Can't Open Temp Internet Folder

I'm trying to delete the contents of the temporary internet folder on my daughter's system, but I can't open the folder. When I try, I get an error message - "illegal operation- window will be shut down" - then another message - "internal error." When I tried Disk Clean Up, I got the same error. When I did a scan disk, it found no errors. When I tried to use PC Doctor, it locked up when it got to the temporary internet folder. I know there are NUMEROUS files in that folder. Can anyone help me?

 

Try letting IE take care of that for you. Right click the IE Desktop Icon and select Properties > Delete Files.

If that doesn't work, try a dos session and use the deltree command. Post back if you need more on that.

 

Sheree--You do not have to open TIF to delete the files, but the problem is a little weird. Have you an up-to-date antivirus program installed and enabled? Or you could scan your PC with Housecall
http://housecall.antivirus.com/pc_housecall/
Did this problem just start? Did you install any new software or hardware recently?

You should be able to delete the TIF folder and contents using:
1) The IE|Properties|Delete Files method suggested by Zephyr (His post and mine crossed). Or same thing, IE Tools|Internet Options|General tab|Delete Files.
2) Third party programs such as DelTemp and Spider.
http://home.ptd.net/~don5408/apps/deltemp/deltemp.exe
http://www.fsm.nl/ward/
(DelTemp requires that you have Windows Scripting Host installed and enabled. Post back if you need info on that.)

3) DOS
(I cribbed this from somewhere, but cannot remember where.)
"Restart to DOS and enter

Deltree c:\windows\tempor~1
Deltree c:\windows\locals~1\tempor~1

ENTER after each of the above commands, and respond Y after confirming that the folder name is correct. This will delete all files in the \TIF folder (and leave cookies alone).

If you do not want to keep cookies, or do not mind relogging into sites, enter

Deltree c:\windows\cookies

If you wish to preserve the cookies but get them reindexed, enter

Del c:\windows\cookies\index.dat

Similarly with History, enter either

Deltree c:\windows\history

or

Del c:\windows\history\index.dat

On restart, Windows will recreate any of the folders deleted, and if you only deleted the index.dat files, they will be recreated also. "
4) Safe Mode.
Can you open TIF using Safe Mode? As mentioned you do not need to open TIF to delete the contained files, but you want to be able to do it to access those files from time to time. You reach Safe Mode this way
http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/usingwindows/maintaining/tips/advanced/SafemodeBoot.asp

 

Thank you both - the IE method worked beautifully, and I now can also access the TIF through Windows Explorer AND the Disk Clean up works too. Not sure what was going on, but it appears the problem was solved! (I will update the virus protection though!)

 

Thanks for the feedback Sheree What can cause that is a corrupt TI file or one with too long of a name for Windows to handle. Not too common but does happen.

Cheers.