Document and settings folder

[crystal28]

My Documents and Settings folder shows it has 2 GB of data in it but i dont see the file descriptions of that huge files in it.Is it ok to delete this folder?What is the purpose of this folder,does it save information i browse online or temp files?
I have WINDOWS XP OS.I am trying to make more space in the Harddisk and that is why i want to clear this folder if the info in it isnt useful or needed

 

[rvnguy]

kalyan28,

I take it you are using xp??

This folder and others are intergral to xp.
There is pertinent info in all for your settings and some of this is hidden.

You can possibly reduce some of it (not manually) by looking in IE or? and setting your temp & cookies to be deleted upon close. You will see a slight hit when going back to certian sites but you say you need the disk space. Try it and see what it frees up.

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[crystal28]

I am using Firefox browser and yes i did clear the cookies but i dont know how come the Documents and setting folder can have 2 GB of data in it.In firefox where is the option to clear temp folders?

 

[rvnguy]

In an explorer window

Hidden files and folders radio button select show

Hide protected operating system files check box uncheck

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[rvnguy]

In an explorer window select tools > folder options > then the view tab look for the following:

Hidden files and folders radio button select show

Hide protected operating system files check box uncheck

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[electronicsfreak]

the location is as follows . C, documents and settings, account name your on, local settings, then temp

other location

c, windows or winnt, temp

empty all things inside both folders just do not delete the temp folders themselves.

 

[Sympology]

In Documents and settings folder you may have multiple users. Do a properties on each of the users and find out which one has all the data in. Will save you deleting files in other folders.

Stu..

Only the truly stupid believe they know everything.
Stu.. 2004

 

[traycee]

I would say that it is NOT ok to delete this folder. If you have a lack of space...your users...multiple users possibly are all contained within this folder. If space isn't an issue...I'd say this is normal. If space is an issue see which user has the most stuff stored. Could be pictures, video, or music files taking up space. Burn them to a CD and delete those files from your computer...but don't delete the Documents and Settings folder.

 

[funkytunaa]

If you are like the managers here, then it is possible that you too have a 1.5 Gig outlook pst file which is held in

C:\Documents and Settings\[USER]\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook

Just a note, Big Bad deleting this folder.

 

[diogenes10]

There is a program called cleanup which you can use to remove unnecessary files from your computer. Tutorial here:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial93.html

Some things you can do without other software:

If you want to clear temporary internet files
Open explorer
Click tools
click internet options
click delete files
check delete all offline content
click ok

Clearing temporary file locations is also important.
(Many virus/spyware writers hide things in these locations.)
Empty the following folders. Do not remove the folders, just whats in them.
C:\Windows\Temp
For Win2k and XP, these locations too:
C:\DOCUMENT AND SETTINGS\your account\LOCAL SETTINGS\Temp\
C:\DOCUMENT AND SETTINGS\All Users\LOCAL SETTINGS\Temp

If you have good information you want to save, create some kind of separate archive location rather than putting it in temp folders so you can regularly clean your temp folders.

Regards.
d