Just when you think you're safe.......

User: inactive Posts:

Just when you think you're safe and that you've deleted all the junk files off of your PC, you find one more corner where Windows XP stashes its junk. (Temporary Internet Files)

Yesterday while cleaning up a customers PC, Trojan Hunter found a possible trojan in this folder.

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5

There were quite a few files in four folders with random letter names.
I deleted them all and added that location to her XPCleanup.bat program that runs on every reboot of her computer.

I just looked for that location on my own PC, but the folder was empty.
One of my Cleanup routines, probably "Easy Cleaner 2" had already cleaned it out.

So if you're trying to get all the junk out of your own PC, give that folder a look-see. Idea

Just a thought Wink

Y'all have a great day now, Y'hear?
Shadow Cool

If you find any out-of-the-way folders on your own PC where junk is being stored, Please, share it with us here.

For those already using my XPCleanup.bat program to keep their PC clean, you can add this line to the bottom of your own copy of XPCleanup.bat.

deltree /y "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\*.*"

goretsky

Hello,

I have found that I can quickly remote the files in the Temporary Internet File directory by logging off the system, logging in as a different user with administrative privileges and then deleting the files from within the first user profile. When I am finished, I log out and log back in as the original user.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

User: inactive Posts:

Well, as you can plainly see in the above example, the temp files are NOT in a user folder.

I don't even have multiple users on my PC and most of my customers don't either.

In my XPCleanup.bat program, I address most of the common user directories and clean them out. But this new location is one that I wasn't even aware of. But I am now.....and that location has been added to my own XPCleanup.bat program and the one that I've placed for download on my web site.

Who would of thunk it, that winders would store temporary internet files in such an obscure and out of the way folder?

Many cleanup programs have been run on that lady's PC and still the files in that folder persisted.
Just more "Junk in the Trunk". Laughing

Cheers!
Shadow Cool

mommabear · Joined: Feb 20, 2003 Posts: 6141

FYI for anyone who uses Super Cleaner from South Bay Software. My folder was empty. But then, I primarily surf with Firefox. But I've used IE today too.

Thanks, Shadow!

User: inactive Posts:

The problem with most of the "cleaner" programs, at least the ones I've evaluated, is that they remove things that you may not want removed. Also, they have to be RUN by the user.

What I've tried to do with my XPCleanup.bat program is to address only those folders that I know only contain JUNK. Being a batch file, it can be run in many ways, including putting a shortcut to it in the Startup folder so it runs automatically on every boot up.

Anyone with even a smattering of knowledge about editing a batch file (basically a text file) in Wordpad, can add or remove lines as they see fit.

Then running "Disk Cleanup", windows own cleanup program, once a week will keep the HD nice and clean and it even empties the Recycle Bin.

Firefox has its own Cache folder and that too can be added to the batch file for those using Mozilla Firefox. I can't seem to find mine today....it must be hiding. Wink

So if you've found a hiding place for any junk, please share it with me.

Thanks,
Shadow Cool

mommabear · Joined: Feb 20, 2003 Posts: 6141

User: inactive Posts:

I don't know what media you have that program on.
If its a re-writable media like a floppy disk, just edit the cleanup batch file and rem out the lines with the word "cookie" in them.
Save the file and run it. NO cookies will be deleted.

I run the same batch file on my own computer and it doesn't remove the login names, etc. Some other programs DO!

As I've said before, the advantage to using a batch file is that you can edit it to suit your own needs and desires.

You can't always do that with a fixed program.

Cool

User: inactive Posts:

goretsky

Hello,

I just re-read your original message and caught my mistake. Thank you for catching that.

Has the "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\" directory been recreated or repopulated since you removed it? If so, did you determine which application was creating that directory path and populating it? I am assuming it was not Internet Explorer.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

User: inactive Posts:

Since I have only two browsers on my PC, and since Firefox keeps its files in the folder that Mom shared with us, I'd have to conclude that any other temporary internet files are being stored by windows and Internet Explorer.'

I know it stores them in more than one location, but I didn't find that last hiding place till my anti-trojan program (Trojan Hunter) found a possible trojan in that very well hidden folder.

Well, it AIN'T hidden NO MO! Wink

It's now in my XPCleanup.bat program as part of a good daily cleaning. I don't take out the whole path, just the files in the \Content.IE5\ folder. That's the beauty of "Deltree.exe" .....I can use it to take out a whole tree structure or a single file. It's all in the syntax of how the command line is worded.

I've given whole tutorials on this before so I won't go into it in any detail now.

So, does anyone know of another hidden junk box?

Shadow Cool

tbernstein · Joined: May 16, 2003 Posts: 1508 Location: London

I long ago started to look at and clean any location that had names like "Local Settings" because it usually means "Places that Windows hides stuff".

User: inactive Posts:

I loved 98, 98/SE and even ME because you knew exactly where the junk was being stored and getting rid of it was a piece of cake.

Then along came XP with a whole new set of hideaways for every user.
One set for mom, one set for dad and one set for Jr.

Now, instead of just one set of places where XP stores junk, which was really bad enough, you've got three of them. (in the above example)

I saw one family that had six users on one PC running XP and you can just imagine how many folders had junk in them. I finally gave up on that one. Crying or Very sad

tbernstein · Joined: May 16, 2003 Posts: 1508 Location: London

The trouble is that XP has hiding places for all sorts of stuff in all sorts of places. And not only places for each user, but also places just for itself and probably for Bill Gates too, in case he calls round to tea.

User: inactive Posts:

Yeah, that's why I'm asking everyone to post their favorite hiding place.

To eliminate duplicates, here's my own XPCleanup.bat program.

Rem: The Deltree.exe command must be in your "%systemroot%\system32" folder
Rem: before this program will run.
Rem: This command can be found in any system running Windows 98 or ME.
Rem: or, or on my personal web page at:
Rem: http://cxt_msp_shafl.members.atlantic.net
Rem: the /y after deltree tells deltree to execute the command without stopping
Rem: to ask if it's OK.
Rem: The lines that do not adhear to the DOS 8+3 filename structure must be in quotes.
@Echo off
cls
deltree /y "%HOMEDRIVE%\temp\*.*"
deltree /y "%systemroot%\temp\*.*"
deltree /y "%systemroot%\WUTemp\*.*"
deltree /y "%systemroot%\system32\config\systemprofile\cookies\*.*"
deltree /y "%systemroot%\Prefetch\*.*"

deltree /y "%HOMEPATH%\Default User\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\*.*"
deltree /y "%HOMEPATH%\Default User\Local Settings\History\History.IE5\*.*"

Rem: No need to duplicate the following section for each registered User
deltree /y "%homepath%\Cookies\*.*"
deltree /y "%homepath%\recent\*.*"
deltree /y "%homepath%\Local Settings\cookies\*.*"
deltree /y "%homepath%\userdata\*.*"
deltree /y "%homepath%\Local Settings\History\*.*"
deltree /y "%homepath%\Local Settings\Temp\*.*"
deltree /y "%homepath%\Local Settings\History\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\*.*"
deltree /y "%homepath%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\*.*"

deltree /y "%HOMEPATH%\NetworkService\Cookies\*.*"
deltree /y "%HOMEPATH%\NetworkService\Local Settings\History\History.IE5\*.*"
deltree /y "%HOMEPATH%\NetworkService\Local Settings\Temp\*.*"
deltree /y "%HOMEPATH%\NetworkService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\*.*"

deltree /y "%HOMEPATH%\LocalService\Local Settings\History\History.IE5\*.*"
deltree /y "%HOMEPATH%\LocalService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\*.*"
deltree /y "%HOMEPATH%\LocalService\Local Settings\Temp\*.*"
deltree /y "%HOMEPATH%\LocalService\Cookies\*.*"

deltree /y "%HOMEPATH%\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\*.*"
deltree /y "%HOMEPATH%\Administrator\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\*.*"
deltree /y "%HOMEPATH%\Administrator\Local Settings\History\*.*"
deltree /y "%HOMEPATH%\Administrator\Cookies\*.*"
Rem: the following line deletes the Virus Vault for AVG 7 anti-virus program.
deltree /y "C:\$VAULT$.AVG\*.*"
deltree /y "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\*.*"
deltree /y "C:\Documents and Settings\My User Folder\Local Settings\Application data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\8o1xg9jv.default\Cache\*.*"

So if you know a windows hiding place that's not in this list, let me know so I can add it to the program. I'm hoping we'll all benefit from this exercise.

Cheers Mates and thanks for your help,

Shadow Cool

goretsky

Hello,

The "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\" path sounds incorrect to me--it should point to ""%APPDATA%\Temporary Internet Files", right? So I was wondering if either something was set incorrectly in Microsoft Internet Explorer or there was another program (i.e., malware) that was creating this directory and any files in it. That was why I was wondering if you had found out what the source of the directory was.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

User: inactive Posts:

There are NO viruses or malware on my computer.....period.

If you worked on as many different computers as I do you'd realize that no two computers are exactly alike. That's why I'm soliciting input from other users as to where stuff is being stored on their computer.

I found that
"C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\

folder on one of my customer's PC's. I then went home and found it on my PC too. There was nothing wrong with it,,,,,it just had temporary internet files in it. (Past tense....they are GONE now! )

Now, since I added that location to my XPCleanup.bat program, that folder will be emptied Daily.

I'm still looking for new junk hideaways. Got any?

Shadow Cool

goretsky

Hello,

I was unware that there was a C:\WINDOWS\System32\Config\SystemProfile\ directory so I did a bit of research and found out that it is used by Microsoft Windows XP to provide a "safe" profile for applications and services to use of when running under the Local System Account (e.g., as SYSTEM). That way, any such programs always have a consistent environment in which to run.

It might be a good idea to be cautious about removing objects (malware notwithstanding) from that directory, even those with the appearance of temporary files or directories, as doing so may cause the system to behave in unpredictable ways.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

User: inactive Posts:

It's a ContentIE5 directory. It's temporary Internet Files. JUNK, GARBAGE, CRAPOLA!!!!!!

It gets dumped now every time I reboot my PC.
NO odd behavior here!

Cool