Computer FAQ

for Nov. 12, 2003

Hi, All;

This week: more fall clean up

Robert-
I found about 44 items in *.tmp files. Deleted them all. Does that sound right to you? This makes me nervous. Poof and away it all went. Under ~ there was found 10000 plus - I skipped that it was too scary. Did delete everything in temporary Internet files.

Actually, I'm amazed that you had only 44 tmp files-- that is good. As far as I know "~" files are not worth the space to keep them. If you want to proceed slowly, check the date and the size on the file. If it is older than 6 months or a year and/or has no space used (0 KB), delete it--it is just taking up space on your hard drive's table of contents. These will be in your recycle bin if you need to put one of them back, but I imagine you will not need to. After a week or so, make sure you empty your recycle bin or you won't be saving any space.

Having that many ~ temp files is not good, as they are used for temporary workspace and do not get erased if the program or the Operating System ends improperly or one of your programs has a problem with cleaning up after itself.

I hope I have not bored my readers, but feel that this is a big problem with Microsoft's Windows Operating Systems. If we do not keep up with the temporary files, our hard drive fills up and causes many problems with the Operating System and, of course, leaves inadequate disk space for our data! Windows requires at least 500MB of hard disk space for its temporary files to run well, and more is better. Keep your disk clean!

'Til next week, (ComputerFAQ#164)


Robert

 

Please send your questions to

Computerfaq@juno.com

By snail mail to:
ComputerFAQ
409 Silverbrook Road
Randle, WA 98377

You are very welcome at
Hampton House Bed and Breakfast
Your Innkeepers Robert and Edie Aydelott

email rooms@hamptonhousebb.com
(360) 497-3180 or toll free 1-877-678-2925
409 Silverbrook Road, Randle WA. 98377

Index to Past ComputerFAQ Columns:

Nov. 12, 2003 Safely Deleting Thousands of tmp Files
Nov. 5, 2003 Finding the Windows Search Button & Misc Program Problems
Oct. 29, 2003 How to Print a List of Files
Oct. 22, 2003 Fall Cleanup Part 3
Oct. 15, 2003 Fall Cleanup Part 2
Oct. 8, 2003 Fall Cleaning of Your PC
Oct. 1, 2003 Explanation of DSL
Sept. 24, 2003 Installing DSL at the Shopper
Sept. 17, 2003 What New Computer Should I Buy? Part 2
Sept. 10, 2003 What New Computer Should I Buy?
Sept. 3, 2003 Protecting from Viruses and Worms
Aug. 27, 2003 Current Viruses "Bast Worm" and "Sobig"
Aug. 20, 2003 Does Microsoft Password Make Changing Passwords Easier?
Aug. 13, 2003 Passwords and Passport Part 2
Aug. 6, 2003 More About PassPort and Passwords
July 23 & 30, 2003 Where Are Microsoft Passport Passwords Stored? and More About Passport and Passwords
July 16, 2003 Internet Explorer Helpful Hint Part 2
July 9, 2003 Internet Explorer Helpful Hint Part 1
July 2, 2003 Some More Icons Explained
June 25, 2003 Online Ordering
June 18, 2003 Followup on Refilled Ink Cartridges
 
July 05, 2000 Introduction to ComputerFAQ
July 12, 2000 Computer Definitions
July 26, 2000 More Computer Definitions
August 02, 2000 Defining Bits, Bytes and Hex
August 09, 2000 Internet Service Providers (ISP)
August 16, 2000 Backup up your PC
August 23, 2000 Backup Devices.
August 30, 2000 What is the slowest PC for Internet Access
September 06, 2000 PC Nomenclature
September 13, 2000What to do with Mail Attachements.
September 20, 2000What Happens at boot up
October 04, 2000Desktop Areas
October 18, 2000Start Button
October 25, 2000Display Made Bigger
November 01, 2000 More Monitor Controls
November 15, 2000 Right Click Display Menu
November 22, 2000 More on Desktop Menus
November 29, 2000 More on Desktop Menus
December 06, 2000 Desktop Properties Menu - part 1
December 13, 2000 Desktop Properties Menu - part 2
December 20, 2000 Desktop Properties Menu - part 3