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My first choice here is CCleaner, a product that started off as pretty basic but has continued to improve to the point where it is now very close to the best in its class regardless of price. It's very effective in freeing up disk space by removing unused and temporary files, cookies, Recycle bin entries, Windows hot-fix files, old prefetch data, history and cache files in many applications such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, Safari and much more. Additionally, it will check the Windows Registry for invalid entries. There are some minuses: first, the installation settings are quite aggressive so do check them carefully. Second, the product installation, by default, includes the installation of the Yahoo Toolbar, so if you don't want it make sure you uncheck that option. Finally, I wouldn't trust this product to do your Registry cleaning; that's a job for a specialist utility. Similarly, if your aim is to remove all your surfing traces rather than just to clean up your disk, I'd be inclined to use a specialist cache cleaner. However, if simply freeing up disk space is your objective then CCleaner is hard to beat. A good companion to CCleaner is Empty Temp Folders. It's not as complete a product as CCleaner and it's been a while since it was last updated, but I find that it always manages to clean more temporary files than CCleaner. That's why I suggest you use both. Another cleaner with a solid following is Steven Gould's CleanUP!. It's compact, well designed and very well maintained and is a real alternative to CCleaner. In use I've had a couple instances which caused problems on my test PC, but this may have been specific to my setup. Certainly the feedback I get from users has been uniformly excellent. In a related category is PC Decrapifier. Its job is to remove unwanted trial versions of programs and services that come preinstalled on new PCs. You can remove all this stuff manually, but PC Decrapifier does this automatically. It can't remove every bit of junk from every computer, but the list of products it will remove is quite impressive.
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Temp Cleaner is by far ther best.
Not updated for more than three years and not suitable for Vista, W7 or the x64 bit version of XP.
Try FCleaner;
http://www.fcleaner.com/
I have XP Pro loaded on my pc and each family member (and friends), have their own profile.
I use Steven Gould's cleanup, because it is one of the few utilities that can clean up multiple IE user profiles at one time.
If you watch it run, you 'll see it clean each user's IE cache files, one user after another.
A lot of programs will simply clean "your" profile, and that is it.
Unfortunately cleanup doesn't seem to do well in cleaning multiple user profiles for firefox.
Question:
Can anyone recommend a cleaner that will clean up every user's firefox cache?
I use a cleanup tool like Stevewn gould's, whenever someone picks up a virus or malware.
It is a great help to remove all the excess cache files ahead of time; so my anti virus and anti malware scanner don't have to scan 1,000's of extra cache files. And takes hours to scan, vs minutes.
Hi, Steve:
I am a user of CCleaner for a long time, however, I always feel an insufficient fuction CCleaner provided - the program does not delete the empty folder, is there any cleaner with this feature?
Tks
Michael
You might want to try RED. Some applications may require temp folders that are empty though.
I use CCleaner and let it remove old prefetch and uninstall programs from Microsoft. Once updates have been installed and no problems have emerged, why keep the old uninstall programs? They can take up huge amounts of disc space. Equally, when you have uninstalled programs, why would you have any further use for old prefetch files?
I have never had a problem with CCleaner nor with other cleaning programs,except Comodo which I tried and got rid of. I also have used Easy Cleaner for years. After using all other file and registry cleaners, try Easy Cleaner. What it will find is amazing and again I have never known it remove anything it shouldn't.
EasyCleaner screws the 'OPA12.bak' file.
-PROOF:
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/2834/28314270.jpg
If you choose to Remove that file,
the next time you click on an Office file,
Windows Pop-Up an Office Progress Bar.
-PROOF:
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/1490/98990982.jpg
Easycleaner has Not been Updated since 2006.
Several Users, like me, have sent Remarks on the Developer,
but he never Responded!
As it seems, the Developer abandoned EasyCleaner!
Any such application of this type is capable of similar actions. This is why you should not use one unless you are capable of understanding the results and interpreting which ones are safe to delete. As I've said before, when I was servicing customer's PC's the main cause of system errors, many of which were irreversible, were caused by the use of system cleaners of some kind and not by malware or hardware faults.
Other File Cleaners destroy the desktop.ini file
and distort the 'Save us' Window Image:
http://forums.lunarsoft.net/topic/3540-problem-with-pura-1-3/
Not all applications are the same!
CCleaner Never has given me a Single problem since 2007!
There are Good File Cleaners and BAD Cleaners!
This link is to an old post about an obsolete version of a program which according to it's download stats is unknown to around 99% of the population including me. According to the developer there was a fix for this issue but since the program was upgraded only two months ago the need for this has now disappeared. I'm not suggesting that using obscure software is any more dangerous than mainstream stuff, if fact often the reverse is true, but it's still a mathematical certainty that sooner or later any of these apps will suggest deleting something you need, and unless your system knowledge is at a high enough level something will stop working if you act accordingly.
Oh Boy! You got it all wrong!
There are ****Still**** programs that
***Continue***
to destroy the 'Desktop.ini' file
the SAME way the
-OLD- PureRa version did.
PureRa fixed this problem
-BUT-
others -STILL- have NOT!
EasyCleaner ,for example, -Still-
may remove a *.bak OFFICE file
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/2834/28314270.jpg
and
the next time you click on an Office file,
you need to wait until...
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/1490/98990982.jpg
There appears to be some inbuilt inability here to read all of a post. I did actually agree with you. All software of this type can, does and likely will cause similar problems on systems not operated by users with advanced system knowledge. This is simply because they do not have the ability to interpret the results to avoid deleting entries that need to be left alone. Without this knowledge there is absolutely no point in using this type of program. Ultimately you allow yourself only three choices. Delete nothing, delete it all or guess at a selection, in other words play Russian roulette with your file system.
Some Software Developers forget the Average Joe/Jane when releasing Cleaners!
It is like giving a Shotgun to a 4-yr old kid!
-How the hell the Average Joe/Jane knows what to Erase and what to Keep?
I am an Advanced/Expert User BUT 80% of PC Users are Not!
This is very true, in fact I would probably place this figure even higher than 80%. I think what would be helpful from the developers is to publish a list of known entries likely to cause a problem if removed, a bit like AV false positives. Users could then copy this and compare it to their own results. Not ideal by any means but at least more of a reference than they would otherwise have. Another good reason also for this level of user to only run software which has a forum thread somewhere because this type of information is also likely to be listed there.
Try the Argente Disk Cleaner and you will see that, too!
This is also one of the Worst/Dangerous Disk Cleaners!
It removes files Windows actually need!!!
When installing CCleaner, uncheck the last box in the install process, and you don't get Yahoo. Yahoo is NOT installed by default. You have to ask for it.
-There is No Need for it (uncheck >Yahoo! Toolbar)
-Use the Slim version of CCleaner (=No Yahoo! Toolbar):
http://www.ccleaner.com/download/builds
http://www.ccleaner.com/download/builds/downloading-slim
Have a look at WinDirStat at http://windirstat.info/
After scanning files, it gives a nice Graphic presentation allowing you to immediately zoom in on those larger files
Outdated App!
Tested and Remove it!
I have been reading comments about the use of some of the software and don't know where some people are getting information from. I use CleanUp and have had no problems what soever, i use Comodo System cleaner, which has a registry cleaner, had no problems. So, i think before you trash a program you need to do your homework on the product. CCleaner is find but if you don't need the extras use something that leaves a smaller footprint like CleanUp, it does just as good a job.
Comodo System Cleaner v2 is a Lousy program!
Maybe you use:argente (entire suites of utilities) that is only in spanish and make at a moment a toolbar up on the desktop but this is not a problem to dezactivete and don't make real problems.Ended Argente utilities are for intelligent peoples not for amateurs and you need that your native language to be spanish or similar(latin)to understand or to use a dictionary.Entire world learn in general english at school so is more easy to renounce if they don't know another language.This is a big limitation.But Argente suites have a big potential for smart peoples who don't believe in danger.Danger is only in ignorance.
No more Argente!
Another is:Argente-Disk Cleaner 1.2.0.3.Have posibility to choise drive or to clean all drives,configure file type to search,add to exclusion list(for example at Skype if i remember it say to not delete this temporary files,at Privacy cleaner have options for:Windows,Int Explorer,Mozzilla firefox,Programs.At tools we have:hibernate system and defragmenting system.At configure you have a lot of choise:general,files,exclude,include,automate,coockie,secure deletion,advanced,messages.This soft is in beta version and have many possibility for improvement.For examples to make for more internet browsers,wipe,unloocker files,delete old restauration points,etc.Maybe in future.
dangerous and unstable!
It distorts, by default, the *desktop.ini* file!
Stay away from it!
AFT cleaner removes the contents of the Windows -Prefetch- folder
PROOF:
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/4134/atf.jpg
,whereas,
CCleaner remomoves ***ONLY*** the ***OLD**** -Prefetch- data
PROOF:
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/442/20000680.jpg
ATF Cleaner is NOT Safer than CCleaner!
On the contrary, ATF Cleaner can harm Windows
if you choose to Clean the Windows -Prefetch- folder!
PROOF:
Deleting the contents of the Prefetch folder will increase BOTH
a) application launch and b) windows boot time performance.
Every time you delete an application's Prefetch (.PF) file,
you will cripple that application's load time
the next time you go to launch it.
Even though Windows XP will simply re-create that application's Prefetch (.PF) trace file,
that application's optimal load time will not be restored until after the second time you launch that application
and the system has been able to go idle and fully run the prefetch optimization.
Windows XP automatically cleans the Prefetch folder
down to the 32 most used Prefetch (.PF) trace files
when the folder reaches 128 files so they do not needlessly consume space.
There is never ANY reason to delete these files by yourself!!!
ATF Cleaner is far superior to CCleaner, i've used both. You really do need to put that up there, its used by any security forum (bleeping computer, geeks to go, etc.)
That's Nonsense!
Millions of users Trust CCleaner
and rate it as one of
the Best Freeware Applications ever made!
That's totally Inaccurate!
CCleaner is also used by security Forums, too!
TSA recommends CCleaner as part of the Spyware Removal Guide:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/spyware-removal-guide.htm
One advantage if ATF Cleaner is that is safer, even if it's used by a beginner who just cleans everything the computer will still be functioning, which is why I think it's recommended there. I've heard of cases where using the CCleaner registry cleaner has given severe problems.
You've heard cases...
Very Accurate statements...LOL
Sorry for not explaining it very well. What I mean is, I've read various posts by professionals at GeeksToGo where users who ran CCleaner's registry cleaner had to reinstall Windows because of the errors it caused.
Come on now...
Users at Geekstogo were forced to Format their PCs
due to malware; not due to CCleaner!
The Registry Cleaner of CCleaner
is one of the *SAFEST* Registry Cleaners!
It is very -Basic- and doesn't go that -Deep- inside the Registry.
The Registry Cleaner of CCleaner is Not -Aggressive/Harmful- at all!
Besides, there is Always the BackUp Tool that can Reverse any loss.
Here are just a couple of comments from industry professionals. There are of course always two sides to any argument but I've never met anybody from within the computer industry who promoted the use of registry cleaners unless they were re-sellers for commercial software.
"Actually we do not recommend you the use of ANY registry cleaner software it can be very risky and dangerous. Deleting a wrong essential key will cause alot of problems. If you think cleaning the registry will speed up this wrong, cleaning the registry has nothing to do with speeding up your pc, the registry is not a place to mess with."
"A registry cleaner will not increase your system's speed or performance, and has the potential to break your registry to the point that your PC is no longer bootable. We strongly advise that people stay away from any of the registry cleaners out there."
This Thread is about the 'Best Free File Cleaner', isn't it?
Comments about the use/risks of Registry Cleaners belong to
another Thread (i.e.the 'Best Free Registry Cleaner').
I agree with JT. Although no longer servicing 'live' customers, when I was, apart from malware infections the worst system problems were caused by the use of registry and file cleaners. Most required a reformat and during some months these issues were more frequent than those caused by malware infections. 95% of all users do not need, nor would derive any benefit from the use of such tools and the same number certainly have no idea how to use them safely.
If you want to compare ATF with CCleaner,
you must do it on the File Cleaner level.
ATF lacks a Registry Cleaner and therefore,
it is pointless to compare ATF (a File Cleaner)
with the Registry Cleaner of CCleaner.
So, on the *File Cleaner level*
(i.e. lets leave Registry Cleaning aside),
what makes ATF a -better- File Cleaner
than CCleaner?
Can, you, please, provide concrete evidence?
Security Fora use also CCleaner!
Just a couple of sites to prove my claim:
a)http://www.lunarsoft.net/downloads/cat_view/37-malware-cleanup
(see at the bottom)
B)http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=35407
(see STEP 3)
Apart from Security Fora,
-What makes ATF Cleaner better than CCleaner?
-What AFT Cleaner offers that CCleaner does Not offer?
Provide solid evidence...
So where is your "solid evidence" for CCleaner?
I was NOT the one who claimed that
'ATF is better than CCleaner'!
The poster who claimed it must
give some explanation about it!
It is Not accidental that CCleaner
has been the No.1 choice here.
I trust the TSA choices!
The latest version of CCleaner includes the option to "Wipe Free Space". I know what it does, but is it really worth it?
Ccleaner is safe but not particularly efficient or deep in its cleaning algorithms.
Advanced System Care Pro (Edit: Not Freeware) seems to be quite good. I've been using it for with no file/reg cleaning problems. I just hope the program doesn't become too big.
If you go deep in cleaning,
you will wreck your system.
CCleaner cleans ONLY what needs to be cleaned.
There are many other cleaners that remove more
BUT they remove useful files that shouldn't have gone!
As a result, programs and windows are badly affected!
The most common issue is that Windows Icons (especially in XP)
are distorted by some aggressive cleaners.
The damage is irreversible and needs a Format if
No Image or Instant System Recovery software exists
to restore the system.
There is hardly a month goes by with what I don't see customers with irreversible damage caused by file or registry cleaners and I've never met one who could tell me what they've ever achieved by using one.
Don't be that certain about FileCleaner!
If you mean FileCleaner, it is a very basic cleaner.
CCleaner has options users should NOT check:
1) Memory Dumps
The Memory Dumps cleaning option will remove any memory dumps that are generated when a program crashes on your computer. Many technicians can use these memory dumps to tell you exactly what caused the crash. These memory dumps are also sent to a crash analysis center at Microsoft when you use the Error Reporting feature. Reporting these errors and sending the crash dumps help all users because Hotfixes are often issued to fix the very problem that made the program crash.
2)Windows Log Files
The Windows Log Files cleaning option will also remove another memory dump file called user.dmp that is generally placed in %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Dr Watson\.
This is also useful for technicians to help diagnose errors that cause programs to crash, similar to the Memory Dumps above. In addition, this cleaning option will also remove log files from both program installations and Windows Updates. A user or technician can refer to these generated logs to determine the source of the installation problem if a problem occurs.
3)Old Prefetch Data
The Old Prefetch Data cleaning option will decrease your system performance. The impact that cleaning/deleting the prefetch data has on your system is well documented by technicians and Microsoft staff. Prefetch is designed to allow your applications to load faster.
4)Hotfix Uninstallers
The Hotfix Uninstallers cleaning option will remove every Hotfix uninstaller. If you have this option checked and you remove your Hotfix uninstallers, should you ever have an issue with an update (Hotfix) from Microsoft, you would not be able to uninstall the problematic Hotfix.
This could potentially result in your system being crippled.
Thank you for your contribution which is appreciated. Item 4) is especially relevant to instances I've witnessed. It's for this reason that I don't personally recommend file and registry cleaners to non savy users because it doesn't mater how much trouble you take to advise, at some point they always try to "experiment".
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