C:\WINDOWS folder very messy!

james76

New Member
i recently looked into the windows folder in the cd drive and it is auwfully messy, is there any way of cleaning it up, as there are all sorts of miscilaneous files and folders.

thanks.
 
The best way to fix this problem is to Run Disk Defragmenter. To do this: Got to
Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Restore > Disk Defragment

From there:
Select the drive i.e. (C: ) > Then click Defragment

Remember: The proccess will take upto 4Hrs+ depending on the size, speed and content of the drive as well as your PC performance capabilities i.e. CPU and RAM

For Praetor and Co. The procedure is to sort/rearrange your files not to get rid of miscilaneous files and folders :D
 
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The best way to fix this problem is to Run Disk Defragmenter. To do this: Got to
Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Restore > Disk Defragment
That doesnt change anything with the system folder....
 
Praetor said:
The best way to fix this problem is to Run Disk Defragmenter. To do this: Got to
Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Restore > Disk Defragment
That doesnt change anything with the system folder....
If Disk Defragmenter won't do the job what will? I thought that that Disk Defragmenter was made for cleaning up a mess. Please tell me if I'm wrong, I'd hate to give people the wrong/ incorrect piece of information :P
 
thought so aswell, i have done disk defragment before and it didnt effect that folder.

Well It does affect the folder in a sense as it does for your entire HD with the exception of the swap file. You see what Praetor meant is that It is not going to clean (delete) misc. files for you.. Defrag takes Information... Errr think of it as bits of files that get scattered all over your HD and puts them back together (this cannot be seen physically). Once back together then they are found by whatever Proggy that requires the files faster then having to skip about your HD to get the info that is required.

Hmm I suppose that was a very basic and sloppy and perhaps even a bit inaccurate explanation of what Disk defrag does.. perhaps Praetor can come and clean it up :P.

Edit:

You see a file and such as one icon. It's information though can get broken up and scattered about the HD.. Defrag puts it all back together.

For a mess like the one in the first post he would have to figure out if they where needed and delete them manualy.
 
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If Disk Defragmenter won't do the job what will? I thought that that Disk Defragmenter was made for cleaning up a mess. Please tell me if I'm wrong, I'd hate to give people the wrong/ incorrect piece of information
Dont know if blue got this yet or not (since ive not scrolled down that far :P) but defrag rearranges files on the disc so that they load faster ... it doesnt remove undeeded/stupid files etc :)

In order to clean-out the folder you'll either need:
1. Some sort of system util (i.e., Norton)
2. A bit of experience/intuition and the delete key
3. Leave it alone as most of the time there isnt much you can really clean out

@Blue:
Where's the 3nforc3r :P Been waiting :P
 
Yeah, prae's got the right idea. If you really want to clean it up do some searching on what you think you don't need and see if it really is uneeded before you delete it. If you're not careful could could be deleting integral system files.

P.S. What's this 3nforc3r you speak of, you've mentioned it in a few threads and now you got me wondering too.
 
OS Dragon said:
Remember: The proccess will take upto 4Hrs+ depending on the size, speed and content of the drive as well as your PC performance capabilities i.e. CPU and RAM

4 hours!!! ...that is a little extreme :)
 
I only have a 30GB hard drive and not a lot of software and that to 3-4 Hrs, imagine how long it would take to Defragment a 200GB HD with loads of software :rolleyes:
 
The defrag time also depends on the filesystem, FAT32 takes forever and a day to defrag while NTFS is relativly fast.
 
james76 said:
i recently looked into the windows folder in the cd drive and it is auwfully messy, is there any way of cleaning it up, as there are all sorts of miscilaneous files and folders.

thanks.

ill tell you this: make some time>get food and something to drink>Radio>and start opening and opening and closing and closing and 'return' and 'return' ....ahh its takes so long, but after you do it, it will all be better. the best thing to do is to check if all the folders are gone after you have uninstaled something.

edit: 4 HOURS?....SHEEESH!!!:confused:
 
Can't believe nobody's warned this guy that if he messed up c:/windows it could mess his system up, lol!

Mate, the best way around this problem is to make c:/windows a hidden folder and then set folder options to not show hidden files. That way you never have to look at it again. best way, because more or less every file in that folder is required.
 
Me, Prae, and Blue all warned him what could happen if he starts deleting stuff from his windows folder.
 
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