temporary internet files

hollinm · 2003/11/18

IE version 6
I try to clean up my computer on a regular basis. Recently went to start>find>files>J Script and found a number of files that were necessary system files etc but contained the following as well. The columns contained the following information as an example:
Name: Cejeovvp
folder: C:\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content\9JKUMNFY
Size: 0
Type: File
Date on system is then shown

When I try to open them to see what they are it asks for a program to be run with it. How do I tell which program is needed to run these files?

There are a number of these files and if they are like other temporary internet files I would like to get rid of them. If you agree that they can be eliminated without disabling any systems etc. then other than deleting them one at a time how can I delete only these files leaving the ones I want to remain untouched.

Miz · 2003/11/18

I've deleted all those strangely named subfolders plenty of times with no ill effect.

To delete them all at once, select the first one in the list (by clicking on it once or pointing at it, depending on how your mouse is set up) then hold down the shift key and select the last one on the list. That will select them all and then just press the Delete key on the keyboard.

It's much easier just to delete the folders rather than trying to delete the files within them since there is a system file in each folder that Windows won't let you delete. It's not a critical system file and it will be rebuilt within each folder when IE starts making those folders again (and trust me, Windows will make those folders again,no problem) but Windows won't let you delete it anyway. It will let you delete the entire folder, though.

Don't delete the "Content" folder. It may have been just a coincidence but when I tried that, Windows went nuts. Just delete all those subfolders with the weird names.

Christer · 2003/11/19

Hi holinm!

... leaving the ones I want to remain untouched.
Click to expand...

For what purpose would You like to keep these TIFs?

They are fractions of the webpages that You have visited and of no use separately. If You clear the TIFs through the browser, Tools > Internet Options > TIFs, they will be put back the next time You visit the webpage.

Am I missing something ...... ...... ?

Christer

hollinm · 2003/11/19

Hi Christer:
There are over 2500 various files in this dialog box when it opens.
Some are called file folders, dat files, applications, LRC files. However many of them seem to be these temporary internet files which are the banners from newspapers that I have read on the internet and others like the example I gave you which seem to be superflous as I may or may not go back to that website.
Any suggestions?

Christer · 2003/11/19

In Internet Explorer, go to Tools > Internet Options > TIFs > Delete all files and tick the box for OffLine contents too.

While You´re there, click "Settings" and reduce the maximum storage size to some 10-50 MB. A large cache of TIFs actually makes browsing slower!

Christer

hollinm · 2003/11/19

Internet Temporary Folders

Hi Miz:
Have deleted those files and it looks like everything is working ok. I don't know why Windows has to download these type of files. Why can't you go to a website and just look at it and when you exit there is nothing left behind.
I also note when looking a files with the ext. gif there are a number that do belong to programs but also a number that are labeled temporary files. I assume I could delete these the same way without any after effect?

Miz · 2003/11/19

Gif files are just graphics files...usually animations. Pretty much anything in a folder labled "Temp" or "Temporary" can be deleted.

Programs often put files in one of the Temp or Temporary folders while they are installing. Sloppily written programs don't clean up those temporary files as they should when the installation is finished, leaving you to find and delete them manually.

In order for a web page to display on your computer, the files that go into creating it (text, graphics, links, etc.) must be download to the harddrive.

The pages are cached (not deleted when you go on to another site) because, I imagine, the deletion process would tend to slow things down, especially on older, slower machines.

Unless you change how often the browser should check for new versions of pages in the browser's settings, it will check the cache to see if the page you want is still on the drive. Then the browser compares with what it has cached with the current version of the page. If it finds no changes, it'll just load the page from the cache. A handy feature on a slow dialup connection, not so necessary on a fast broadband connection.

hollinm · 2003/11/19

Thanks very much Miz.
I am relatively new to the computer world. I did use one at work for a long time but the use was very specific. I am now learning how complex the computer world can be. You have been a great help today. I do worry that if I do something I shouldn't that I could crash my system. I don't need that. Thanks.

Newt · 2003/11/19

... reduce the maximum storage size to some 10-50 MB ...

Christer - why so much? I run home and work with the max set to 1Mb and haven't noticed any problems.

Is it a speed issue with dial-up or something?

hollinm · 2003/11/19

Thanks Newt:
From your comments I assume I can reduce it to 1MB without experiencing any problems rather than the 10-50 MBs mentioned by Christer.

Christer · 2003/11/19

Newt,
it´s not a speed issue for me ...... ...... I´ve got 10 Mbps but I have heard/read any figure from 10-100 MB mentioned on here and now Your single MB (which is the least You get away with, I guess).

I have also heard/read about TIFs from interrupted downloads ending up in a super hidden sub-folder which does not show up no matter what You do.
Furthermore, when You clear the TIFs through the browser-tools, even though it´s empty and reads zero files and zero bytes, that sub-folder stays untouched. The way to get rid of that folder is to move the TIF-folder to a different location, reboot and move it back to where You want it.

I have verified this by comparing my max settings for the TIFs and the contents in the TIF-folder. My setting has been 50 MB but it never grew to more than some 40 MB.

After clearing the TIFs and moving the folder forth and back, I monitored its growth - it went to some 48-49 MB.

Not very scientific but good enough for me.

The question is, what happens with that super hidden sub-folder with a 1 MB setting?

Christer

Addendum: On my XP Pro, all sub-folders to the TIF-folder are super hidden. You can´t se any "eight-letter/digit sub-folders" as in Win9X/ME, not even the Content.IE5 folder.
However, they are there. They show up in the fragmentation report.

Another Windows Gremlin?

Edited: The TIF-folder under my User Name is the one I´m discussing, it has no visible sub-folders. TIF-folders under other "Users" may have sub-folders but at least the Contents.IE5 folder.

Newt · 2003/11/19

Interesting Christer. Thanks for the info.

Topdog · 2003/11/20

Assuming you are using Internet Explorer, you can automatically delete the TIFs at the end of a browser session by going to the following on your IE toolbar: Tools\Internet Options\Advanced and tick the checkbox for "Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed "

Christer · 2003/11/20

Newt,
it was a while ago that I did that piece of "research" and my information was not 100% correct.

This morning, I cleared my TIFs and in WE the folder properties said 3 files, 1 folder and some 2.5 MB in size but the TIF folder appeared to be empty. The folder mentioned is the super hidden one that doesn´t get cleared and probably holds the 2.5 MB. I didn´t want to move the TIF folder forth and back at this moment to clear that one too.

Topdog,
yes, I know but I don´t believe it will get the "troublesome" folder.
I don´t think one needs to empty it with a setting of 1 MB, like Newt and not even with my setting of 10 MB.
Yes, Newt, I´ve reduced my setting and I´m approaching Yours ...... ...... MB by MB!

Christer

Christer · 2003/11/20

I have been browsing my regular sites on two sessions:

The TIF-folder is limited to 10 MB and its propereties in WE read (approximate figures);
Size 4 MB
Size on disk 5 MB
Contents 150 files, 9 folders

It doesn´t grow larger and when examining the contents, not all visited webpages are represented.

The speed is affected when visiting sites with a lot of details, such as Windows BBS.
All those buttons and other details load slower when the TIFs pertaining to Windows BBS have been kicked out by more recent TIFs.

When revisiting Windows BBS, the TIF cache is rebuilt and the details load quicker after downloading the first few pages.

I´ll give it a few days on the 10 MB setting but my immediate reaction is that I´ll probably go back to the previous setting of 50 MB.

Christer

Edited:

I checked the properties again after the second session and it now reads:
Size 2.5 MB
Size on disk 3 MB
Contents 100 files, 9 folders

All of it from the latest visited site, Windows BBS.

Lonny Jones · 2003/11/20

Interesting Christer
compair your results using an odd numberMicrosofts tif doesnt handle round numbers very well
Mine right now is set at 4863 and this is dialup ..so tis why, other wize I would either set it to every visit or 1 Like Newt mentioned

Lonny

Christer · 2003/11/20

Lonny,
I cleared the TIFs again and set the size to 9 MB and there was no difference. It doesn´t grow beyond 4 MB size and 5 MB on disk. The number of files vary though, up to some 300 but that depends on what is actually in the cache.

Any specific reason why it shouldn´t handle round numbers very well?

Christer

Christer · 2003/11/20

The TIF-folder has now been limited to 1 MB and its propereties in WE read (approximate figures);
Size 4 MB
Size on disk 5 MB
Contents 350 files, 9 folders

Readings have varied up and down depending on how many TIFs get kicked out but I notice no difference compared to running on 10 MB setting for the maximum TIF cache.

I didn´t expect to see any logic in this and the results have come up to my expectations ...... ...... !

Christer
(who soon will be back on a 50 MB setting)

DugE · 2003/11/20

Christer, I'm confused. I never checked the properties on the TIF folder until I saw this thread and when I checked it showed I had about a 1000 files and 5 folders. I tried your trick and moved the folder and restarted. That deleted all the cookies except the ones that I wanted to keep, all the gif files, but none of the folders.

The folders are indeed sub hidden for even "show all folders" has no effect. Before I moved the folder and again after.

What are these folders? Are they important? Can they be removed? Do they even exist? Mainly, what are they?

Thanks,

Christer · 2003/11/20

Hi dopey!

Now we are getting into the innards of Internet Explorer and I´m not too sure that I want to find out ...... ......

It might seem like I know what I´m doing but I don´t, I´m only probing ...... ......

You don´t mention which OS You´re on and I believe that it actually differs between them.

At first, I suspected that You´re on Win9X since You´ve mentioned five folders but when I was on WinME, I had five folders that were not hidden. They were visible with "don´t show hidden files and folders" ticked and "hide protected system files" ticked.
However, they only showed in the left hand "folder panel" and it didn´t matter if the ticking of folder options were reversed.

One folder named Contents.IE5 and four subfolders in that one named with eight random (?) letters or digits.

Now, I´m on WinXP pro and they are super hidden (hidden even when "show all files" has been ticked and "hide protected system files" has been unticked).
The reason that I know they are there is that they show up in the fragmentation report.

When I have cleared the TIFs through the browser-tools, the TIF folder seems to be empty and the sub-folders are gone from the fragmentation report.
However, the properties say 3 files 1 folder and approximately 2-3 MB in size. My conclusion is that there is one super-super hidden folder, the one into which all trash from interrupted downloads go.
If I move the TIF folder to another location, reboot and then back, it still contains 3 files and 1 folder but the size is reduced to kB not MB.

To speculate around Your questions:

What are they ...... IE must have some reason to create these folders but I don´t know which.
Four of the "eight letter/digit" names are unique for the TIF folder under "my user name" but the other four are shared with TIF folders under Administrator, Default User and the TIF folder in c:\windows\system32\config\system profile\local settings
This indicate to me that there is some kind of purpose with the different sub-folders.

Important, well, important enough for Windows to recreate them if they get deleted.

Can they be removed ...... yes but in vain.

Do they exist ...... yes ...... ...... in the fragmentation report.

Christer

BTW, if it will seem like I ignore this discussion or any other, I don´t, I´m just gone for the weekend!

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temporary internet files

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