A potential cause of Windows low-memory messages

[cheesehead]

Proliferation of Temp and WINDOWS\Temp files

A couple of weeks ago I started getting messages about low memory. When i rebooted to my secondary, there were no such messages. Then I looked at the free space on disks. The system disk (partition) for my primary had only about 10 MB available out of 26 GB.

I found that both the Temp and WINDOWS\Temp directory had _many_ files, totaling more than 12 GB. Evidently some warez don't clean up after themselves.

I deleted all of those, and have gotten no more low memory messages.

I would have thought that Windows would have some function or popup offering to delete temp files, but I guess there's nothing that takes responsibility for that in general. (Outlook periodically suggests cleaning out its unneeded files, even though I never use Outlook!)

Can anyone recommend a utility that will look at the Temp and WINDOWS\Temp directories to suggest cleanout?

[chalsall]

Originally Posted by cheesehead

Can anyone recommend a utility that will look at the Temp and WINDOWS\Temp directories to suggest cleanout?

Linux.

Edit: CentOS is my recommendation; RedHat for those who need to spend money (there are many reasons why this is needed). Ubuntu for new users.

[cheesehead]

Does Linux have a WINDOWS\Temp directory?

Or are you suggesting that I boot a Linux partition in order to clean up temp files on my Windows partition(s)?

(I hope you're not just making the trivial and non-helpful suggestion that I use Linux rather than Windows. If I wanted a Linux solution, I would have asked for a Linux solution.

I'm fully aware that Linux exists. I apologize for not including "Windows" in this thread's original title.)

[chalsall]

Originally Posted by cheesehead

Does Linux have a WINDOWS\Temp directory?

No.

It does have a /tmp/ directory, but that can be managed with partitioning and quotes.

[chalsall]

Originally Posted by cheesehead

Or are you suggesting that I boot a Linux partition in order to clean up temp files on my Windows partition(s)?

First of all I was suggesting that those who run Linux tend not to suffer this kind of problem (although, as documented here, the hardware providers are not terribly nice to us -- we know too much).

But, to answer your honest question directly: yes. Booting into a Linux environment (via a separate partition, a USB drive or a CD/DVD) can be a useful way of working on a Windows file system with no chance of interaction nor interference from outside parties (including Microsoft).

If you're really paranoid, disconnect the Ethernet cable during this work.

[pinhodecarlos]

You will find more temp files to clean at c:\users\yourname\AppData\Local\Temp

A few programs that will keep your machine clean:
CCleaner - http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner
Glary Utilities - http://www.glarysoft.com/

[kladner]

Originally Posted by cheesehead

Can anyone recommend a utility that will look at the Temp and WINDOWS\Temp directories to suggest cleanout?

You might find the following useful. I set up the task, and Task Scheduler showed it as running when I manually triggered it. I could not see it running by other means, however. Consequently, I'm not sure I got it right. Note the line below, "When you schedule Disk Cleanup, it will open and then wait for you to make choices before deleting files from your computer."

Schedule Disk Cleanup to run regularly

Disk Cleanup is a convenient way to delete files you no longer need and free up hard disk space on your computer. Scheduling Disk Cleanup to run regularly can save you the trouble of having to remember to run it.
Note

• When you schedule Disk Cleanup, it will open and then wait for you to make choices before deleting files from your computer.

1. [IMG]mshelp://help/?id=Microsoft.Windows.Resources.ShellExecuteTopicIcon[/IMG]Click to open Task Scheduler. [IMG]mshelp://windows/?id=18abb370-ac1e-4b6b-b663-e028a75bf05b[/IMG] If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
2. Click the Action menu, and then click Create Basic Task.
   This opens the Create Basic Task Wizard.
3. Type a name for the task and an optional description, and then click Next.
4. To select a schedule based on the calendar, click Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or One time, and then click Next.
5. Specify the schedule you want to use, and then click Next.
6. Click Start a program, and then click Next.
7. Click Browse, type cleanmgr.exe in the File name box, click Open, and then click Next.
8. Click Finish.

[ATH]

Originally Posted by cheesehead

Can anyone recommend a utility that will look at the Temp and WINDOWS\Temp directories to suggest cleanout?

Ashampoo Winoptimizer can clean out not only temp directory but many other not needed temporary files:
http://download.cnet.com/Ashampoo-Wi...-75021499.html

Cleaning the temp files from browsers is a separate tool called "Internet Cleaner" which can clean from IE, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Safari. It can also clean the registry and defrag the hard drive and optimize much much more.

When you start Winoptimizer it scans your computer with all the different tools. I suggest you stop this and use the "All modules" tab at the bottom where you can select the tools you want.

[kracker]

CCleaner is the BEST.

[NBtarheel_33]

Originally Posted by kracker

CCleaner is the BEST.

Seconded. No weird toolbars installed, no browser hijacks, no find-a-bunch-of-errors-then-demand-a-credit-card gimmickry. And if you're into cleaning up your "recently used" files or Internet browsing history, it does that too, even down to the infamous index.dat files.

[cheesehead]

Thanks to all of you for these suggestions. I'll be trying them out soon.

- - - - -

Originally Posted by NBtarheel_33

< snip > No weird toolbars installed, < snip >

Speaking of toolbars:

I just had another low-memory warning and low disk space warnings, and found that the main culprits were two toolbar__log.txt files (16.8 GB and 1.8 GB). A web search found that this is written by AVG Free edition, where some bug causes a runaway under certain conditions. Some folks claimed that a reboot cured the problem, while one said that in addition it was necessary to mark the revived toolbar__log.txt files as read-only.

(I had earlier disabled the AVG Security Toolbar add-ons in my Firefox browser, based on other recommendations.)

After a reboot, I found that one toolbar__log.txt file was rapidly lengthening, so I made all the ones I could find read-only. We'll see what happens now.