Groups > alt.comp.os.windows-10 > #182576

Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files

From	VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH>
Newsgroups	alt.comp.os.windows-10
Subject	Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files
Date	2025-02-26 13:55 -0600
Organization	Usenet Elder
Message-ID	<efdmopoyrrpm.dlg@v.nguard.lh> (permalink)
References	<vpn7gg$2jeht$1@dont-email.me>

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Jim Dell <Jim.Dell@gmail.com> wrote:

> Got a question about the files in %TEMP%
> 
> There are thousands of them on my system
> 
> If you run “dir %TEMP%” from a command prompt you’ll see them.
> 
> Mostly mine are
> HeadlessChrome304648710500
> scoped_dir304_1457881672
> folders
> 
> The only thing that changes is the numbers after the text.
> 
> Yes, a run a Chrome Headless job. Is there a parameter to set to I 
> should set to prevent the HeadlessChrome folders?
> 
> I don’t know what is causing the scoped_dir folders from being created.

To see which process, if any currently, have a handle on those files,
you can use Sysinternals' handle.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/handle

If nothing has a handle on a file, but the file reappears after you
deleted it, you can use SysInternals' Process Monitor (FileMon is no
longer available) to see which process created the file.  Filter on the
[path]filename to reduce the log to see what is accessing just that
file.  You don't need to include the path to the file unless the
same-named file is in multiple folders.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon

You can schedule an event in Task Scheduler, or add a shortcut as a
startup item, that runs a command to do cleanup on Windows account
login.  I use CCleaner for cleanup; however, I defined firewall rules to
block its outbound connections trying to retrieve ads (Avast turned
Piriform's CCleaner cleaner after Avast acquired Piriform).  To run from
the command line, in a scheduled event, or using a shortcut, use:

ccleaner.exe /auto

That runs CCleaner without user intervention; i.e, it runs, cleans, and
exits.  For the shortcut, I also configure it to run in a minimized
window, so all I see is its Taskbar button.  

You can have it clean the %temp%, and other folders when it runs, but
sometimes temp files are used during an install.  The installer needs to
replace files, but they are currently in-use/locked, so the installer
restarts Windows to use a registry key to delete the in-use files, and
copy new files in their place.  The temp files could be the ones to get
replaced, or just the rest of the install script to do the replacing.
To avoid losing a pending install, I have CCleaner configured to delete
temp files that are over 1 day old.

I don't need to pay for CCleaner to get it to run scheduled.  Paying
gets that option, but I can use the Task Scheduler and the /auto command
line parameter to effect the same (which is likely what payware CCleaner
does, too).  I also added a shortcut to a toolbar in the Taskbar to run
"ccleaner.exe /auto" when I choose.

There are lots of other cleanup tools, like Bleachbit which I looked at,
but stuck with CCleaner only because I was able to neuter the ad
platform added by Avast, but that means I have to check for updates
since the program is blocked from the network (I prefer to schedule if
and when to look for updates rather than have software shove it at me).
You could just write a .bat file (batch script) to run 'del' commands to
which you point a shortcut and/or add as a scheduled event, but you'll
need to get fancy with script logic if you want to delete files over an
age threshold (which I've done in the past for other cleanup duties).

You can always delete the temp files yourself.  Better to ensure they
aren't inuse at the time; else, you could yank them away from a running
process which could have detrimental side effects.  You'll get an error
when trying to delete inuse files.  If you can never delete the files
(something always has them locked), you can try a couple solutions:

If the file is locked by explorer.exe:
(1) Open a command prompt with admin privileges.
(2) Open Task Manager, and kill all explorer.exe processes (you can also
do this in a batch file using "taskkill /im explorer.exe /f").  The
desktop disappears because explorer.exe is both the file manager and the
desktop manager.
(3) Use the command shell to navigate to the folder, and delete the
files.
(4) Use Task Manager's File -> New Task menu to run "explorer.exe".  The
desktop reappears; however, some systray icons may be missing which
won't reappear until you logout and login to your Windows account.

I use a batch script to perform the above to first test if explorer.exe
has a lock on a file.  Kill explorer.exe (all instances), try to delete
the file(s), and reload explorer.exe.  If something else has a lock on
the file, you don't want to bother using 'handle' to find out what has
the lock to kill it, and a reboot is okay to delete the file(s), use a
unlock tool, like Lockhunter or Unlocker.  I used Unlocker for a long
time, but encountered problems with it the Lockhunter didn't have.  Too
long ago to remember how Unlocker was failing back then.

https://lockhunter.com/
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/unlocker.html

Be careful with the install of Unlocker as it comes bundled with
unwanted extras (presented during the install which you won't see if you
disconnect from the network before running the installer).  Be sure to
elect a custom install whenever offered, so you decide what to install.

Both of these, and other similar tools, work on an age-old registry hack
that has been available since, I believe, Windows 9x.  Files are added
to a PendingFileRenameOperations registry key: if just a file is listed,
it gets deleted; if a source and destination file are listed per entry,
the file is either renamed or moved.  On bootup, if Windows finds this
registry key defined, it does the deletes, renames, or moves hopefully
before any process creates a lock on the file(s).  You can try to have
Lockhunter or Unlocker delete a file without a reboot, but if they
cannot then they have to add to the registry key, and a later reboot of
Windows will commit the actions.

Thread

Windows %TEMP% folder & files Jim Dell <Jim.Dell@gmail.com> - 2025-02-26 09:12 -0500
  Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files "R.Wieser" <address@is.invalid> - 2025-02-26 16:51 +0100
  Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-02-26 12:53 -0500
    Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2025-02-26 19:29 +0100
      Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-02-26 20:46 +0000
        Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> - 2025-02-26 21:15 +0000
          Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Newyana2 <newyana@invalid.nospam> - 2025-02-26 20:06 -0500
            Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-02-26 21:09 -0500
            Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> - 2025-02-27 11:15 +0000
              Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Newyana2 <newyana@invalid.nospam> - 2025-02-27 07:34 -0500
                Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> - 2025-02-27 19:00 +0000
                Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Newyana2 <newyana@invalid.nospam> - 2025-02-27 16:54 -0500
                Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Ed Cryer <ed@somewhere.in.the.uk> - 2025-02-27 22:54 +0000
                Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-03-01 15:29 +0000
        Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2025-02-26 16:06 -0600
          Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-02-27 13:29 +0000
        Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Anssi Saari <anssi.saari@usenet.mail.kapsi.fi> - 2025-02-27 12:37 +0200
      Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Char Jackson <none@none.invalid> - 2025-02-26 17:57 -0600
        Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files John <Man@the.keyboard> - 2025-02-27 12:01 +0000
      Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Zaidy036 <Zaidy036@air.isp.spam> - 2025-02-26 19:20 -0500
  Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Newyana2 <newyana@invalid.nospam> - 2025-02-26 13:42 -0500
  Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2025-02-26 13:55 -0600
    Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2025-02-26 14:23 -0600
  Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files John <Man@the.keyboard> - 2025-02-27 11:47 +0000
    Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Jim Dell <Jim.Dell@gmail.com> - 2025-02-27 08:49 -0500
      Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-02-27 15:00 +0000
    Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Jim Dell <Jim.Dell@gmail.com> - 2025-02-27 08:49 -0500
  Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files "John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-27 06:43 -0800
    Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-02-27 15:31 +0000
      Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files "John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-28 05:29 -0800
        Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-02-28 12:32 -0500
          Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files "John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> - 2025-03-02 06:11 -0800
        Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2025-02-28 11:39 -0600
          Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files "John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> - 2025-03-02 06:14 -0800
            Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-03-02 15:20 +0000
              Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2025-03-02 14:57 -0500
                Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2025-03-02 20:28 +0000
              Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files "John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> - 2025-03-03 06:15 -0800
            Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2025-03-02 14:44 -0600
        Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Mr Xi Ji Ping <ping@china.cn> - 2025-02-28 17:39 +0000
          Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2025-02-28 12:10 -0600
          Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files "John C." <r9jmg0@yahoo.com> - 2025-03-02 06:18 -0800
        Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Jim Dell <Jim.Dell@gmail.com> - 2025-03-01 19:11 -0500
    Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files John <Man@the.keyboard> - 2025-02-28 23:40 +0000
  Re: Windows %TEMP% folder & files Zaidy036 <Zaidy036@air.isp.spam> - 2025-02-27 10:03 -0500

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