Hardware and software setup

Is it possible to delete the system folder Temp. WinSxS: what is this folder, can it be deleted or cleared Can a folder be deleted

Folder named AppData is the system directory where various information about installed programs(game saves, history logs, settings, etc.).

This folder is located on the C:\ drive. In the Users folder, you need to select the folder of the current user and that is where the directory with the name AppData or Application Data. The name can be either one or the other - it depends on the version of the installed OS.

Before you can find this folder, you will need to make sure that hidden folders are displayed on the device. This is done as follows:

  • First you need to go to the control panel. This can be done through the menu "Start".
  • Next, go to the subsection Design and Personalization.
  • There, you can find a link to the show hidden files and folders.
  • In the window that appears on the tab "View" set a checkbox next to the line "Show hidden files and folders". A message may appear stating that this action is unsafe, but you can ignore it by clicking the "Yes" button.
  • We press the button "OK".

Now you can start working with the AppData folder. Many users are concerned about the issue of the directory Appdata: "Can I delete it?". The question is fair, because if the computer has been used for a long time, then the data in this folder begins to take up an impressive amount of disk space. You can get into the APPDATA folder like this: Win+R and enter %APPDATA%, after which you will be taken to the correct folder under your profile.

You can definitely remove it. This action will not affect the operation of the system as a whole. , but this will have an extremely negative impact on all programs. All progress in games will be lost, as well as the settings and history of others installed applications. Therefore, whether to delete it or not is up to each user to decide for himself.

In general, destroying AppData is not a very rational step.

And it is impossible to completely delete this folder, since some running applications stored in it will interfere with deletion. Therefore, the information will be destroyed only partially.

You can try to transfer AppData to another drive to free up space on the system drive.

  • To do this, create a similar folder on drive D with the same name and all the subfolders that are nested in it (Local, Roaming, and so on), and then copy the files individually to each subfolder.
  • If copying of some files fails, then this is the information of some application, which in this moment put into operation. We skip those files that do not want to be copied.
  • Open the registry editor. To do this, in the window "Run" write the regedit directive.
  • In the registry window, go to the folder HKEY_CURRENT_USER, then, to the Software folder, then to the Microsoft folder, there we look for and open the Windows folder, then the CurrentVersion folder, after which we go to the Explorer folder, and there we look for the Shell Folders folder
  • In the contents of the found folder, we look for all the lines where the address contains AppData. And we change the initial address C: / Users ... to D: / AppData ...
  • After this procedure, reboot the device.
  • Delete the AppData folder on the system drive and empty the trash.

Not all users, of course, but very many, if they do not encounter the Temp folder in their daily work, then at least they have heard and know that such a folder exists in Windows systems. Why is this needed, what functions does it perform, and whether it can be removed, will now be considered. Let's take Windows 7 as an example, although there is no fundamental difference in which system to take as a basis in this case.

Temp folder: what is it and why is it needed?

So, you can understand the purpose of this directory under the condition of the usual interpretation of the abbreviation Temp from the word temporary. The main interpretation, if we speak plain language, means "directory for storing temporary files".

If anyone does not know, in the process of her work herself operating system or programs installed in it for their own needs, create temporary files necessary for correct installation or operation. The files in the Temp folder usually have the .tmp extension, some of them are deleted automatically, for example, after the completion of some process, some remain in the system, and if the process associated with them is in the active stage, let's say it is running in background, then getting rid of such files simply will not work. So it turns out that the contents of this directory, in fact, are the most common computer garbage, which you can and should get rid of, but do it without harm to the system.

Where is the Temp folder in Windows OS?

Now a few words about where exactly you can find the directory of temporary files. The fact is that the Temp folder in Windows only is not. Many will be surprised, they say, why have several folders in the system. Here it is worth paying attention to the use of multi-user mode. The directory in which they are saved is created for each specific user, not counting the main directory in the system itself.

Thus, as a rule, the Temp folder in Windows 7 can be located either at the root of the system partition (in most cases, this is the “C” drive), or in the system directory (Windows), or in the Local directory located in AppData folder user section (Users\"Username"). In Windows XP, the Local folder is named Local Settings.

In principle, in order not to rummage through the same "Explorer" for a long time, you can use the built-in search system, in which the% Temp% string is set as a criterion. This is done in order to find all available directories that may be hidden. If the search is carried out in manual mode, you should enable the display of hidden objects in the "View" menu of the standard "Explorer" or any other file manager. By the way, some temporary files can also have this attribute.

How to clean the Temp folder in the simplest way?

As to whether it can be removed Temp folder from any location, we will make a reservation right away: it is by no means recommended to do this. Another thing is to clean up its contents. This can be done in several ways.

In the simplest version, you should enter it into it, select all the files, and then delete. How to make a selection, everyone decides for himself. But, as you know, it is best to use the Ctrl + A combination, and not mark with the cursor, and even more so by executing the corresponding commands from different main or additional menus.

But there may be a small problem here. The fact is that some files may be involved in some process, and it’s impossible to delete them just like that. You will first need to terminate the active services that use them, but the easiest way is not to be concerned with determining which process is blocking the files, just restart the computer and try to delete it again. But this method does not always work either.

Disk Cleanup Tool

One of the most effective methods is disk cleanup. It is the “native” tool of the “OS” that allows you to delete temporary files without harming the system or currently running services.

To do this, use the disk properties menu, where you need to click on the cleanup button and select the items to be deleted. Is it possible to delete the Temp folder this way? No. As such, the directory remains on disk, but its contents are cleared entirely.

Cleanup via command line

You can use and to clean up the temporary files directory, but typing long commands for each partition seems impractical.

Easiest to create executable file with the .bat extension (for this you can use the usual Notepad and write the following commands in it:

DEL /F /S /Q /A "C:\Windows\Temp\*"

DEL /F /S /Q /A "C:\Temp\*"

DEL /F /S /Q /A "C:\Users\Name\AppData\Local\Temp\*"

Name - This method of launching a BAT file allows you to clean up all the folders that are present in the system without much effort. As practice shows, it is best to save such a file directly on the desktop in order to always have it at hand and, in which case, perform this operation within just a couple of minutes.

Using Third Party Utilities

Now a few more words about how the Temp folder is cleared. What it is, perhaps, is already a little clear. Let's see how to get rid of its contents using special programs, usually called optimizers.

Any such package has a special module for searching and deleting temporary files, and it does not matter where they are located. And, as a rule, it is involved in cleaning and optimizing the system by default, although if available necessary knowledge you can make your own settings. Let's explain with an example the simplest utility CCleaner.

Here in the cleaning section, you need to pay attention to the tabs located on the right side (Windows and Applications). In principle, all items can be selected for deep cleaning, including not only temporary files, but also memory dumps, clipboard, system message history, etc. In fact, all this information can also be attributed to temporary objects, or, more simply, to ordinary computer garbage. Further, everything is simple. We activate the analysis process, and after issuing the results, we confirm the deletion of files using the corresponding button. As you can see, nothing complicated. By the way, it is the use of such programs that allows you to perform the most complete and safe cleaning.

Conclusion

Here, in fact, briefly and everything on the topic "Temp-folder: what is it and how to clean it." Naturally, in this case, the means of optimizing the directories of this type themselves using the settings of environment variables were not considered. But, I think, for the average user, by and large, this is not necessary.

As for the removal of these directories, as is already clear, this is not worth doing, although some users delete them without a twinge of conscience. But here, as they say, a double-edged sword: for someone, the system will automatically create the directory when it is reloaded, and for someone it will crash altogether. So it's better not to take risks, but to use either standard or third party tools cleaning. That will be much safer.

Surely you have noticed the Syswow64 folder in the System directory on your computer if you are reading this article. Many users are wondering what it is Windows folder 7 and whether it can be removed. Let's take a closer look at why it is needed.

What is this folder?

This system folder is only on 64-bit Windows versions 7, 8, 10. But unlike the others system files, it is not hidden. So it's not a virus and you don't have to worry about security.

Why do you need

The main purpose is to store files that are needed to run 32-bit applications. Such programs use special libraries located inside this folder. If these files are missing, system errors will appear.

Can it be removed?

The contents of the folder cannot be touched at all, although it takes up quite a lot of space. Deleting even a single file can lead to system disruption. At a minimum, 32-bit applications will stop running. And in the worst case, you will have to completely reinstall the OS.

If you don't have enough memory, then clean up residual and useless files. The article " We clean the computer without reinstalling Windows" details how to do this.

How to recover

Note! Actions are shown in Windows example 7.

If you deleted the Syswow64 folder and some applications stopped running, you can try to restore the files.

  1. Through the Start menu in the search bar, write "System Restore".
  2. "System Restore".
  3. Click "Next" in the window that opens.
  4. Select a restore point (made before deleting the folder) and click Next.
  5. Clicking in the new window "Finish" wait for the process to complete.

The computer will restart after all processes. This means the system is ready to go.

Every person who has a computer sooner or later has a problem with a lack of memory on the hard drive. Because of this, the PC may slow down. Such an inconvenience makes us think about deleting unnecessary files and programs and cleaning the computer from other unnecessary garbage.

First of all, games, photos, movies, etc. get into the basket. Their absence will not affect the operation of the system in any way. In other words, everything that is on user disks(such as D or E) can be deleted. What can not be said about the C drive - this is a place where it is not recommended to make any changes at all.

However, there are hidden folders in which you are allowed to make changes. We are talking about the TEMP folder (from the English. "temporary"). As the name implies, it contains temporary files, the removal of which will not affect the operation of the computer in any way. An interesting question arises - so can delete this folder altogether, especially since it takes up so much space?

You need to remember: nothing is created so easily in a computer, and this article will help you figure out how to properly free up memory without harming your computer.

First you need to understand what this “temp folder” is. It, as such, is permanent and is part of the Windows system. Removing it without fail will lead to a malfunction of the computer. But during the operation of the operating system or some programs installed by us, documents are created that accumulate in large numbers in the TEMP folder. Thus, the files necessary for the OS are always in one place, and not scattered throughout the computer.

Some files have a self-destruct function, but due to improper handling of the computer, the program crashes and cannot delete the outdated document. Such documents accumulate over time, reaching over 5 GB in size for some users.

Therefore, the question of removing excess garbage becomes quite real. Only often after self-cleaning the memory, the computer, instead of working better, starts to slow down even more. And sometimes such independence ends with a trip to service center for the repair of equipment.

So the conclusion is - the TEMP folder cannot be deleted, but the contents can be cleared. Now you need to figure out how to free up memory from this place without harming your computer, but rather improving the quality of its work.

Options for clearing the contents of the TEMP folder

There are few options as such:

  • Independently, using the "Disk Cleanup" function.
  • Manually, deleting the necessary files themselves.
  • With the help of special programs that analyze all documents and make their deletion harmless.

If you are counting on yourself, then you should do the following simple procedure (using Windows 7 as an example):

The same procedure can be performed differently: in the TEMP folder, use the mouse to select all documents and press the Delete key. However, in this case, the PC may throw out an error, since some temporary files may be involved with certain programs. Then required documents it will be possible to leave simply by clicking in the "skip" window.

Then all the garbage will be deleted, and the files that are currently involved will remain.

Cleaning the contents of TEMP using special programs

People tend to doubt their abilities. Therefore, there is a desire to seek help from special programs performing certain tasks. There are many “helpers” on the Internet that allow you to safely clean your computer of unnecessary information.

One of the most popular PC cleaners is CCleaner.

Download CCleaner for free

It is easy to use, able to clean junk files, while speeding up Windows work. In order for the deletion to begin, it is enough to tick off those files that need to be destroyed (in our case, temporary ones) when starting the software, and then by pressing the “Cleanup” button, the process itself will begin.

Afterword

It is important to know that any technique, if it is clogged, will fail sooner or later. And to prevent this from happening, you need to take care of her. Be careful when deleting certain files and directories, because this can lead to malfunctions in the system itself.

Do not forget to clean your computer of unstable files from time to time. Especially if it is not just allowed, but strongly recommended.

When installing operating Windows systems the seventh version and higher (for example, after XP), users saw a lot of innovations. In particular, this concerned the appearance of some incomprehensible directories that were not previously on the system disk. One of these is the PerfLogs directory. What kind of folder under this name is displayed in "Explorer" or in another file manager, and will be considered further. To understand this, let's first consider why this directory was created in the system.

What is the PerfLogs folder on drive C?

This directory was first introduced into the file structure only in Windows 7. At the moment, it is present in all recent operating systems. But what is the PerfLogs directory used for? What is this folder in Windows 10, as well as in Windows 7 or 8?

To understand its purpose, you just need to decipher the abbreviation of the name. The first part (Perf) is derived from the English Performance, which can be interpreted as “design” or “performance”, and the second (Logs) means logs, or special system reports corresponding to the performance log.

What data is stored in the directory

Thus, speaking about what the PerfLogs folder is, it is not difficult to understand what it is a save location special files, which record the results of performance tests, if any.

Separately, it should be noted that the more tests are carried out, the more files is stored there. And they, in turn, can be quite large, since the old reports do not disappear anywhere. In other words, new reports do not overwrite old ones. Ultimately, the amount of disk space occupied can increase significantly.

Default settings

What is the PerfLogs folder in Windows 7 or systems of a higher rank is a little clear. Now a few words about the nuances that every user of a computer system should know.

The fact is that initially there is no information in this directory (it is empty or occupies a minimal amount). Report data appears only after performance tests are carried out using the operating system tools. They are mainly used after some time, when the system starts to significantly slow down or cause failures at the system level, which entails an increase in the load on hardware resources. Thus, the more often you run tests, the larger this directory will be. However, all this applies only to the Windows toolkit. Therefore, in order not to litter the system partition, it is better to use third-party utilities for performance testing.

Viewing Log Files

Many users would like to view full reports, for example, to find out the reasons for system performance degradation. But just like that, it is not possible to open files located in the PerfLogs directory (no program is associated with their extensions by default in Windows).

So what is the PerfLogs folder if its contents cannot be opened? The problem here is that this directory belongs to the performance monitor service, but not the one that is in the Task Manager, but the one that is presented as a hidden standard application.

You can call it through the usual Run menu if you enter the perfmon command, that is, the abbreviated name of the performance monitor. In the monitor itself, you need to use performance counters, divided into groups, where you can see the results of all checks.

Test files in this case are loaded automatically, but overall result The report for all categories is not stored in the main directory, but in the Diagnostics subdirectory, which is located in the System folder of the main directory (PerfLogs). Thus, there is no need to open files one at a time.

Is it possible to delete the PerfLogs folder

Let's say a few words about the possibility or impossibility this action. Since, as already noted, the files contained in the directory can take up too much disk space, many users have a completely natural question about whether this directory can be got rid of.

You can delete a folder with all files and subdirectories, but this will not affect the performance of the operating system. The user will only lose the ability to view the results of checks if he performed them. As for the folder itself, even after deleting it, the operating system will automatically create the directory of the same name upon restart, using its own automated tools for restoring settings (registry entries, folders and files). It will be located in the same place where it was remote folder. As in the default settings, this automatically created directory will initially be empty! As soon as you start to check the system for performance, you will immediately get an increase in its size. Conclusion: it is not worth doing checks too often, so as not to increase the amount of information in the PerfLogs folder, then it will not interfere.

If the decision to delete the folder is made, but in the "Explorer" delete it standard method If it doesn’t work, you can use the Unlocker unlock program or log in with an administrator account. Even easier - activate it to enter through command line to immediately assign yourself all the rights of the administrator. But herself command console initially should be run only with administrator rights.

Finally

That's all for the PerfLogs directory. What kind of folder is on the system drive and what it is intended for, hopefully, now it has become clear. As for deleting a directory, the choice is up to the user. If you sometimes need to view report results to compare tests at different time points, it is better not to touch the catalog. If the space in the system partition is extremely limited, the directory can be deleted. And remember that for the normal operation of any system of the latest generations, it is necessary to keep at least 10-15% of the total volume free. system disk. With powerful processors and large volumes random access memory, as well as to reduce the use of the system partition, you can simply disable virtual memory(deactivate the use of the paging file).

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