How To: Force Disk Cleanup Utility To Delete All Temporary Files
By default, Windows Vista(also Windows XP) holds a cache of the temporary internet files (Microsoft Windows uses many temporary files to store data about the users’ web browsing history and settings. The most common files associated with Windows temporary files are index.dat and the entire Cookies folder under Documents and Settings that stores HTTP cookies.) for 7 days and then deleted. ie, when you run Windows Disk Cleanup utility in Windows Vista, the temporary internet files for the last seven days will not be cleaned up.By altering a value in the registry, you can configure the Disk Cleanup utility to delete all the files in the Temp folder regardless of the last accessed date.
- Start the Windows registry editor by clicking Start, then, Run, and then entering regedit.
- You’ll need to provide administrative confirmation if User Account Control(UAC) is turned on(If you are using Windows Vista).
- Navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Temporary Files
- Locate and double-click the LastAccess value.
- When you see the Edit DWORD Value dialog box, change the Value Data setting from 7 to 0 and click OK.
- To complete the operation, close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.
Changing the value to 0 will force the Disk Cleanup utility to delete all the files in the Temp folder every time that you select the Temporary Files check box.
Note:
- You will still not be able to delete a temporary file if it is currently use by any process or application.
Warning:
Modifying the Windows registry can cause serious damage to your Windows Operating System.It is better to backup your Windows registry data before making any changes. Tomstricks.com is not responsible for any changes you may make to your system.
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Written by Tony on May 5th, 2009 with
1 comment.
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#1. May 8th, 2009, at 9:34 PM.
You give out some good tips, but the advertising on the website blocks the procedures to perform the tip at times. Can you find another method to publishing the tips? The specific tip I went after was in the How To: Force Disk Cleanup Utility To Delete All Temporary Files and found that the Registry entry was overwritten on my screen so I could not find the key to the Last Date Access you were referring too. Thanks!