Reader offers a temp-cleaning method that is easier to create

Many readers sent in alternate methods of doing this. One of the best came from Frank Eierstock.

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Al Fasoldt's reviews and commentaries, continuously available online since 1983

Reader offers a temp-cleaning method that is easier to create

Sept. 17, 2000

By Al Fasoldt
Copyright ©2000, Al Fasoldt
Copyright ©2000, The Syracuse Newspapers

   Sometimes the best part about creating simple programs is finding out how someone else would do the same thing.
   A few weeks ago I showed how a few lines of instructions could be added to a common Windows startup file to clean out the junk in the "Temp" folder of your Windows PC. It's a storage location that Windows never empties on its own.
   (When I say "never," I mean just that. Doesn't this sound odd? I even received a half-serious note from a Windows user who suggested that Windows doesn't need to clean out its temporary files because it needs to be wiped out and reinstalled every few months anyway.)
   The folder can end up holding hundreds of megabytes of useless files. Cleaning it out automatically is one of the few guaranteed ways you can make Windows run smoother and faster.
   But the "best" way to do this hasn't been discovered yet. There are dozens of methods. Mine was simple but had a problem: If your PC rebooted while you were installing a program, the Temp folder could be storing important files, and you should not delete them at that time. My method forced you to respond to a message on the screen. (If you press Ctrl-C to bypass the cleanup, your PC is left sitting there without Windows and without any obvious sign of hope. What you have to do then is type "WIN" and press the Enter key. I should have pointed that out.)
   Many readers sent in alternate methods of doing this. One of the best came from Frank Eierstock. His Cleanup program is simple and yet elegant. (In engineering terms, "elegance" means using the smallest amount of effort to accomplish the most amount of work.) Eierstock's program also has a built-in way of avoiding interference with programs that store important stuff in the Temp folder between bootups. It does not delete anything until Windows is almost finished starting up. This keeps the cleanup action out of the way of programs that need temporary files.
   Here's Eierstock's method. He wrote it. I didn't. I like his method, but I can't and won't take credit for it, so that also means you should not ask me for help if it doesn't work right for you.

    1. Right click anywhere on an empty space on the Taskbar.
    2. Select properties.
    3. Select the Start Menu Programs tab.
    4. Click on the add button.
    5. On the command line type in C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DELTREE.EXE /y c:\windows\temp\
    6. Click on Next.
    7. Look for the Startup folder.
    8. Click on Next.
    9. Give this shortcut a descriptive name such as "Delete Temp Folder Contents."
    10. Select an Icon after clicking on Next.
    11. Click on Finish.
    12. Click on OK.
    13. Right Click on My Computer.
    14. Click on your C: drive located in the left hand plane.
    15. Press the right arrow key to expand the root directory.
    16. Press the letter W to go to the windows directory.
    17. Press the right arrow key again.
    18. Press the S key to select the first directory beginning with the letter S.
    19. You should be able to see the Start Menu folder. If not, scroll down until you can see it.
    20. Select the Start Menu folder and press the right arrow key to expand it.
    21. Select the Programs folder and press the right arrow key to expand the folders under it.
    22. Press the letter S again.
    23. If you do not see the Startup folder, scroll down until you do.
    24. Select the Startup folder.
    25. In the right hand plane you now should see the shortcut which was just created. (If you followed the instructions here, it will say "Delete Temp Folder Contents".)
    26. Select and right click on the icon title and select properties.
    27. Click on the Program Tab.
    28. Place a checkmark in the box in front of the words "Close On Exit".
    29. Click on OK.

   Your new Cleanup program will run each time Windows starts up. You won't have to do anything else.