Windows XP Pro SP2:
Under C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp there are 36,735 files, 1690 folders for 5.2gb and under C:\Documents and Settings\Fred\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files I have 2583 files in 7 folders for 45.4 mb. I have run CCleaner and MS Disk Cleanup and neither one has removed all of these files.
How do I remove them and is it safe to do so??

Hi Romulan,

The short answer is yes, you can remove these files, though I'm surprised CCleaner hasn't removed them

For the Temporary Internet files, try opening Internet Explorer and going to Tools, Internet Options, Browsing History, Delete, Delete Files in the Temporary Internet Files section, Yes. Then click Close, OK and close IE. Check your TIF folder to make sure the files have gone.

Those instructions apply to IE7. The process in IE6 is similar but you need to put a check mark in the box by 'Delete all offline content'.

If that didn't work then a general way to empty a temporary file directory is as follows:

- Start your computer in Safe Mode. To do this, keep tapping the F8 key as soon as you turn your system on. Use the cursor (arrow) keys to choose Safe Mode from the menu that eventually appears and press Enter. Wait until the system has fully booted up.

- Open My Computer and navigate to the appropriate Temp directory

- Go to Edit, Select All to select all files and folders in that directory

- Press the Del key

You may still find that the operation fails because a file is in use. In this case, make a note of the name of this file, right click the background and select Arrange Icons by, Name. Then click the first file or folder, hold the Shift key down and click the file immediately before the one you wrote down. Press Del. Then go back to Edit, Select All, hold the Ctrl key down and click the first file to deselect it and press Del. Repeat the process until you only have a handful of files that are being used. Finally restart your system and you should be free of temp files.

Note - don't remove the temporary folders themselves, just the contents.

Good point!
I tend to forget that as I always work on a 1-user system.

Sorry I didn't mention this on my first post but I am the only user and an Admin. My main concern is \Local Settings\Temp with all of the files and directories.
When I installed ccleaner I just downloaded it and installed it. Do I install it in a special way??
I know how to delete the files manually but would rather let a tool do it. Just don't know why ccleaner or Disk Cleanup doesn't clean it out??

For CCleaner, before use, go to Options > Settings > Advanced and ensure Only delete files in Windows Temp folders older than 48 hours is unchecked. To delete all "tracking" cookies, (which I urge you do), you must delete all cookies, so ensure the Cookies setting remains checked. Ensure you know your site credentials (user name and password) for sites you frequent; you will have to login again at next visit. Beginners and experts alike will benefit from the excellent, CCleaner Beginner's Guide.

Do you tried Disk Cleanup too?

Were you always the only user?

Another option is, from a command prompt, enter: del /q /f /s %temp%\*

This will delete all the temp files in what Windows thinks is its temp folders. If those files are still there after running that, then I think they are abandoned and you can simply delete them all manually. What are some of the time stamps?

_________________
Bill, AFE7Ret
Freedom is NOT Free!

I have not tried the "older than 48" yet but most of these files are .tmp files with a few .txt, .xml, ~xxx.doc and the files go back to 11/1/2006. Only 9 of the 1690 folders are time stamped 7/2008. All of the rest are from 2007 and 2006. Some of the directory names end in .tmp and some have names like {CDB5B4F2-219D-48BA-AC26-39F1FB4C324F}.

I had tried both Disk Cleanup and CCleaner.

I am the one and only user and have always been. The \Local Settings is under my user name.

Is it possible that these programs don't "know" that this is a temp directory??

I will try your renaming solution. Still curious why ccleaner doesn't work. Have a post on their site about this.

Thanks for all of your help.

Is it possible that you have changed your %temp% environment variable?

Open a Commant Prompt, then type echo %temp% - what do you get?

I unchecked the "Only delete files in Windows Temp folder older than 48 hours" and it cleaned everything up. Took a long time but it is now clean.

I think if that box is checked it only cleans the Temp folder!!

Thanks for everyones help!!

Glad you got it fixed - thanks for letting us know!