOWS\Temp directory can be safely deleted. Any folder contents with the name "TEMP" can safely be deleted.
That is usually an area for the temporary extraction of programs or drivers for installation & setup purposes.

The contents of the C:\Documents and Settings\Ellen\Application Data\Microsoft\Office\Recent folder can also be safely delete as well.
The "Recent" folder is a convienience place to view office content that you have created recently. Office content is by no means stored there.
*You ought to know where you stored all the office content that you've created and made provisions to back them up if they are of any value to you*

I hope that has answered some of your questions.

I routinely use 2 apps and 1 bachfile for removing common crud:
CCleaner
Privacy Mantra
Sagerun/Sageset commands:

%SystemRoot%\System32\Cmd.exe /c Cleanmgr /sageset:65535 & Cleanmgr /sagerun:65535

[decibelle]

So it is safe to delete every last thing in C:\WINDOWS\Temp, even the subfolders?

Thanks,
Ellen

[Medico]

Yes it is.

I see Clint uses the Sageset and Sagerun commands as well. I believe setting the command to 99 effectively gives the same folder optins as setting to 65535 if I'm not mistaken. I have included these command in the batch file. The batch file is an automated way to empty many of the common temp folders that you would otherwise have to empty manually. Putting it into the Start up folder just does it each time you boot.