Disk Cleanup stopped working?

I have purchased , within the last two months, a new HP computer with Windows XP Home Edition. One of the things that I have really enjoyed is the Disk Cleanup under System Tools. Yesterday, I was trying to clear up some space, hit the button to clear "C ", and the "thermometer" went about 1/4" to the right and stopped. I can make it go no farther. Has anyone else had any bad (or good ) luck with this? Can anyone tell me how to make it work again? I have found that there is one that you can buy, but I think something on a new computer should last longer than two months? Any help would be most appreciative. When I think of buying something else for the computer, my wife has a fit. You might know it, but seniors get senile sometimes--that's me; not her!
crncrn

 

It's a not-ucommon problem with disk cleanup...it hangs on "Compress old files" forever.

Since I never use that compress thing anyway, I used the fix in the MS KB article, Disk Cleanup Tool Stops Responding While Compressing Old Files (which is merely the deletion of a registry key) that eliminates the compression feature from Disk Cleanup.

Or you can download a reg file from Kellys-Korner to do the registry edit for you. It's on line 48, right-hand column, two files linked to there, you don't want the "Undo" one.

 

I am having a similar problem but my computer will freeze up when I click yes do you want to perform this actions then you have to cut off the computer and restart it. Any suggestions

 

Try two things in this order and see if your situation is improved.

- start~run~cmd and at the command prompt chkdsk /r and whatever answers you need to have it perform the chkdsk at next boot.

- start~run~sfc /scannow and you will probably need your XP install CD in the drive.

 

Thanks Newt I will try that as soon as I get time(maybe this weekend) and let you know. Do I need to enter disk clean up in the promp also?




Thanks Bill

 

This is What I did. H_KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches. Delete Compressed Old Files. Exit Registry.

 

Hey Newt,

I follow your instructions and solved the problem. The scan disk said it repair a program file and now the disk cleanup is working fine..


Thanks alot

Looenytic