Resolved command line to delete folder contents

Running it from within Windows (with admin priv.) works partly (it leaves the index.dat file in the /Content.IE5 folder).

Having it run from the startup folder as I did works 100%.

 

Other software *may* use the TIF directory as well as IE. For example, Skype will use it as well as Google Chrome. Other apps use it too. If such is the case, deleting certain files, or deleting the directory itself will fail, even in a bat file run as Admin within Windows.

No need to be concerned about the TIF directory being created after its removal. ANY programs that try to use it will force Windows to create it.

 

Get rid of cookies as well:

Code:

@echo off
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
rd /S/q  "C:\Users\[B]YOURusername[/B]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies "
rd /S/q  "C:\Users\[B]YOURusername[/B]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files "
start explorer.exe

Cookies get stored in the Cookies dir as well as the TIF dir. Preserved Website Data is stored in the TIF dir. To better manage cookies, go to Internet Options > General Tab > Browsing history > Dedlete button > remove checkmark next to Preserve Favorites website data > Delete button. (you only need do this once)

Then do Privacy tab > Advanced button > checkmark Override auto cookie handling > Third party cookies > Block.

Add these to the above bat file (before start explorer.exe) for further cleanup:

Code:

rd /S/q  "C:\Users\[B]YOURusername[/B]\AppData\Local\Temp "
md   "C:\Users\[B]YOURusername[/B]\AppData\Local\Temp "
rd /S/q  "C:\Users\[B]YOURusername[/B]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History "

 

In the for what it's worth category, I use the IE Advanced option-> "Delete Temp Files when Browser is Closed."

No fuss no muss

 

From my experience with the same settings this does not clear all TIF's, only the current session maybe. Some hang around as seen in CCcleaner set only for TIF's which show several megs of files .....

 

If you are satisfied at this point, please mark the thread as "Resolved ".

Browser settings in IE and Chrome will limit the amount of data stored in the TIF dir. In both IE and Chrome, one can select to not store 3rd party cookies and site preferences, though site preferences is worth retaining sometimes.

Using the bat file once/week should suffice, the resources consumed are very minimal and the space consumed is tiny. Besides, resources are for use, today's computers have plenty to use.

 

It is quite straightforward - Thread Tools .....


Please mark your thread as 'Resolved'.

 

One last thing I discovered while testing the bat file(s):

Whether using the complete bat I posted or just the line to rd the TIF dir, the TIF won't actually get removed and recreated UNLESS certain processes that are using that dir are killed first. You can see this for yourself by adding the pause command before starting explorer.exe. (you'll see the error message and the prompt to continue.

Code:

@echo off
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
rd /S/q  "C:\Users\YOURusername\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files "
pause
start explorer.exe

I discovered what processes use the TIF dir by downloading and running Microsoft's Process Explorer.

Run Process Explorer and use the Find menu and search for "index.dat ". All processes using the index.dat files will get listed. In my case, the 2 processes using those files are explorer.exe and sidebar.exe. I have the weather gadget in my sidebar and it uses the TIF dir to store its various connection data.

I added lines to the bat file...

Code:

@echo off
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
taskkill /f /im sidebar.exe
rd /S/q  "C:\Users\YOURusername\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files "
pause
start explorer.exe
start sidebar.exe

...but still the TIF dir did not get removed, the weather widget was still using the TIF dir.

So I added an additional pause:

Code:

@echo off
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
taskkill /f /im sidebar.exe
pause
rd /S/q  "C:\Users\YOURusername\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files "
pause
start explorer.exe
start sidebar.exe

...and the TIF dir was completely removed and recreated newly. You can verify this by access the folder properties and viewing its creation data and time.

Without the additional pause after killing sidebar.exe, the rd command initiates PRIOR to sidebar fully terminating. It's just too darn fast! The pause at that point ensures sidebar.exe fully terminates, after which the TIF dir can be completely removed along with ALL of its contents.

Note:
If Process Explorer shows that other programs are using the index.dat files in the TIF dir, then use taskkill to end those processes and use start to get 'em going again.

Additional:
There's one other caveat, Windows Search service and Indexing may interfere, as they too may be using the dirs that one wishes to remove. I have those services completely disabled on my system as they are pretty useless for me anyway. Here's how to disable them and still use Search via the Start Menu:

 

You're welcome. (we REALLY aim to please here at windowsbbs.com!)

Process Explorer is free and can be very useful at times. By the way, there are several other related utilities by the same developers at Microsoft who started with SysInternals company.