CCleaner: Can I really delete these 2 gigs?

I ran CCleaner with all the goodies checked, and it found 2 gigs of stuff. Did it actually find that much crap and is it actually safe to delete all of it?

I want to clean up as much as I possibly can so please don't point out and say "advanced users only". I'd like to know and learn what I can and can't do. Thank you!

 

Hello Dark Angel :wave Are you REALLY sure you want to delete ALL of that? I have it too, but I don't click anything in the "Advanced" area at all, but now that is just me... If you do as you have it clicked, you will lose ALL your information you have on your computer: Custom files and folders, and all your start-up.... I would suggest to do this in small steps, not all at once like you have it... Start with Internet Explorer, and if you are UNSURE of what is going to be deleated, you can double -click any item in that list, BEFORE clicking clean, to see what is in that file, BEFORE CC deletes it, because there is no returning once you click run ... Everything you have checked, WILL be gone...

Why not start with IE, and do Temp.Int. files, History and cookies... That will clear up a lot right there.. Then, take the rest one 'check' at a time... I think that is a lot to remove, and you don't really know what is in those files... All your passwords and log-in information will be gone.. Is that what you are trying to accomplish? To clean up is one thing, but I think you are overdoing it just a little bit here..

 

Yes, I would agree. Just by deleting IE temp files and System temp files you will clear about 1.25gb safely.

The other two biggies: [Java does tend to pile up as they don't delete older versions and you will probably never uninstall a hotfix] Wait and see if someone who has done that answers otherwise try reading up on CCleaner documentation and see what you can find.

More importantly, you do not want 35 pass overwrite deletion. It will take a very LONG time. I doubt even real life spies bother with that on a regular basis.

 

Thanks a lot guys! I'll start working my way up and take any other advice people have. The time frame of a 35 pass... Are we talking an overnight thing? Or does it take days?

 

no its actualy quite fast but it overwrites every byte of the file your deleting so it should at worse a few minutes and since your only doing the internet files (i assum given the advice above) it should only take a mniute

 

Every time I've tried to use CCleaner, over the years, it has hosed up my PC and I wound up doing a Ghost Restore to get my computer back.

I won't let that program anywhere near my PC. Sorry, CCleaner lovers.

I do use a program called "Easy Cleaner 2.0" which I've found to be 100% safe. I use it to clean up all my customer's PC's, with never any problem. It instinctively knows what is junk and what is not.

Cheers Mates! Be safe!
The Doctor

 

I would also suggest turning off the Advanced options for now until you get a greater understanding of those files. But I think the other files look like unnecessary "junk" and I have been using CCleaner for 5-6 years without ever having an issue. Always create a back up when you do the Registry Scan (I named a folder in C: and called it registry changes for back up). I once pulled 5GB of "crud" of a friends PC and gave it a new lease on life, so 2GB isn't huge compared to what I have seen.

Do you really need to do 35 wipes?

Is it highly sensitive data?

Doing 35 wipes will mean you are doing a lot of HDD activity (the head will be tracking back and forth writing 000000.....etc) and can lead to unnecessary HDD wear imho and potentially decrease it's longevity.

 

Wow Shadow. I guess wonders never cease :-D But seriously "every time"
I'd be p!@@#d to use an image to restore each time :-D
On the contrary, I let it Zap every thing on a whim, including advanced options

Cheers..

 

Hey thre Dark Angel, click start>run type in "%temp%" without the quotes, and you will also be able to view temp files and folders that gets stored on your pc, check through these aswell and and have a good look to see what you want to delete and what you don't want to delete !

 

I've also used ccleaner for years now and I install and run on every computer I clean up. But I leave on the default settings, which means no advanced features. I have run the advanced features and never had any issues arise as a result but, to be on the safe side, when I install this program I leave it on default and tell the owner to run frequently. I've personally got in a habit of running the program just before shutting down each day.

The registry cleaner has given me some issues. I use Vista Home Premium and at first the cleaner was disassociating *.msc files. In other words, if I tried to run services.msc, I would get a message asking me what to open this with. So I had to go to the tools to reestablish the association, not difficult, just annoying. I know of no one else who had this problem however, so maybe it is just a quirk on my machine. But with the latest version of ccleaner, this doesn't happen anymore.

I say, run it and run it often.

 

Never personally had issues running ccleaner, even with all those items checked. On a side note, I have had issues using the registry cleaner, but now I just make backups of the registry first, just in case.

Just be aware that with removing the "Hotfix uninstallers", removes the ability to uninstall microsoft patches and (I believe) service packs.

One other note of interest, it appears you may be having a few BSODs (Blue Screen Of Death). Looking at the memory dumps cleaned, you have 25 files, this equals 25 BSODs.

 

Wow, those BSODs are OLD (so is my computer)! Those are at somewhere between 2 and 4 years old. Thanks guys!

 

The only thing I don't have checked in mine is "Windows/Size Location cache". Just because I have special views for folders. If I was you I would uncheck the hotfix uninstallers "just incase" I don't see any problem with running it as it is though. I have ran ccleaner at least 4 years and never a hiccup. I don't know if I would do the 35 pass wipe though.

 

Hi Everyone ,
Just thought I would add my bit for what it is worth. I do use CCleaner but I have had issues even though I don't use the advanced settings. The particular issue came after using the Cleaner function(not the registry cleaner) My mail notifier kept getting zapped and after much searching and frustration I tracked it down to Run In Start Menu cleaning under Cleaner/ Windows/ Windows Explorer of CCleaner. Deselecting this solved the problem immediately but it took some finding !
I suppose I am saying you must treat even the default settings with caution as even these can cause problems. It obviously depends on your exact set up but buyer beware !
Regards Alex

 

I have used and like CCleaner, but refuse to use the Registry cleaner portion.
Mainly because of problems with other so-called "cleaners".
Others here may,and will, disagree, but that is my option.

 

Hi,
No one can argue that CCleaner never causes problems, they can however state that CCleaner doesn't cause any known issues on their set up. It does boil down to the particular set up involved. What is 100% certain is that CCleaner used on default settings and not running the registry cleaner does cause problems on some systems. It did on mine.
Regards Alex.

 

I've never seen any proof that running a reg cleaner is beneficial at all, but clearly they do have the potential to cause problems. Never touch them myself, and my near three year old Vista system still flies.

 

Hi,
Your probably wise Earthling. Hope you got my PM re Thanks for Everything.
Regards Alex.

 

I did Alex, thanks, and pleased it's working for you. I think it's quite the snazziest little util I've come across in years.