Disk Cleanup, To Delete or Not To Delete ?

[Deleted User]

I use CCleaner too.

It's amazing how much stuff t gets rid of.

I regained about 50GB, on an external HDD, just by deleting duplicate files.

Oldbiggles

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

I use CCleaner too.

It's amazing how much stuff t gets rid of.

I regained about 50GB, on an external HDD, just by deleting duplicate files.

When I’ve used CCleaner in the past, the list it produces at the end is quite daunting and I never know if I should delete them all, as some of the files have unrecognisable titles I might be doing more harm than good. The trouble is, over the last 10 years or so I’ve managed to accumulate files and programs etc. and when checking them I’m never sure if they are essential or not.

[Deleted User]

If you don't know what a file is, you probably shouldn't delete it.

The 50GB, from the HDD, was just additional copies of files (some quite large ones, such as video files), which I had either saved to different locations, or had downloaded more than once.

NiftyDigits

Oldbiggles wrote: »

When I’ve used CCleaner in the past, the list it produces at the end is quite daunting and I never know if I should delete them all, as some of the files have unrecognisable titles I might be doing more harm than good. The trouble is, over the last 10 years or so I’ve managed to accumulate files and programs etc. and when checking them I’m never sure if they are essential or not.

You can safely delete all that CCleaner selects when you choose 'Run Cleaner'

No need to peruse the list.

Geoffo_M

More critically though after performing all these tasks - is it running faster now - it should be

Oldbiggles

Geoffo_M wrote: »

More critically though after performing all these tasks - is it running faster now - it should be

Mmm! Slightly better I suppose, but I dont expect too much from this PC which I've had for over 10 years. I might give CCleaner another run later.

Binky1976

If you click Start then type MSCONFIG then click the Startup tab, are there any strange programs listed?

Oldbiggles

Binky1976 wrote: »

If you click Start then type MSCONFIG then click the Startup tab, are there any strange programs listed?

Yes! I have already had a look at this and to be honest they all look strange to me. Today, everything seems to be working much better, so I think I'm getting there, or I will eventually.

:beer:

Kernel_Sanders

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Go to the Tools section of the CCleaner interface. Tools > Startup. Then click on the first entry on the list and then press and hold CTRL. Whilst holding it down press the A key. All the entries should now be selected. Now click on the Disable button to the right. It should change all of the Yes entries to No.

I presume you just mean do the 'Windows' column. But what about the others? I have 17 items for Firefox but none for Chrome, and a dozen 'scheduled tasks'.

As Avast is my only anti-virus, should I not have this running at start-up?
AvastUI.exe AVAST Software "C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\AvastUI.exe" /nogui

NiftyDigits

Kernel_Sanders wrote: »

I presume you just mean do the 'Windows' column. But what about the others? I have 17 items for Firefox but none for Chrome, and a dozen 'scheduled tasks'.

As Avast is my only anti-virus, should I not have this running at start-up?
AvastUI.exe AVAST Software "C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\AvastUI.exe" /nogui

The instructions covered the Windows column by default. Disable all and then re-enable just the essential. I would have added more detail if other columns were to be acted upon.
The resetting of the Browsers would have taken care of add-ons. Then to re-install wanted add-ons...such as No-Script etc