ParetoLogic Privacy Controls > Tutorials > Cleaning the temp folder
Cleaning The Temp
folder Using ParetoLogic Privacy Controls
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What Is The Temp folder?
All Windows systems use a Temp folder. This folder contains temporary files and folders created by Windows software and by the operating system. Files are created automatically, as and when required, but it is not unusual for the Temp folder to become filled with obsolete and unnecessary files. These will clog up disk space and potentially reduce the performance of your system.
How Do I Find The Temp folder In Windows 95, 98, and XP?
The location of your Temp folder will depend primarily on the version of Windows you are using. For Windows 95, 98, NT, and XP it is a relatively straightforward process to find the folder, but it is a little more tricky if using Windows 2000.
Users of Windows 95, 98, and XP will find their Temp folder at C:\Windows\TEMP whereas NT users should just navigate to C:\TEMP.
An alternative method is to click Start then Run (or the Windows key and the R button) and enter the folder path, for example c:\windows\temp for XP users. This will display the contents of the Temp folder so you can view or amend the contents as appropriate.
How Do I Find The Temp folder In Windows 2000?
Windows 2000 has a different hierarchical structure to the other packages. Each user essentially has access to different system files and folders, which includes the Temp folder. This means that depending on your system infrastructure the Temp folder could be located in one of several different places.
The most effective and quickest way to find a Windows 2000 Temp folder is to check your control panel settings. Click the Start button, and select Control Panel from the Settings drop down menu.
Double click on the System icon in order to display your system properties. Select the Advanced tab and then click the Environment Variables button. In the first box of the resulting Environment Variables window there will be a box labeled User Variables for Next to the Temp and TMP boxes will be displayed the paths to your temporary folders.
Using ParetoLogic Privacy Controls To Empty The Temp folder
ParetoLogic Privacy Controls offers a convenient method to erase all contents of your Temp folder without having to navigate through the Windows system folders. Programs create a temporary folder whenever they require one, so it is safe to remove all of these files. In order to use ParetoLogic Privacy Controls to do this you should first close down all other applications. Failing to do this will inevitably mean that ParetoLogic Privacy Controls is unable to remove all files.
1 The Options Screen
On the main ParetoLogic Privacy Controls screen click the Options link to receive the following screen:
2 - Choosing The Files To Erase
On this screen it is possible to select and deselect the areas that you wish to scan and erase. In order to scan and erase just the contents of the Temp folder you should first deselect all tick boxes except for the Windows box. Then expand the Windows option by clicking the arrow that appears next to it. Once you have done this deselect all options apart from the Temporary Files Directory setting as in the following screenshot:
3 Scan & Erase Screen
Now click the Scan & Erase link at the top left of the screen. The following screen will be displayed enabling you to click the Start button.
4 Scan Results
Once the scan has completed you will be presented with a summary of your results similar to the following screenshot:
5 Viewing Specific File Details
It is possible to view the contents of your temporary folder by expanding the selection. In order to do this click the black arrow next to it:
6 Erasing The Files
When you are satisfied that you want to erase all items click the Erase button at the bottom right of the screen. This will completely empty the contents of your Temp folder. Once you click the Erase button you will receive a confirmation window as follows:
Click Yes to proceed with the deletion of the selected files. Once completed, the progress screen will disappear to be replaced with the ParetoLogic Privacy Controls main screen.
Other Temporary Folders And Erasing Their Contents Using ParetoLogic Privacy Controls
As well as the temporary files folder it is typical for there to be several other temporary folders on your system. These can also be cleared using the same screens. In the Options screen these are called:
- Windows Temp folder
- MS Download Temp folder
- Temporary Windows Update Folder
All are found under the Windows dropdown menu and can be cleaned at the same time as your main Temp folder to free up further disk space and potentially further increase the performance of your system. The longer it is since you emptied the Temp folder the more items the scan is likely to find.