I can't delete temporary files

Factual Questions
1

I’ve used a registry cleaner, and used the instructions to delete temp files from the folder, but I’m stuck with these files which is slowing my speed to a snailpace, and won’t allow me to search the boards.

HELP!:frowning:

2

You need to provide more information:

  1. What operating system are you using?
  2. Where (what folder) are these files you’re trying to delete?
  3. What are the names of the files?
  4. What happens when you try to delete them? Do you see an error message?
  5. Why do you think that the existence of these files is slowing down your computer?
3
  1. Make sure all your internet browsers are closed.
  2. If that doesn’t help, reboot in safe mode or equivalent and try again.
  3. Regardless of the above, temporary files should not slow down your computer. Sounds like something else is going on.
4

Accessing a folder with many, many thousands of files can definitely slow down some programs.

But having said this, the OP has got problems that could easily be malware, badly installed programs, too many programs loading at boot time (which is astonishingly common), etc.

And not giving any info about OS or anything is not helpful.

5

Some temporary files can’t be deleted because they’re still in use. Check your running processes to ensure that’s not the case.

6

I doubt temporary files are your problem, but Windows does have a Disk Cleanup program. If you are on Windows 10 just click the Start button and blindly type Cleanup. That should show you Disk Cleanup as a possibility, click on it.

The program will scan your chosen disk and offer you choices of things to delete such as Downloaded Program Files, Temporary Internet Files (this is probably your IE or Edge browser cache), Recycle Bin, and Temporary Files (Windows \TEMP folder(s)). Deleting your Temporary Internet Files and Temporary Files should be a safe thing to try.

If you are using a browser other than IE or Edge, the Disk Cleanup utility won’t touch the browser cache for those browsers. In that case let us know what browser you are using.

7

I managed to gain direct access to the files through my registry cleaner app and manually delete them.

BOOYAH!

The temp file names were long strings of alphanumeric gibberish.

I also shut down many unused programs.

Thanks for the advice.

8

OP’s not running Unix. With a well-designed OS, file links can be deleted, with the file to disappear when the using process exits.

Yes, as I said, your system isn’t Unix.

9

We get that Unix is the greatest of all possible operating systems for all people. However, I don’t think this helps answer the OP.

10

Ccleaner keeps getting updates to wipe out temporary files from a variety of programs and browsers.

Also a second vote to clean out any possible malware.

11

If OP has a medical emergency, he should have posted in IMHO. Factual on-topic answers are always on-topic in GQ, or so I thought, so it seemed good to place this solution on the record. My on-topic answer may be of use to users, manufacturers or even MicroSoft itself, if/when they decide to replace Windows with an operating system.

12

Is the idea that Windows is not an operating system also a fact, in your view?

And in what sense was your response a “solution” to the OP’s problem? Were you suggesting that he could solve his file deletion problem by scrapping his OS and installing Linux?

Disclaimer: I hate Windows as much as anyone and use Linux most of the time, and in fact I wrote several Unix/Linux filesystems.

13

Since the question has been answered to the OPs satisfaction, I’m going to close this.

Those who wish to debate the merits of various operating systems may open a new thread in IMHO.

Colibri
General Questions Moderator