This article shows you how to delete temporary files and data generated by a Windows 7 system during normal use. Read on to find out how.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Empty the System Cache
Step 1. Access the "Start" menu by clicking the icon
It features the Windows color logo and is located in the lower left corner of the desktop.
Step 2. Type the keywords Disk Cleanup into the "Start" menu
Your computer will search your computer for the "Disk Cleanup" system program.
If the text cursor does not automatically appear in the search bar at the bottom of the "Start" menu, select it with the mouse
Step 3. Click the Disk Cleanup icon
It features a hard drive topped with a brush. It should appear at the top of the "Start" menu. The "Disk Cleanup" program window will appear.
To start the program you may need to click the "Disk Cleanup" icon as soon as it appears at the bottom of the screen
Step 4. Select all the check buttons in the "Files to delete: box:
. This is all temporary or unnecessary data and files that can be deleted from the system to free up disk space. To be able to select all the items indicated, you will have to scroll down the list.
Step 5. Press the OK button
It is located in the lower right of the "Disk Cleanup" window.
Step 6. Press the Delete File button when prompted
The "Disk Cleanup" program will proceed to delete all selected temporary data, such as "Thumbnails" of images and the contents of the system recycle bin.
When the deletion process is complete, the "Disk Cleanup" window will close automatically
Method 2 of 4: Erase Temporary Application Data
Step 1. Access the "Start" menu by clicking the icon
It features the Windows color logo and is located in the lower left corner of the desktop.
Step 2. Select the Computer item
It is located in the right column of the "Start" menu. The Windows "Explorer" window for the "Computer" item will be displayed.
If the voice Computer is not present in the "Start" menu, type the keyword computer into it, then click the icon Computer appeared at the top of the search results list.
Step 3. Enable viewing of hidden files and folders
Use the following sequence of instructions:
- Select the item Organize placed in the upper left corner of the window;
- Choose the option Folder and search options from the drop-down menu appeared;
- Access the card Visualization;
- Select the check button "Show hidden folders, files and drives" located in the "Files and folders" section;
- Push the button OK located at the bottom of the window.
Step 4. Double click on the computer hard drive icon
Within the "Hard Drives" section, all hard drives and partitions present in the system are listed. Select the one that contains your Windows installation (it will most likely be named Local disk (C:)) with a double click of the mouse.
Normally the drive letter of the computer's primary hard drive is "C" displayed like this (C:) next to the volume name.
Step 5. Double click on the Users folder
It is listed at the bottom of the window, as the contents of the disc are sorted alphabetically.
Step 6. Select the user account folder that you usually use to work with a double click of the mouse
Normally the name of this folder is your name or the email address associated with your Microsoft account.
Step 7. Go to the AppData folder
It should appear about halfway through the list, but you may need to scroll through it to find and select it if the window isn't full screen.
Step 8. Go to the Local folder
It is located at the top of the window.
Step 9. Scroll through the newly appeared listing to locate and select the Temp directory
Select it with a single mouse click so that it is highlighted.
Step 10. Remove the "Read Only" attribute from the folder
Follow this sequence of instructions:
- Select the item Organize;
- Choose the option Property;
- Uncheck the "Read only" checkbox;
- Push the button Apply;
- When prompted, press the button OK to confirm;
- Finally, press the button again OK to complete the procedure.
Step 11. Access the Temp folder by double clicking on its icon
Step 12. Select all the contents of the "Temp" directory
Click one of the items in the folder, then press the hotkey combination Ctrl + A. Alternatively you can access the drop-down menu Organize and choose the option Select all.
Step 13. Delete the contents of the "Temp" directory
Press the Delete key on your keyboard.
It is very likely that some of the files in the directory are currently in use by running programs or by the operating system itself, so they will not be deleted. If a notification window appears stating that some items cannot be removed because they are in use, select the "Do this for all current items" check button, then press the button Ignore.
Step 14. Empty the system recycle bin
This way all deleted items will be permanently deleted from your computer.
Method 3 of 4: Clear the Internet Explorer Cache
Step 1. Access the "Start" menu by clicking the icon
It features the Windows color logo and is located in the lower left corner of the desktop.
Step 2. Type the internet options keywords into the "Start" menu
A full search for the "Internet Options" program will be performed on your computer.
If the text cursor does not automatically appear in the search bar at the bottom of the "Start" menu, select it with the mouse
Step 3. Click the Internet Options icon
It should appear at the top of the "Start" menu. The "Internet Options" system window will appear.
Step 4. Go to the General tab
It is located at the top of the window.
Step 5. Press the Settings button
It is located in the lower right of the "Browsing History" pane.
Step 6. Press the View Files button
It is located in the lower right part of the window. The list of items currently cached by Internet Explorer will be displayed.
Step 7. Select all Internet Explorer cache contents
Click one of the items in the folder, then press the hotkey combination Ctrl + A. Alternatively you can access the drop-down menu Organize and choose the option Select all.
Step 8. Delete the contents of the cache
Press the Delete key on your keyboard.
Step 9. Empty the system recycle bin
This way all deleted items will be permanently deleted from your computer.
Method 4 of 4: Clear the DNS Service Cache
Step 1. Access the "Start" menu by clicking the icon
It features the Windows color logo and is located in the lower left corner of the desktop.
Clearing the system DNS client cache is useful for resolving connectivity problems, for example when you receive an error message about the current web session timeout while trying to access a specific website
Step 2. Type the keywords command prompt in the "Start" menu
It will search your computer for "Command Prompt".
If the text cursor does not automatically appear in the search bar at the bottom of the "Start" menu, select it with the mouse
Step 3. Select the "Command Prompt" icon
with the right mouse button.
It should have appeared at the top of the "Start" menu. A context menu will be displayed.
- If your mouse does not have two buttons, click the right side of the pointing device or press the mouse using two fingers;
- If your computer has a trackpad, you will need to tap it with two fingers at the same time to simulate pressing the right button on a normal mouse, or you will need to press the right side of the trackpad.
Step 4. Choose the Run as administrator option
It is located within the context menu that appeared. Windows "Command Prompt" will be displayed with system administrator access rights.
- If the account currently logged into the system is not a Windows administrator, you will not be able to perform this step.
- You may need to press the button to proceed Yup located inside the "User Account Control" window.
Step 5. Run the command to clear the DNS service cache
Type the string ipconfig / flushdns into the "Command Prompt" window, then press the Enter key.
Step 6. Wait to receive confirmation of the command execution
The message "DNS resolver cache emptied" should appear as soon as the command is successfully executed.
