Deletion of temp. files?

[janann]

Hello, everyone:

I am a novice to computer maintenance duties and have a phobia about deleting anything. I have a Windows 98 system, and my partner said the computer automatically deletes temporary internet files. I went to: Tools, Internet Options, then under Temp. Internet Files I hit settings, view files. Found a lot of files, and double-clicking to look at them brought this message: Running a system command on this item might be unsafe. Do you wish to continue?...I'm pretty sure all these files - some cookies, some others - are routinely deleted by everyone, but wanted to make sure I could delete everything in here. Also, should this be done every day?

The other thing I came across when trying to learn about temp. files was going via Start, Find, Files, then typed in *.tmp and it brought up many (587 to be exact), some 0 KB in size, some dated 1999. What is the difference between these temp. files?I'm sure I don't need most of these either, but again, I'm afraid to delete anything if I don't know what it is.

Thanks for your patience with really basic questions. It's kind of embarrassing - but I will take better care of my computer, with your help.

Janann

[DanK]

The files in your temp folder are safe to delete.

To have Internet Explorer delete them for you, click Tools > Internet Options > Advanced.

Under the security section add a check to Empty Temporary internet files folder when browser is closed

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by DanK on 10/14/02 00:17.</FONT></P>

[Hally]

janann you can copy\paste the blue section into your find utility & hit "find now" any results can be deleted with no problem at all, this will get rid of some junk for you! /images/forums/icons/wink.gif
<font color=blue>MSCREATE.DIR, *.*$, _*.*, ~*.*, *.~*, *.*_, *.*~, *.^*, *.FTS, *.GID, *.---</font color=blue>


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[janann]

Hello, DanK:

Thanks for the easy-to-follow advice! I still managed to blunder by pressing ok instead of apply, but eventually figured that out (I am really at the minimum level of computer use)!

Last night I did do a search here and found a long series of posts (thread?) re: *.tmp files, how and what to banish. There seem to be a few different options, i.e. after restart delete all dated beyond the past month, or delete all of a certain type safely. Hally left a post on that, so will explore that next. Thanks again for your help with the temp. files - one down!!

Janann

[janann]

Hello, Hally:

Thanks for the help! I managed to do this, pasting the blue section into Named area, to have a look at what was there. I did chicken out though, wanted to write back first to ask what these are from? There are things dated '99 and '98 in there (I bought computer new in March 2000). Also I can't get straight the difference between temp. and *.tmp files. Are the temp. files in Internet options shreds from using the Internet (and are they the same as in the Windows temp. files in My Computer)? - and are the *.tmp files shreds of the work that the computer itself does?....I will go ahead on your suggestion, but knowing more about it eases my "deletion-phobia". Thanks a lot, Hally!

Janann

[Hally]

Hi janann its good to see you don't just do things without thinking first, we've all did something in haste & regreted it <a target="_blank" href=http://www.pcmaestro.com/clear_temporary_files.htm>Click Here</a> to read some quick info /images/forums/icons/wink.gif
The *.temp & *.tmp are both rubbish to delete Windows makes a tmp (temp) file when you open a file, if the machine then locks up with the file open it has no way to remove the tmp file, so you will have to do it manually. Usually tmp files are stored in the default temp folder (windows\temp) if you want to remove the tmp files the easiest way is to use the Find (or Search) Tool to search the boot drive (C:) for *.tmp files then delete them from that window. If you want to be safe, delete the file (it will be stored in the Recycle Bin) then shut down and restart the system and see if you get an error message, if you don’t Empty the Recycle Bin, if you do get “a file is missing” message then open the Recycle bin and then restore the file. Occasionally when you try to delete a ,tmp file is will say “Cannot remove file” that is because the file is in use by a program that you have open, when you close the program it will then remove it’s tmp file. Temporary Internet files / Settings can also be Delete all the files by clicking on that button. Note: The last time I used it I also lost my saved cookies files so many sites that I visit that require a password could not remember me or my password, the accounts had to be setup all over again so keep any cookies that you know are sites you need to get into by a password. . . Good Luck


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[janann]

Hey, thank you, Hally!

I printed out the info sheet and began deleting *.tmp files..got rid of all previous to September, and began to wonder about the capacity of my Recycle bin, so restarted and received no error messages. I'll empty the bin and repeat for the rest. On checking for *.mp files as your info sheet suggested, I found none. The only bump in the road was a warning: The file lec3085 is a read-only file. Are you sure you want to move it to the Recycle bin?...I left it and its mate, both 332 KB from the year 2000. Are you familiar with these? I'll hang on to them until I hear it's okay to let go.

2 down! I'm so enthused now I intend to take an extra day off work to try to fix other things, so I'm sure you'll see me posting other questions (I'll bet that doesn't come as a surprise). Thanks for the encouragement.

Janann

[Hally]

Glad to help you janann if you need to delete a few more kilo\mega bytes & you've done alot of cutting & pasting you can go to this folder <font color=blue>C:\Windows\Applog</font color=blue> & delete it completely, its ok Windows recreates it empty though. . . . I had 4mb of stuff here . . . . have fun


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[janann]

Hello again, Hally:

Thought I was done with temp. files after the temp. internet files in Internet Options and losing 590 *.tmp files...but I seem to have found 8 folders with over 2000 "objects" in each. They are in My Computer&gt;C drive&gt;Windows folder&gt;Temporary Internet file folder. Inside that is a folder called Content.IE5...My current version of IE seems to be 6.0. We did have problems awhile ago and my partner got rid of the old and reinstalled IE. Are these all unneeded files too? (This is what I mean about temp. files being confusing)! Guess my temp. work is not so temporary. Off to have a look at C;/Windows/Applog - thanks!

Janann

[Hally]

You've found quite a few dead files 1 of the best ways to delete the Tempory Internet Files is to open control panel then open Internet Options on "General Tab" look for "Delete Files" & hit that button then follow instructions this will get rid of your temp Internet files, have you deleted C:\Windows\Applog, after all this your computer should go allot faster. Then Defrag your system to finish of your good work. . .

Bye For Now


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[janann]

Hi, Hally:

Maybe it's just me...I did as you suggested, then again, went My Computer&gt;C drive&gt;Windows folder&gt;Temporary Internet files folder. Inside that remains a Content.IE5 folder with the 8 other 2000 file+ folders still intact. I'm sure there are fragments of incorrectly uninstalled games, etc. in there, but when I try to look at some I get "Choose the program you want to use to open the file", and I abandon that 'cause I don't know which to select. I would at least start deleting some if I knew what they were. I don't understand why all these are still there, but it sure does seem like a lot of space used! The Applog area contained 81 small files, but I haven't removed them yet. Any other thoughts on this stubborn backlog? Thank you, Hally.

p.s. I do clean my house, honest!

Janann

[Hally]

Ha Ha I believe you on the house work, computers more fun though /images/forums/icons/smile.gif
here is a good one for you
I noticed you have more than 4 folders under this key
C:\WINDOWS\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5
Are you familiar with DOS, you can do this (its not so hard)
It will totally clean everything safely.
Click Start, click Shut Down, click Restart In MS-DOS Mode, then click OK.

At the command prompt, type the following commands below in bold, pressing ENTER after each command, & pressing Y if you are prompted to confirm folder deletion

cd\windows
smartdrv
deltree history
deltree tempor~1
exit

The neccessary files and folders will be rebuilt at startup.
you might want to print this so you can follow it as you go through each stage
Good Luck janann,


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[janann]

Hi, Hally:

Oh, oh...and I was afraid to delete files! No, I'm not familiar with DOS, only recognize it from the Shutdown menu. I have a couple of things to print out for work and would like some time to do this in case I mess it up - it's 4 a.m. here now, about my bedtime, so I'll check in here after work, then go for it.

I'm with you on the Shutdown menu, but after that I must confess I don't know how to print in bold (only in My Documents) - will capital letters do? Does it prompt me 5 times or do I just type in the 5 lines with enter after each? And if I do something wrong or am faced with any options I don't understand, can I get out (and back) without causing a revolution?

Your instructions were great, and it probably won't ask me for anything else, just nervous as there are so many weird things going on inside the computer, e.g. no Notepad anymore (I'm not responsible for that), Java won't work, mute button same, processor makes a lot of angry grinding noises, and McAfee 's First Aid left me a long list of potential problems. On the bright side, it's possible some of this is due to the unhygienic state it's in, a recent defrag corrected some mistakes, and its resources at restart are back to 81%. I'll check after work to see if you have been able to leave a reply, then do it. Do you ever sleep, Hally? You've sure given me a lot of time and expertise, it's really appreciated...

Janann

[Nana]

janann,

Just so you know, Hally's in Australia. I don't think he ever sleeps, either!
BTW, the bold print he used was just for emphasis so you could see exactly what he wanted you to do. You don't need to use it yourself.

I'll hand you back to Hally now. He may actually be asleep, too!

Nana /images/forums/icons/smile.gif

[Hally]

Hi janann after I sent you the last reply I thought later it might be a bit much for you so just forget that until you learn about things abit more, don't worry we all were newbies every single on of us.
LOL about sleeping I'm in Australia, 4am for you is about 7pm for us
You don't have to be worried about deleting the *.tmp or c:\Windows\Applog folder it will be re-written on the next re-start but it will be empty which is what you want!



<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[janann]

Greetings, Nana:

Thanks for clueing me in. I am making progress thanks to Hally's and DanK's help, but you can tell I still have a ways to go! You'll be seeing more questions here when I have days off - it's great to have found this place.

p.s. Saw your holiday weekend message, fellow Canadian (Vancouver).

Janann

[janann]

Hi, Hally:

I was kind of relieved when I read your last message, was prepared to do it and may yet one of these days, but I'll work on a few other things first. Deleted the Applog area, then began looking in that massive temp. files area and started grouping the jpeg and gif files (as I could see what they were) and got rid of about 700 when the mouse pointer started freezing up repeatedly. Just now had to restart, then finish the shutdown manually. Got the black screen (fixed disk failure??) and started again, but it sounds very sick so I'll call it a night.

It's very satisfying getting rid of these files even though it seems like a real slow process to some, I guess...but after getting rid of all the jpeg and gif, then the explorer files, that alone should make a big difference, and I'll probably try to find out what the remaining ones are - try to learn as I go. You'll be seeing other questions posted as I have more time off - it'll probably take a year of weekends to fix this poor machine up!

Cheers, Hally, I wouldn't even have made it this far but for your encouragement and knowhow. I really appreciate the time involved. And yes, I was kind of aware of the Canadian-Australian time difference 'cause of my association with Randwick, Gosford, Caulfield, Goulburn, Wyong, Canterbury, etc. I bet you know what I'm referring to (operative words being the first 2 in this sentence) ha, ha.

Janann

[Nana]

Hi, janann!
I'm from southern Ontario, so I'm 3 hours ahead of you. You're probably getting out of bed for work right about now whereas I'm past breakfast

You'd be surprised how much you can learn hanging around this place and asking questions. It's a friendly and knowledgeable group. They don't make fun of any questions. Like Hally said, we've all been there at one time. I still am.

I'll give you back to Hally again. He's a great guy and he's giving you instructions which are commensurate with your experience. So, as he said, don't be afraid to question anything you don't understand.

Nana /images/forums/icons/smile.gif

[Hally]

I'm glad to help & you'll enjoy Winguides Forum as I have for about a year now, there is some great people here who have taught me plenty!

Holy Cow janann I know exactly where Randwick is, 30 min drive, & Gosford we go there every now & then, did you know Spike Milligan lives 5 mins away at "Woy Woy" not sure if he's still there now.

The temp files janann if you follow Dank post to the letter I promise you the "Temp Internet Files" will delete themselves each time you shutdown, that way you'll never need to go through them & do what you're doing now. It's a great little trick that one
Glad to hear you got rid of Applog contents, check it from time to time & do the same.

Your machine definately needs some fixing by the sound of it, maybe you should put a new post with your other computer problems & I assure you these people will do their best to get you fixed & surfin with no probs. good luck



<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[Hally]

Thanks for your kind words Nana /images/forums/icons/smile.gif


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[Paul D]

That was just a slip of the tongue - I hope!

Internet Explorer will not delete the files in your temp folder. It will delete the files in your Temporary Internet Files folder. There's a pretty big difference there!

Paul D

[Paul D]

Died earlier this year

Paul D

[Paul D]

If you empty TIF through Internet Tools it often doesn't completely work.
Temporary Internet Folders is a special folder. What Windows Explorer sees in TIF is governed by index.dat. When you hit the stop button on a part-loaded page, the files have been cached, but index.dat has not been updated, therefore WE doesn't know they are there, and Windows doesn't understand what has to be cleared, and deletes only those files that have been indexed.
If you can delete the entire folder it will be rebuilt on bootup with a fresh index.dat. This has to be done from DOS, because index.dat is always in use while Windows is running.

Paul D

[Hally]

How sad that is, he was a funny dude along with the other two thirds of the "Goons" Peter Sellers & Harry Secombe. . . thanks for the news


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[janann]

Hello, Nana:

You're in humidity country, all right! and you may be up now, as I head to bed at 5:00 a.m. Thanks for the welcome - hope I am still "on the air" tomorrow, as today this computer's freezing up so often I almost have to don my parka...(I would put a frowny face here if I knew how to do it - that's another one for my list)!

Janann

[janann]

Hello, Paul D:

Thanks for the response(s). I am still confused about the 3 different temporary file types/areas - the *.tmp (done), the temp. ones in Internet Options (done) and the ones in My Computer&gt;C drive&gt;Windows folder&gt;Temporary Internet files folder. Inside this is the Content.IE5 folder containing the other 8 folders that hold about 16,000 objects. I started just trying to unload some of it that I was familiar with, the jpeg, gif, and files marked "e" that I assume are various bits of internet detritus. This was real satisfying until the mouse pointer kept freezing, even if I highlighted only 10 items at a time. A few times the files disappeared but print remained. Got illegal operation box when I emptied Recycle bin...and so on.

I'd like to continue doing this, but it sounds like I may have to do the restart in MS-DOS mode - this is the same thing as Hally had suggested a number of posts back, right? I'd like to get any more information on it that I can before doing it (I noticed 2 recent posts in this section about problems in this mode, and I have no experience whatsoever). I've used the search feature here and tried to find out more about this and index.dat, but can't find too much. Your explanation along with an article in a SmartComputing mag brings me a bit closer to understanding the differences...it's just not understanding how computers work as a whole, I find it really difficult to envision how the parts interact with each other.

Would this problem be rectified if I manually deleted the contents, as I had been starting to? - or do I still have to do something about the index.dat? If manual deletion is all, I'll probably try again tomorrow and if the mouse pointer keeps freezing up, well, I read something about checking off "Remove files immediately when deleted" (at least the ones that I know for sure are garbage). Perhaps this may bypass the Recycle bin? I don't really think it's a problem with the Recycle bin, but that's when the mouse pointer kept freezing??

I do have other problems I was hoping to post about soon. Maybe they are the cause, or maybe the large amount of trash is causing some of those...Thanks for your help, and I'll see how the deletion works tomorrow.

Janann

[janann]

Hi, Hally:

R.I.P. Spike..I didn't know that either, sad news - they were great!

Today's progress was summed up in my last post..I enjoyed grouping icons together and deleting nice little batches of them - the computer obviously didn't. After work again tomorrow I will make another attempt, but failing that, maybe I'll start with the other major question regarding the list of troubles the McAfee First Aid left me with. I tried that again tonight, to see if I got the same results from the checkup, but got IO'ed again.

I just looked again and realized when I follow the My Computer&gt;C drive&gt;Windows folder pathway where the Temporary Internet files folder resides, there is also a Temp folder...inside that are 3 Temp folders that seem to contain the same thing, and yet another Temporary Internet files folder that contains 4 folders that contain nothing...I am laughing now, not even going to ask!!!

Janann

p.s. I figured you'd know what I meant by Randwick, etc. - that's pretty close by! I tune in often to 2KY

[Hally]

Janann you somehow have a few extra folders there, you shouldn't have all those temp folders, only one C:\Windows\Temp & one of these C:\Windows\Temporary Internet Files inside this one is Content.IE5 & this one has four strange sub-folders that are numbered\lettered & their names change all the time. heres my four Yhs6iapp, Qij8lyw9, Cxzj2i1i & 8vsx0hw3. . . . wierd names
You'll master it all just keep learning, & remember even the longest walk starts with one step at a time /images/forums/icons/smile.gif


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[Nana]

janann,

I was reading the whole thread this afternon & noticed this:

"Thanks for the easy-to-follow advice! I still managed to blunder by pressing ok instead of apply, but eventually figured that out."

When you click OK, it automatically applies whatever you have chosen. It's just that the applet that you working with also closes when you click OK. If you want to do more than one thing within that applet, when you click Apply the applet remains open for you to work on it further.

I hope I haven't confused the issue.

As always,
Nana /images/forums/icons/smile.gif

[Paul D]

Two types - not three. The files in c:\windows\temporary internet files are the ones that are supposedly cleared through Internet Options.
First - c:\windows\temp. Most files here are deleted automatically - any left behind can be deleted through Windows Explorer, except those dated during the current session, which are most likely in use.

Now - C:\Windows|temporary Internet Files and all folders below. This is your Internet cache. When you visit a web page all the files that make up that web page are downloaded here and kept so that if you return to the page they can be loaded from your HD instead of being downloaded again. How long they are kept is controlled by a setting in Internet Explorer. They are downloaded to one of four (or more) randomly named folders two levels down from TIF, below Content.IE5. When you go through Internet Options these folders should be (but aren't necessarily) emptied. As these files are downloaded, an index entry should be made in index.dat, but this doesn't always happen, and WE only shows those files that have been indexed, not the true contents of the folders. Also, I understand that when you "empty" the folders through Internet Options, nothing happens in index.dat, so it just keeps growing. And you can't delete it in Windows, because it's always in use.
So the only way to truly clean TIF is in pure DOS, either manually, or using a utility which will do it as you reboot.

Paul D

[tnguy]

janann, it might help you to see this:
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.langa.com/cleanup_bat.htm>http://www.langa.com/cleanup_bat.htm</a>

<font color=orange>TN<font color=blue>guy</font color=blue>
Information Technology Instructor
I'm not a technical person, I just play one on..line

[Nana]

Great site!

Nana /images/forums/icons/smile.gif

[janann]

Hi, Hally:

I'm not surprised that you think my stockpile of temp and TIF items is unusual! Been reading a lot of articles from an old SmartComputing mag today - trying to rule out some things (no IRQ? conflicts) but info overload is getting me a bit overwhelmed. Your kind words of support help a lot!

Janann

[janann]

Hello, Nana:

Good detective work (proofreading) - and, no, you did not confuse me, though it takes embarrassingly little to do that! Just proves how important it is to communicate wisely, even more so with me than with all of you technically advanced folks here. I'm about to do a new post relating some other concerns, and I will try to word it well. Thanks, Nana!

Janann

[janann]

Hello TNguy:

Thanks for this link! The WipeTIF.bat sounds great, as it's the TIF files I'm trying to get a handle on in particular. Unfortunately I don't have a Notepad anymore (He Who Also Uses This Computer sent Notepad packing) so I hope Wordpad will let me read about it.

If it's at all complicated to run, I'm sure I'll have to ask preliminary questions. I am wondering if this will remove those TIF files that Paul D was referring to, as from the sound of it, they can't be erased when Windows is running at all..or is this WipeTIF.bat a sort of utility that is the only other option (other than the Restart in MS-DOS)? Thanks a lot for the help!

Janann

[janann]

Hello, Paul D:

Thanks so much for expanding on this. I can't say I understand it very well, but you made me realize the concept of why some things will be recognized and deleted and the others not. I wondered if the downloads available on the Langa site that TNguy recommended are what you referred to as "a utility which will do it as you reboot", that is, the only alternative to the Restart in MS-DOS mode.

I feel guilty for being slow to act on such a lot of good advice I'm getting here, but options crop up, and there also seem to be a lot of other issues with this computer that I have to address, don't know if they are critical issues or not. So I will do a new post tonight and see if I might be okay to do anything else that will help. Thanks again for the very patient explanation.

Janann

[Paul D]

Anything on Fred Langa's site is usually OK. There's one there called WipeTIF.bat that is specifically made to completely clean out the internet cache.

BTW - just to keep this thread pretty well totally Down Under, I'm in Brisbane.
Paul D

[janann]

Hi Paul D:

Hey - I tune in to the announcers at Toowooba, Kilcoy, Beaudesert, Gatton, and Gold Coast, all in your neck of the woods, I think.
WipeTIF.bat was the one I was thinking of - delighted to hear I can use it instead of the Restart in MS-DOS mode which was making me nervous! I hope I can use Wordpad to read about it..if not, I'll have to find out how to get a Notepad again. Great to get the okay on this.

Janann

[Hally]

I was waiting for a chance to say "I knew you were from Down-Under" Paul because you & I shared a flag.gif signature at Annoyance. . . can you remember. . . .
its me Steve'o ha ha good on ya Paul


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[Hally]

janann have you got your windows cd-rom, because this is the way to fix most of your problems, notepad & all the other stuff, then you'd be playing with a new set-up at least!

Trust me with this one, open Start\Programs\Windows Explorer in the left panel click C:\ then you'll see Windows Folder highlight that in left panel then locate Temporary Internet Files open that by clicking once, next on right panel find yellow folder in TIF folder you say is there named "Temp" right click it & hit Delete then say yes or ok, if there is another "Temp" in TIF Folder do the same until there is one folder left named "Content.IE5". I'll feel better knowing you don't have 15 temp folders also your computer will thankyou. You'll master it /images/forums/icons/smile.gif

did you notice at the very start of all this you was a <font color=purple>"New Member"</font color=purple> & you're now a <font color=purple>"Member"</font color=purple> you've been promoted yeehaa


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[Nana]

Bite your tongue, Paul! What do you mean keep it downunder. I think we'll say that we'll keep it in the Commonwealth! After all, Janann & I are both Crazy Canucks.

Nana /images/forums/icons/wink.gif

[Nana]

Janann,
I'm glad I didn't lead to any confusion regarding Apply & OK.

I have one comment to make, though. It's regaqrding your remark about: <font color=blue>"all of you technically advanced folks here"</font color=blue>
If you ask any of the regulars here on WinGuides, you will quickly find out that I am only one corner farther along the learning curve in computers than you are. And, believe me, I'm not technically advanced! Very far from it.

It's amazing how much you can learn from just reading questions & answers on every board here - even ones that you may not think would be of interest. Also, look at the links that are provided. Many times they have a wealth of knowledge in a very easy to understand format. I've been known to click on a link in one of the replies and not surface again for an hour or two.

Another great spot for learning is Google Canada (http://www.google.com/>Google</a>)[/b]. Just enter a word, a few key words or a phrase and you'll have oodles of places to read. Ditto the <a target="_blank" href=http://www.google.ca/dirhp?q=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en>Google Directory</a>.

You are correct to start a new thread when you have a different topic. This thread is getting very lengthy, albeit still interesting, but it's best to start fresh with any other questions you may have.

Remeber what I said - The natives here are friendly. Good luck on your travels.
Nana /images/forums/icons/smile.gif

[janann]

Hello, Nana:

I think you deserve more credit than you're giving yourself in the expertise department. You're at least one light-year ahead of me! Before finding this forum, the learning process for me was very ineffective, spent a lot of time but didn't find very good sites, and certainly did not learn anything in a linear fashion. It was like walking in near the end of a movie; I started to get a sense of what was going on, something seemed familiar, and then it was over. When I got here it was terrific to find many more topics of interest in one place, and the links - you're right! - have been great, I couldn't agree more. Thanks for reminding me about Google too, kept getting "no matches" and tried Google for the first time - lo and behold! Google Canada I'd never heard of, how unpatriotic of me, eh?...

I spent some time tonight trying to edit down and word a new post - was about to type my name and got an IO - ouch. But I now think that was best, will put forth separate shorter questions. I've been reading nonstop today and beginning to feel in need of a defrag component myself. I was also wondering, a bit alarmed when I noticed the number of replies on this vs. most other threads, about proper forum etiquette. I know my confusion has led to people giving me more help than a lot of other people would require, and do hope to supplement the nuggets of wisdom with follow-up reading on the side, so it's quicker in future. Thanks, Nana, and hope to hear more advice in subsequent posts...

Janann

[janann]

Hi, Hally:

I do have the HP Pavilion System Recovery and Application Recovery CD Rom that came with my machine, is this what you mean? I'd actually hunted for them already, as I was beginning to think I might need them if I ever went to MS-DOS land.

I followed your leads to the Temporary Internet Files folder, but the only thing inside that is the Content.IE5, the 8 folders with the weird names and all the stuff inside them. The Temp folder sits beside the Temporary Internet Files folder in the Windows folder. Inside the Temp folder are:

1. 3 other Temp folders, each called Temp, each containing one Xtras folder and one folder called dirapi.mch

2. A TIF folder, containing a Content.IE5 folder, this one contains 4 folders with weird numeric names, 3 of which disappear when clicked on, and the last one contains 6 files

3. lots of other folders, some of which are empty, notably one BDE folder - and I recall deleting lots of BDE's when you helped me do the Applog

Messy!!

I think I'd like to try the MS-DOS way you suggested before, or the WipeTIF.bat way, which when I quick-read the site a bit, still does seem to involve the dreaded visit to MS-DOS...Paul D did also say it had to be done when Windows was not running. You were very encouraging about it, and I'll bet when it's done I'll be surprised it went fine! I have another workday tomorrow, so likely won't attempt it till the weekend, as I really want to read that website and try to learn more about MS-DOS beforehand. I still may have a question before rolling up my sleeves and starting, but will probably post it new.

Hey, Hally, I had a bit of a frustrating day, but laughed out loud when I read your comment about my new designation! No, I hadn't noticed the change...and amazed I wasn't demoted for the amount of time I'm taking trying to absorb all this new stuff. Thanks a lot, Hally!

Janann

[Paul D]

Owyergoin' mate! Good to see you again!

Paul D

[JimmieC]

This may be of interest to you.

http://computing.net/windows95/wwwboard/forum/126788.html

[Hally]

Bloody Great Mate! /images/forums/icons/wink.gif <font color=blue>Avagoodweekend</font color=blue>


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[Hally]

Right lets sort something out janann. . . the TIF folder I must of miss understood its contents from you, no problem, but now it sounds like Temp the yellow folder in windows, if that contains other yellow folders with same name do this.

In Windows Explorer <font color=purple>(this is better than working in "My Computer")</font color=purple> left panel open the x next to Drive_c(C) then it opens to reveal Windows follow down (still in left panel) until you get to Temp click once on it.

Now in the right panel click once on a bare spot then you can highlight everything in this panel by just going up to the Edit pulldown menu on the toolbar & tap Select All & Delete the lot folders & all. . . this is fully ok

Go Get em/images/forums/icons/wink.gif at least you've got the weekend to have fun on the computer.

Good Luck!/images/forums/icons/cool.gif


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[janann]

Hi, Hally:

I appreciate your reply so much, but unfortunately I can't do much now - just wanted to see if I could get a message in. Posted this a.m. under Virus area here...disaster in Outlook Express, viruses??Maybe bugbear and klez, email is going crazy. Came home after work and thought it was dead. I'm getting a Norton av this weekend and I think will have to try system recovery and applications cd's, wipe everything out. I'd give a lot just to try a restart in ms-dos but think things are too far gone. Just wanted to send a msg. while I could. I'll be back to check in if I still can, then tomorrow off to the store and will be back whenever I can. If I still can I may ask questions tomorrow, but also kind of worried to even leave it on if bugs are at work. If you don't hear a peep for awhile you can guess what's happening. The encouragement I've got here will get me through! Till later, cheers,

Janann

[Nana]

Janann,

Don't worry about how many posts are in this thread. Every now & then a thread carries on like this but it comes to an end sooner rather than later.

I'm leaving this thread now & will look for you elsewhere on the forum. Good luck with your quest for knowledge.

Nana /images/forums/icons/smile.gif

PS: It's the Commonwealth, Paul! /images/forums/icons/wink.gif

[Nana]

Hally,

In your last post, you said: "Windows Explorer is better than working in My Computer." ( I pared your sentence down a little.)

If you open My Computer, click on View, Explorer Bar and select Folders, you have Windows Explorer. I find it easier to do that because the icon is already on my desktop.

Have a great weekend, Hally.
Nana /images/forums/icons/smile.gif

[jackha]

Hi Nana. I sure do love these long threads. Oh yea I keep my win explorer on my quick launch along with outlook E,IE, cntrl pnl, word pad,clp bord viewer. I tried Hallys clean up from DOS and the mscreate.dir and ended up with 8.79 MB in the bin that was empty before and I still don't know where it all came from, I thought I had a pretty clean system. I did loose my address book though but I have them on disk so no prob. Well you folks just keep going so I and a lot of other folks can learn how these damm things work. jackha

[Hally]

Howdy there Nana, thanks for that tip I didn't know My Computer could do that.

But I put a shortcut for Windows Explorer on my desktop yonks ago lol & I give it a snazzy looking atlas icon in <font color=purple>c:\windows\system\cool.dll</font color=purple>

Thanks Nana catch you later


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[Nana]

Hally,
How long, exactly, is a "yonk" in North American time? See, I can't decide if you should get rid of the cool icon without further information. If a yonk is 6 months or more, keep your icon. But, if it's less, well, maybe you should reconsider.

Nana /images/forums/icons/wink.gif

[Hally]

ha ha Nana you liked that one eh' "Yonks" well I'm not sure exactly but I know its longer than a New York minute /images/forums/icons/smile.gif LOL /images/forums/icons/laugh.gif but serious yonks is like saying "ages"

See if you can say this out loud without getting it wrong, this is the best tongue twister & yet it sounds so Easy are you ready! below. . say it out loud

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IRISH WRISTWATCH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Oh Well I liked it. .

Bye all!


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
&gt;&gt;&gt;/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif&lt;&lt;&lt;</font color=blue>

[Nana]

Buy Canadian! They last for yonks.

Nana /images/forums/icons/wink.gif

[Hally]

Yeehaa Nana, thats the way /images/forums/icons/cool.gif


<font color=blue>&gt;&gt;Hally&lt;&lt;
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