Stupid Question re clearing out \WINDOWS\TEMP

Can I safely delete everything in the C:\Windows\Temp directory, or are
there files I need to watch out for? (Assume I close any documents I'm
working on, etc., first.)

Can I remove subdirectories, or only files within them? (A list of
directories is pasted below.)

I'm trying to clean out my system of malware and old crud, files for spyware
to spy on, etc., not to mention the ~4 GB of ancient junk in ..\Temp.



SPEEDWAY <DIR> 07-24-02 6:57p speedway
_ISTMP1 DIR <DIR> 08-11-01 12:21p _ISTMP1.DIR
PIGPEN <DIR> 07-24-02 7:06p pigpen
MNY3262 TMP <DIR> 08-11-01 12:21p mny3262.TMP
NETMSG <DIR> 08-11-01 12:21p netmsg
GEMMAS~1 <DIR> 07-24-02 7:06p gemmaster
_ISTMP2 DIR <DIR> 10-08-02 11:25a _ISTMP2.DIR
SPACER~1 <DIR> 07-24-02 7:18p spacerocks
BLASTE~1 <DIR> 08-03-02 4:40p blasterball
TEMPFO~1 AAA <DIR> 10-08-02 11:55a TempFolder.aaa
TEMPOR~1 <DIR> 11-01-02 10:09p Temporary Internet Files
COOKIES <DIR> 11-01-02 10:09p Cookies
HISTORY <DIR> 11-01-02 10:09p History
~WKS99~1 <DIR> 01-24-03 9:48p ~WKS99TEMP
_ISTMP3 DIR <DIR> 02-05-03 11:30a _ISTMP3.DIR
_ISTMP6 DIR <DIR> 02-10-03 9:29p _ISTMP6.DIR
_ISTMP4 DIR <DIR> 02-10-03 4:41p _ISTMP4.DIR
_ISTMP5 DIR <DIR> 02-10-03 4:41p _ISTMP5.DIR
IXP000 TMP <DIR> 02-17-03 9:36a IXP000.TMP
TEMPFO~1 AAB <DIR> 03-15-03 3:42p TempFolder.aab
_ISTMP7 DIR <DIR> 01-08-04 9:09p _ISTMP7.DIR
CLEANU~1 TMP <DIR> 10-25-03 6:13p .cleanup.tmp
ADOBE <DIR> 09-30-03 4:18p Adobe
_ISTMP8 DIR <DIR> 01-08-04 9:09p _ISTMP8.DIR
WMC0000 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0000.tmp
WMC0001 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0001.tmp
WMC0002 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0002.tmp
WMC0003 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0003.tmp
WMC0004 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0004.tmp
WMC0005 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0005.tmp
WMC0006 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0006.tmp
WMC0007 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0007.tmp
WMC0008 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0008.tmp
WMC0009 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0009.tmp

James
Tue Feb 17 21:31:40 CST 2004

Generally speaking, Windows will not let you delete any files in the Temp
folder it currently needs. Just to be on the safe side, delete all to your
recycle bin, reboot and watch for any problems.

--

-----------------------------------------
James M. Fisher
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
-----------------------------------------

"ggull" <ggullSPAM@NOTrcn.com> wrote in message
news:uOMHQ0c9DHA.1052@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Can I safely delete everything in the C:\Windows\Temp directory, or are
> there files I need to watch out for? (Assume I close any documents I'm
> working on, etc., first.)
>
> Can I remove subdirectories, or only files within them? (A list of
> directories is pasted below.)
>
> I'm trying to clean out my system of malware and old crud, files for
> spyware
> to spy on, etc., not to mention the ~4 GB of ancient junk in ..\Temp.
>
>
>
> SPEEDWAY <DIR> 07-24-02 6:57p speedway
> _ISTMP1 DIR <DIR> 08-11-01 12:21p _ISTMP1.DIR
> PIGPEN <DIR> 07-24-02 7:06p pigpen
> MNY3262 TMP <DIR> 08-11-01 12:21p mny3262.TMP
> NETMSG <DIR> 08-11-01 12:21p netmsg
> GEMMAS~1 <DIR> 07-24-02 7:06p gemmaster
> _ISTMP2 DIR <DIR> 10-08-02 11:25a _ISTMP2.DIR
> SPACER~1 <DIR> 07-24-02 7:18p spacerocks
> BLASTE~1 <DIR> 08-03-02 4:40p blasterball
> TEMPFO~1 AAA <DIR> 10-08-02 11:55a TempFolder.aaa
> TEMPOR~1 <DIR> 11-01-02 10:09p Temporary Internet Files
> COOKIES <DIR> 11-01-02 10:09p Cookies
> HISTORY <DIR> 11-01-02 10:09p History
> ~WKS99~1 <DIR> 01-24-03 9:48p ~WKS99TEMP
> _ISTMP3 DIR <DIR> 02-05-03 11:30a _ISTMP3.DIR
> _ISTMP6 DIR <DIR> 02-10-03 9:29p _ISTMP6.DIR
> _ISTMP4 DIR <DIR> 02-10-03 4:41p _ISTMP4.DIR
> _ISTMP5 DIR <DIR> 02-10-03 4:41p _ISTMP5.DIR
> IXP000 TMP <DIR> 02-17-03 9:36a IXP000.TMP
> TEMPFO~1 AAB <DIR> 03-15-03 3:42p TempFolder.aab
> _ISTMP7 DIR <DIR> 01-08-04 9:09p _ISTMP7.DIR
> CLEANU~1 TMP <DIR> 10-25-03 6:13p .cleanup.tmp
> ADOBE <DIR> 09-30-03 4:18p Adobe
> _ISTMP8 DIR <DIR> 01-08-04 9:09p _ISTMP8.DIR
> WMC0000 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0000.tmp
> WMC0001 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0001.tmp
> WMC0002 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0002.tmp
> WMC0003 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0003.tmp
> WMC0004 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0004.tmp
> WMC0005 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0005.tmp
> WMC0006 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0006.tmp
> WMC0007 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0007.tmp
> WMC0008 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0008.tmp
> WMC0009 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0009.tmp
>
>
>

Noel
Wed Feb 18 00:32:07 CST 2004

To add to what James said -

It's best to reboot /prior/ to emptying the TEMP folder - to ensure that any
files required by in-process installs/updates/etc are properly used before
the deletion takes place.


--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"James M. Fisher [MVP]" <xrayjames@msn.com> wrote in message
news:urtV9%23c9DHA.2416@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Generally speaking, Windows will not let you delete any files in the Temp
> folder it currently needs. Just to be on the safe side, delete all to your
> recycle bin, reboot and watch for any problems.
>
> --
>
> -----------------------------------------
> James M. Fisher
> MS MVP Windows Shell/User
> -----------------------------------------
>
> "ggull" <ggullSPAM@NOTrcn.com> wrote in message
> news:uOMHQ0c9DHA.1052@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> > Can I safely delete everything in the C:\Windows\Temp directory, or are
> > there files I need to watch out for? (Assume I close any documents I'm
> > working on, etc., first.)
> >
> > Can I remove subdirectories, or only files within them? (A list of
> > directories is pasted below.)
> >
> > I'm trying to clean out my system of malware and old crud, files for
> > spyware
> > to spy on, etc., not to mention the ~4 GB of ancient junk in ..\Temp.
> >
> >
> >
> > SPEEDWAY <DIR> 07-24-02 6:57p speedway
> > _ISTMP1 DIR <DIR> 08-11-01 12:21p _ISTMP1.DIR
> > PIGPEN <DIR> 07-24-02 7:06p pigpen
> > MNY3262 TMP <DIR> 08-11-01 12:21p mny3262.TMP
> > NETMSG <DIR> 08-11-01 12:21p netmsg
> > GEMMAS~1 <DIR> 07-24-02 7:06p gemmaster
> > _ISTMP2 DIR <DIR> 10-08-02 11:25a _ISTMP2.DIR
> > SPACER~1 <DIR> 07-24-02 7:18p spacerocks
> > BLASTE~1 <DIR> 08-03-02 4:40p blasterball
> > TEMPFO~1 AAA <DIR> 10-08-02 11:55a TempFolder.aaa
> > TEMPOR~1 <DIR> 11-01-02 10:09p Temporary Internet Files
> > COOKIES <DIR> 11-01-02 10:09p Cookies
> > HISTORY <DIR> 11-01-02 10:09p History
> > ~WKS99~1 <DIR> 01-24-03 9:48p ~WKS99TEMP
> > _ISTMP3 DIR <DIR> 02-05-03 11:30a _ISTMP3.DIR
> > _ISTMP6 DIR <DIR> 02-10-03 9:29p _ISTMP6.DIR
> > _ISTMP4 DIR <DIR> 02-10-03 4:41p _ISTMP4.DIR
> > _ISTMP5 DIR <DIR> 02-10-03 4:41p _ISTMP5.DIR
> > IXP000 TMP <DIR> 02-17-03 9:36a IXP000.TMP
> > TEMPFO~1 AAB <DIR> 03-15-03 3:42p TempFolder.aab
> > _ISTMP7 DIR <DIR> 01-08-04 9:09p _ISTMP7.DIR
> > CLEANU~1 TMP <DIR> 10-25-03 6:13p .cleanup.tmp
> > ADOBE <DIR> 09-30-03 4:18p Adobe
> > _ISTMP8 DIR <DIR> 01-08-04 9:09p _ISTMP8.DIR
> > WMC0000 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0000.tmp
> > WMC0001 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0001.tmp
> > WMC0002 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0002.tmp
> > WMC0003 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0003.tmp
> > WMC0004 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0004.tmp
> > WMC0005 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0005.tmp
> > WMC0006 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0006.tmp
> > WMC0007 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0007.tmp
> > WMC0008 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0008.tmp
> > WMC0009 TMP <DIR> 02-14-04 10:00a WMC0009.tmp
> >
> >
> >
>
>

ggull
Wed Feb 18 09:43:40 CST 2004

Thanks for the suggestions.
I'll also copy the entire directory to an external HD and keep it around for
a while in case of problems.

"Noel Paton" <NoelDPspamless@btopenworld.com> wrote .
> To add to what James said -
>
> It's best to reboot /prior/ to emptying the TEMP folder - to ensure that
any
> files required by in-process installs/updates/etc are properly used before
> the deletion takes place.
....
> "James M. Fisher [MVP]" <xrayjames@msn.com> wrote
> > Generally speaking, Windows will not let you delete any files in the
Temp
> > folder it currently needs. Just to be on the safe side, delete all to
your
> > recycle bin, reboot and watch for any problems.
....
> > "ggull" <ggullSPAM@NOTrcn.com> wrote...
> > > Can I safely delete everything in the C:\Windows\Temp directory,
.....

dnoam
Wed Feb 18 13:47:13 CST 2004

You can let a built-in utility do it for you:
Start - Programs - Accessories - System tools - Disk cleanup
HTH,

Noam