I don't know if this one is a bug.... I noticed that CCleaner does not delete tmp files in the C:\root folder. I am using Windows XP and I just installed CCleaner Ver. 2.10.618.

Welcome libanjon

What are the tmp file names that are not deleted?

In windows XP, a lot of tmp files are randomly created by the OS while windows programs are running. (Example below:) The files will just keep on piling if you don't manually delete it.

C:\>dir *.tmp
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is C061-EE73

Directory of C:\

02/08/2008 04:24 PM 0 11.tmp
02/08/2008 05:02 PM 0 1A.tmp
02/08/2008 05:05 PM 0 1C.tmp
02/08/2008 04:15 PM 0 D.tmp
02/08/2008 04:17 PM 0 F.tmp
5 File(s) 0 bytes
0 Dir(s) 20,934,868,992 bytes free

What I see:

C:\>dir *.tmp
Volume in drive C is IBM_PRELOAD
Volume Serial Number is BC33-66F9

Directory of C:\

File Not Found

It could be an application that you are using that is using C:\ as a tmp storage Folder.

What applications are you currently running?

I have the standard MS office applications and lotus notes. If i follow your logic, when then can I delete the tmp files using a simple DOS command to delete it?

Sorry for the typo, should be..... WHY then can I delete the tmp files using a simple DOS command to delete it? If you already don't have tmp files in your root folder, of course CCleaner can't clean it because it's not there in the first place.

If you mean in CC going to "Options> Include> Add File" then your right. Cant select what isnt there. You either have to wait until the file(s) are created again so you can select it (and change the file name to *.tmp) or you have to add a line to your 'CCleaner.ini' such as...

Maybe my english is so bad you still don't understand what i mean. Anyways, try to manually create a file named "test.tmp" in C:\ folder. Run CCleaner and check whether the file is deleted. The file is a "tmp" file, it should be deleted without any special configuration as u suggested.

So what your saying is that CC should 'search' your drive looking for and cleaning all files with the TMP extension? Because without 'special configuration' how else would CC know where to look and what to clean?

Edit: I saw the new thread where you posted that 'nobody seems to care.... or nobody knows the solution'. You got both from me.

After thinking about this a bit more I realized that.. CC detects your temp folder as specified in System Properties, Advanced, Enviroment Variables. If 3rd party software is ignoring the enviroment and dumping temp files in the root of your drive then you two options. Contact the vendor and let them know about the issue or... Make the accomodation in CC to scan the specific location for the specified file(s). Thats what winapp2.ini is for. Or the original suggestion I made. Either will give you the results your looking for.

Hello libanjon,
What is happening in my view is that you may have a misunderstanding of what CCleaner "cleans".

Unlike many other "cleaners" CCleaner does it's best to prevent users from doing unsafe practices unless they actually put requests for cleaning using the Include feature as Disk4mat has suggested.

Many "cleaner" programs make it too easy for users to perform these procedures. As a result they get a bad reputation as "dangerous" to use. CCleaner does not want to get such a reputation.

The ares for cleaning can be found in the .INI files that are embedded in the program itself.
These will show you exactly what is to be cleaned.

You can get a copy of these .ini files at this link.
http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?s=&...st&p=110667

This is a friendly forum. Please read and follow the rules.
Links to the rules can be found at the top of most forums.
http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?act=an...p;f=4&id=15

Best wishes,
davey
http://www.ccleanerbeginnersguide.com/
CCleaner Beginner's Guide.com Bookmark and save to Favorites

Beginners advice
Start here with this link and follow its advice.
http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?s=&...st&p=105208
Also see this link about the Registry and newbies.
http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?s=&...ost&p=96510
Come back and let us know how you did and what else we can help you with. There are lots of easy things to learn. One step at time.

Thanks kenny!

I'm still having the same problem though.... I have set my windows environment user variables like this:
TMP C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
TEMP C:\WINDOWS\TEMP

This is my CCleaner.ini:
[Options]
Language=1033
UpdateKey=08/13/2008 06:04:41 PM
BackupDir=C:\Program Files\CCleaner
MSG_CONFIRMCLEAN=False
WINDOW_MAX=1
WINDOW_LEFT=202
WINDOW_TOP=144
WINDOW_WIDTH=620
WINDOW_HEIGHT=450
MSG_WARNMOZCACHE=False
(App)Old Prefetch data=True
(App)Menu Order Cache=False
(App)Tray Notifications Cache=False
(App)Window Size/Location Cache=True
(App)User Assist History=True
(App)IIS Log Files=True
(App)Hotfix Uninstallers=True
(App)Custom Folders=True
Include1=PATH|C:\|*.tmp
CustomFiles=
CustomFolders=

The tmp files in the root folder seems to be created with a random name that goes like this; 2B.tmp, 2D.TMP etc. I'm sure that these files are created by some application but I can't pinpoint the exact program. Anyway, If I manually create a tmp file in the root of my drive, it's not being deleted by CCleaner as well. I have tried using other utilities such as Emptemp and it has no problem deleting the files.

Sorry, I misquote your name. Anyways, Thanks Disk4mat.

Those files could be created by malware.

Download RogueRemover and MBAM then update their definition files to the latest available then run them:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/rogueremover.php
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

If MBAM finds something then insure you let it remove what it finds then reboot to let the locked files be removed.

Post back their results.

Please post any results or logs in the Spyware Hell part of the forum not CCleaner bug section

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showforum=12

I don't think it's caused by a malware. I have encountered this issue in all windows XP pc. The root folder will always have a zero byte tmp files after using the system for a while. i've seen these zero byte files in my home pc, my work pc, my laptop, few client pc's... all in running windows xp pro. I think it's a CCleaner BUG!

lebanjon,

CCleaner cleans my c/temp file and always has.

The only thing I seem to get in it is a EmlResize_0.log file.

I first noticed this in 2006

http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=4680

I don't know if a program will dump temp files into the root directory or not if the Windows temp path variables are messed up, but I suppose anything is possible.

Sometimes if a temp folder is missing such as %userprofile%\local settings\temp that will make some programs non-functional if they use that folder and they won't load.

If I were to see random tmp files appearing in my root directory I'd do a malware scan first. Then I'd start launching all of my applications one at a time to see if they're created by a legitimate program.

Try them.

I think you will like them and it will definitely prove if the system has some known malware.

Kuala Lumpur must be fantastic but I have not been there but I was working in Jakarta, Indonesia for 5 weeks once.

Whether the tmp file is created by malware, spyware, adware or any other program, the issue remains that CCleaner should delete those files. The title of my post is "CCleaner cannot delete tmp file in C:\ root folder" so I would love to hear/read a reply on how to configure CCleaner to delete the tmp files. I have configured my CCleaner as suggested by earlier posts and run CCleaner but the files are still not deleted. If i delete the files manually in the explorer view, there is no problem... no message from the OS that the files are being used by a program. The best way to prove my point is; try manually creating creating a tmp file in the c: root folder and check whether CCleaner can clean the file.

I take it that you have ''only over 48 hours'' rule unticked in CCleaner advanced options?

Just checking

I'm on XP Home, I don't have any .tmp files on my C drive, but a few similarly named zero-byte files in C:\Documents and Settings\myname\Local Settings\Temp (rather surprisingly I don't have Clear Temp Files ticked).

As has been pointed out these files are most probable being created by some application, not the OS. If you enter 'tmp files c drive' (no quotes) in Google there are many others with the same problem which seems to be caused by some application. It may be possible that you can identify what is creating the tmp files on your pc from these postings.

CC cleans known system and popular application temp files from known locations. If it tries to clean files where it doesn't know what created them (as in the case of .tmp files on the c drive) it would be asking for trouble.

Your English is excellent, by the way.

.... and stop it.

Hazelnut, The first time I encountered the issue, I have tried all the advance settings of CCleaner.... the key-word is "ROOT FOLDER" not "WINDOWS\Temp" folder!.

I think nobody really understand what I'm trying to say... Did u try my suggestion to manually create a tmp file?

Augeas, I understand that the tmp files may have been created by some applications. I'm just confused on what you said that
"CC cleans known system and popular application temp files from known locations. If it tries to clean files where it doesn't know what created them (as in the case of .tmp files on the c drive) it would be asking for trouble."

As suggested by Disk4mat, I have included this line; "Include1=PATH|C:\|*.tmp " in my CCleaner.ini. By including this line, I thought i am letting CC know the location and the files to delete. Is this line particularly asking for trouble that's why CC don't delete the tmp files?

First let me apologize for being overly critical earlier.

You're right. By using the 'Include' your telling CC to remove all files with the tmp ext. on the root of the drive. I did some experimenting and I see the problem now.

If you enter the full file name, CC will find and remove it. But when using the wild card, it simply dosent work. This is strange because I have a dozen files and folders in the include list. All of them use a wild card. So apparently it is a bug.

Yes, I see now, my mind must have wandered again.... Unfortunately I don't use the ini file, so I can't help.

Andavari, I took note on you being the moderator of this forum. Apparently, my CCleaner issue is a BUG! You can check Disk4mat's post: http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showto...mp;#entry112027

By the way, I didn't notice any dedicated guidelines on how to report a bug. Is there a formal way to report a BUG?

Finally, someone actually walk the talk! Thanks Disk4mat for actually experimenting to see the real issue. A lot of us in this forum simply suggest things without really understanding the problem and trying the solutions we suggest.

Anyways, how do we report the BUG to the CC developer?

Hello again libanjon,
This thread serves as the Bug Report.
However I don't see a "bug" here.
I did all the testing and it works fine for me.
Remember, CCleaner is designed to safe.
I just used the Include option as listed here and everything works fine.
Just remember that once you get your list built then make a copy of (cc)leaner. ini file and keep it somewhere safe so you don't have to re-enter all those Include entries if somehow you lose your (cc)leaner.ini file from your CCleaner folder.



Hope you track down that program that keeps creating those files.
Good luck,
davey

As Davey said "once you get your list built". The problem is that you are not permitted to use wildcards. So if the the file naming conventions chage, you'll have to keep updating that list. If the file names are even remotely random then your at a loss.

I did some more experimenting and came up with the following. CC simply will not allow wildcards to be used on any fixed disk. Not even another partition, not on an external hdd either.

Click to view attachment
But I think I know why. Its intentional. While XP and Vista dosent have as many critical files on the root of the drive, older Windows version do. The 9x platform relies on Autoexec, config etc. This is the reason why wildcards arent permitted. If you browse and select a single file, it stands to reason you know what file your selecting and there wont be any mishaps with numerous files getting deleted and preventing the OS from loading. What if someone unknowingly entered *exe* or *con

So I think it was done by the CC team again, as Davey indicated... To be safe. The question open for debate is, should wildcards be permitted on the root of a drive? Im undecided at the moment.

What about non-system partitions, flash and external hdd's? Absolutely. There are files I would like to clean on the root of my flash and ext hdd where wildcard use is almost essential.

Davey, the files i want to delete is randomly created so there is no way i will know the filename of the next tmp file to be created. Try to read Disk4mat's post and understand how he experimented. He included "*.tmp" in the include line inside the CCleaner.ini... the same way as i did. Try to UNDERSTAND the issue please before you reply. Perform a proper TESTING.... and for GOD's sake, it's a .tmp file i want to delete. Can u particularly pinpoint which program uses .tmp as a propietory file extention? There could be countless of programs which uses the .tmp file extention as a temporary file which is harmless to delete.

I beg to disagree with u Disk4mat. I still think it's a BUG. To refute your argument, this is how i tested.
1. Create a file inside C:\WINDOWS folder. (in my case, i created CCleaner.k99)
2. include "*.k99" in the CCleaner.ini (Include2=PATH|C:\windows\|*.k99)
3. Check the includes screen to confirm the configuration
4. Run CCleaner.

The result of my test is attached. The CCleaner.k99 file inside C:\WINDOWS folder is deleted! WILDCARD is accepted by CCleaner.

What happens if i include "*.dll" in the CCleaner.ini? It's equally dangerous as adding "*.dll" in the ROOT of a drive, right?

You could use FileMon for Windows v7.04:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinte...s/bb896642.aspx

It is a very chatty application but you can set filters to see writes if you Filter on LogOpens, Log Success and Log Writes.

This is what I captured showing tmp files being created

Yeah but... Wild cards are permitted by CC for subfolders. But not the root of the drive. Perform your test again using the .k99 on C:\

I placed a file named 'test.d4' on C and used the wildcard *.d4 and it remained. Moved the file to C:\SubFolder\ and updated the ini accordingly and presto it was found/removed. I put the file back on C:\ and in the ini changed it to the full file name. It was found/removed. Also note the screenshot reflects what happens when you select the root of a drive in CC to add a folder and specify cleaning using a pattern.


What I should have said is that CC wont allow a wildcard to be used on the root of any drive/partition. CC allows the wildcard if a subfolder is selected...
Click to view attachment

I also tried to change the Windows Environment User Variable to "TMP = C:\" just to test whether CC actually retrieve this info and use it as parameter during the cleaning. CC didn't clean the root folder as well!

If CCleaner is designed to behave like this, it must be a FEATURE! Not a BUG! a very special feature because other cleaners don't behave like this.

You may want to make another variable for your system i.e.; something like %drive% and have it mapped directly to C:\

Then in CCleaner for the path use: %drive%

I have no ideal if this will work as I've not tried it, and do please use the Analyze button in CCleaner first before committing to an actual deletion.

The only other option I can think of is to make a Temp Files cleaner batch file simply with this line in it:


Other than that is "may not be a bug in CCleaner, and perhaps it's just a safety feature."

If this is a safety feature, why would i be allowed to delete *.tmp in the "c:\windows" folder and not in the "c:\" folder? This is defenitely overlooked by the developers.... Disk4mat also did his own testing and found out this behaviour to be weird. The basic question is, in the CCleaner.ini Include line, why allow "c:\windows |*.tmp" but not allow "c:\|*.tmp"? Can you explain? Anyone can explain please?

I can't explain because I'm not the developer, and don't know the internal workings of CCleaner.

I think the reason is that teh dev's dont want people to use any wild card or patterns to removed files on the root of the drive. I say this because of the dialog title in my screenshot "you can not select the root of the drive". I really had hoped someone from Piriform would either explain the behavior (is intentional?) or offer a proposed solution (may be fixed in another release?).

For now... The issue remains in the wind.

The .tmp files issue is being looked at. We put safety and security first, so it's taking a bit longer to come up with a flexible, but safe solution.
It'll be fixed in the next release... maybe

MrG

At last I got a reply from the developer. Thanks MrG.

I've just found out it also can't via a cleaning routine cleanup files in the root of a user profile directory on XP.

For instance using a winapp2.ini cleaning routine like this doesn't work:

[*Test]
LangSecRef=3021
DetectFile=%ProgramFiles%\Test\test.exe
Default=True
FileKey1=%userprofile%|*.log

I guess this topic should be permanently closed. The problem has been fixed in the new version...CCleaner v2.12.660

Thanks to the developer for listening to us, your followers, and for continuously improving this great utility.

After 3 pages of posts thats excellent news Now I can clean some junk on non-sys partitions and flash drives etc.

I totally disagree with the above.

Windows itself will prohibit the removal of some files.
This prohibition could be due to Windows deciding "This is a vital system file and I will die without it."
This prohibition could be due to malware deciding "I'm going to live for ever - and you are not going to kill me."
This prohibition could be due to some valid process (possibly due to a Windows service) that is running.
This prohibition could be due to badly written legitimate software that has damaged file permissions.

If Windows allows me to delete a file (e.g. via the DOS command DEL)
only then would I think of blaming CCleaner for not deleting that file.

Regards
Alan

It was a bug that has been fixed. Its a mute point now.