How to Clean Everything From My Computer Temp Files
Temporary files are commonly created when certain programs are running or during the installation process. These files store small amounts of data that help the programs run more smoothly in the Windows operating system. Usually, Windows detects and deletes the files automatically. There are occasions, however, when Windows misses the files and you must take further steps to delete them. This frees up space on your hard drive and enables your computer to run more efficiently.
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Instructions
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Deleting Temporary Files from Windows XP
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Click on "Start" and select "Search" from the menu.
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Select "All Files and Folders."
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Place your cursor in the space where it says "All or part of the file name." Then type the following in exactly: *.tmp,*.chk,~*.*
For simplicity's sake, copy *.tmp,*.chk,~*.* and paste it directly into the space. It is vitally important that you perform this exact search. Otherwise, you risk bringing up files that are necessary for the operation of your computer's programs. -
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Select "Look in:" and highlight your hard drive, most likely the C: drive. If you have more than one hard drive, select "All Local Drives."
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Click on "More Advanced Options" and highlight "Search Hidden Files and Folders."
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Double-check that you've entered *.tmp,*.chk,~*.* exactly as shown, then click "Search." Depending on how many temporary files are stored on your computer, the search process may take several minutes. Give it time.
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Press "Ctrl + a" to highlight all of the files simultaneously, and then press your "Delete" key. This should delete the files. If it does not, it most likely means that they are attached to a running program. If this is case, you may need to highlight and delete each file individually.
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Go to "File" located at the top left corner of the "Search Results" window. Click on "Save Search." You can then save the search to your Desktop. This creates a shortcut to the temporary file search that you can click on any time you wish to delete temp files.
Deleting Temporary Files From Windows Vista
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Go to "Start" and type "%temp%" (without quote marks) into the Search box. Like Windows XP, it's important you enter this search exactly as it appears here: %temp%
This opens your temporary folder.
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Open the folder and delete all the temp files. Delete the files individually or highlight them all at once by holding down "Ctrl" and left-clicking on the files with your mouse. Release "Ctrl" and press "Delete" when you're ready to remove the files.
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Click "Yes" when your asked to confirm the deletion of the files. Some files may not be deleted if they are being used by programs that are currently running. Be sure to close all other programs and try again. If they still fail to be deleted, reboot your computer and retry.
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Close the folder when you've finished deleting the temp files. Allow the files to remain in your Recycle Bin for a week or so. If everything seems to be running fine, you can then empty the Recycle Bin.
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Tips & Warnings
Windows comes packaged with a program that's designed to help delete temporary files. Go to "Start" and then "Programs." Navigate to "Tools" and the select "Disk Cleanup" from the menu. Disk Cleanup removes temporary files and helps streamline your computer.
You can delete temporary Internet files by going to your Control Panel and selecting "Internet Options." At the "General" tab you need to click on "Delete Files" next to where it says "Temporary Internet Files." Finally, click "OK" to delete all offline content.
References
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