# XP Q: Clearing the cache? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 13, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xp-q-clearing-the-cache/269088 "2004-10-13T21:41:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xp-q-clearing-the-cache/269088/1 "2004-10-13T21:41:48Z")
Sometimes when I’ve used a bigger application (e.g. Photoshop or Illustrator) handling big files (pics at 200mb and such), or if I downloaded a huge file, the computer will become sluggish. So far, the only way to get past this is to reboot, AFAIK. If I try to start some applications, i’ll get a message like: “the WIN16 system cannot open this application. Close other applications and try again.” Only. No other applications, beyond services, are running. So someone suggested: “Why don’t you clean the cache?” And when I asked how, the answer was that the person didn’t know, just something she overheard from tech geeks at work. Well, I know how to clean the cache of IE: (i.e. ctrl+F5), so I asked if that was it. No, the cache of the computer. I’ve spent way too much time on MS website, going around in loops, and I can’t find it. Can it be done? How? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xp-q-clearing-the-cache/269088/2 "2004-10-13T22:47:23Z")
win16?? Are you using really old versions of Photoshop, etc? If so, I’ll wager that the old applications are the cause of your ills. They’re probably “leaking” resources - ie: memory. As you’ve discovered, the fix is to reboot. The cure is to upgrade to proper XP-compatible applications. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecc23a/32.png) [@Uncle\_Dragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Dragon)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xp-q-clearing-the-cache/269088/3 "2004-10-13T23:52:29Z")
When my wireless connection gets goofy, and I have to use the “repair” option, I continually get the error message that Windows could not finish repairing the problem because it could not clear the ARP cache. My wireless connection always gets repaired though. I’ve tried a couple of searches, and found some stuff to do from a command line, but they haven’t really helped. Gaspode, is this the sort of thing you’re seeing? ---
**Author:** ![jsmith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@jsmith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsmith)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xp-q-clearing-the-cache/269088/4 "2004-10-14T05:01:56Z")
Maybe they are referring to the cache in Photoshop. That is something I deal with a lot while working in Photoshop. If it starts gettings sluggish or if I am working with really large files I go to Edit - \> Purge - \> All ---
**Author:** ![Keapon\_Laffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e274bd/32.png) [@Keapon\_Laffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keapon_Laffin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xp-q-clearing-the-cache/269088/5 "2004-10-14T05:07:04Z")
Probably referring to the memory. Try downloading FreeRAM XP or some other memory manager. You can use it to clear the memory that has been taken up by Photoshop. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2004, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xp-q-clearing-the-cache/269088/6 "2004-10-14T08:27:14Z")
**Keapon** - That’s it! I’ve downloaded and tried the software and it works. Thanks. One should be able to do that within windows, though. **jsmith** , no, not just Photoshop. Right now I’m downloading a huge file from a friend. Been doing that since yesterday and the longer the download lasts, the harder it gets to open other applications. FreeRAM solved it.