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CCleaner sometimes doesn't clean all the space used by browsing


Pegasus

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What I mean is that alot of the time when I go use a browser and then use CCleaner to clean up what space it used up, it doesn't return to the original amount that it had before. For example, I had slightly 18.5 gb free on disk C yesterday. Now, after deleting some stuff manualy, it's just above 18.4, before cleaning it like that it was 18.33. I know that sometimes after I turn the computer off the amount of free space goes up slightly off it's own seemingly (sometimes, while someone else wasn't using the laptop, it went up by 2 GB each time) , but I'd like to know whether this is normal, or if there's something I'm missing.

 

I also use windows cleaning options after using CCleaner sometimes, just in case someone would suggest trying them.

 

Would be realy gratefull for any answers, as this sort of freaks me out.

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So do I. Mainly because sys restore gets to its limits and then dumps several restore points, or FF crashes and decides to dump it's cache by itself. I'm sure there are other reasons why Windows clears stuff out.

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So do I. Mainly because sys restore gets to its limits and then dumps several restore points, or FF crashes and decides to dump it's cache by itself. I'm sure there are other reasons why Windows clears stuff out.

 

Is there a way to find out what may be causing this in my particular case ? I did delete several old restore points before, so not sure about it being "full". Also, after turning on I had 18.9 on C, but after uninstaling the Ask toolbar, which was probably instaled by the other person using this computer, it went to 18.7. Any ideas ?

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You can use my technique.

 

On my Windows 7 Ultimate system it has just taken 28 Seconds for me to identify all that has changed on my computer 46 hours ago when I made a partition image.

 

It took 3 seconds to select and right click a partition image created at 21:44 on 07/02/2012 and "mount" it as drive P:\

and 25 seconds for Portable BestSync to compare C:\ with P:\ and present a tree showing changes and a summary of

83047 files in C:\, of which only 317 have changed, and total size of changed files was 430.38 MB

I select my A.V. definition database file Base.cav and untick that, and that reduces the total size to 179.80

 

It only takes a few minutes to expand and contract and inspect the contents of the tree, and I know what happened and when.

I never knew I had a fontcache, but yesterday I used a lot more than usual of the latest WinApp2.ini and that zapped fontcache

BestSync is now showing me the location and size on P:\, and their absence on C:\.

 

I use the free BestSync Portable 64 bit, which is the 6th button down the centre column on

http://www.risefly.com/fsedwld.htm

 

I use Macrium Reflect Server Edition 64 bit,

but my technique should also work with Free Macrium or free Easeus ToDo partition image backup software.

 

Macrium have a support forum anyone can read, but you have to buy Macrium to get answers.

Easeus Forum allows free users to post and get answers, but with time delays because they are based on the far side of the world from U.K.

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You can use my technique.

 

On my Windows 7 Ultimate system it has just taken 28 Seconds for me to identify all that has changed on my computer 46 hours ago when I made a partition image.

 

It took 3 seconds to select and right click a partition image created at 21:44 on 07/02/2012 and "mount" it as drive P:\

and 25 seconds for Portable BestSync to compare C:\ with P:\ and present a tree showing changes and a summary of

83047 files in C:\, of which only 317 have changed, and total size of changed files was 430.38 MB

I select my A.V. definition database file Base.cav and untick that, and that reduces the total size to 179.80

 

I don't know that much about computers, so pardon me if I ask what an A.V. definition database file is ? But anyway, you're saying to instal this program and then use it to compare a "partition image" mounted ,do you create it with the program or with something else ? Finaly, how many programs exactly do I need for this, Portable BestSyncand then Macrium/Easus for what exactly ? Sorry, but I'm a bit in the dark here.

 

I also wonder about CCleaner, can you expand the list of programs to get around the issue once I know what's causing it ?

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Pegasus an av definition database file is just a sort of list that your antivirus keeps on your computer which it uses to work out if anything on you computer is evil :)

 

I think installing those programs that Alan_B mentioned may be a bit over the top for you just to work out what you see as a cleaning issue.

 

Windows (the operating system) is busy all the time altering this and that, system restore points being deleted, logs being created and then deleted and that is all before ccleaner is even involved.

 

Support contact

https://support.ccleaner.com/s/contact-form?language=en_US&form=general

or

support@ccleaner.com

 

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I found 317 files had changed and the total size of those files (but not the increase.reduction in used space) was 430.38 MB

 

I could give you a list of those files but they will NOT be relevant to what changes on your system.

 

No one here can tell you precisely what files are being added, removed, or changed on your system.

 

The A.V. definition is what an Antivirus uses to decide if a file is known to hold malware.

 

I think the general concensus here would be that stuff happens and we need to live with it,

but if you really want to know what changes on your system then you can use my technique, but I would recommend you not to bother.

 

I use Partition backups so that when the computer goes wrong I can restore normality within 5 minutes,

or perhaps the next day if my Hard Drive blows up and I have to get delivery of a new one.

This is the main reason for using Macrium or Easeus ToDo.

 

The main reason for my technique is when cleaning up after experimenting with new applications,

then I see all the stuff left behind because I have forgotten to uninstall, or because uninstallation was incomplete,

and I can then choose to either purge residual junk,

or make a copy or note of what I like and then restore my system to previous perfection before experimentation,

and then copy back or re-install the good things found by the experiments.

 

This is a user forum where you can get advice on using Easeus ToDo

http://forum.easeus.com/viewforum.php?f=27&sid=71fc8e9b647250595beee2902957d777

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I found 317 files had changed and the total size of those files (but not the increase.reduction in used space) was 430.38 MB

 

I could give you a list of those files but they will NOT be relevant to what changes on your system.

 

No one here can tell you precisely what files are being added, removed, or changed on your system.

 

The A.V. definition is what an Antivirus uses to decide if a file is known to hold malware.

 

I think the general concensus here would be that stuff happens and we need to live with it,

but if you really want to know what changes on your system then you can use my technique, but I would recommend you not to bother.

 

I use Partition backups so that when the computer goes wrong I can restore normality within 5 minutes,

or perhaps the next day if my Hard Drive blows up and I have to get delivery of a new one.

This is the main reason for using Macrium or Easeus ToDo.

 

The main reason for my technique is when cleaning up after experimenting with new applications,

then I see all the stuff left behind because I have forgotten to uninstall, or because uninstallation was incomplete,

and I can then choose to either purge residual junk,

or make a copy or note of what I like and then restore my system to previous perfection before experimentation,

and then copy back or re-install the good things found by the experiments.

 

This is a user forum where you can get advice on using Easeus ToDo

http://forum.easeus....beee2902957d777

 

What do you do that....involves your harddrive regularly exploding ? O_O

 

And it's not just about that, but alot of the time it seems that space goes down by several hundred megs in a few uses, and while it sometimes goes up I'm realy not sure why. It's a bit troubling for me because I'd like to be able to use this for whatever limited stuff I can (problems with overheating when running certain programs) without the fear of tons of space just mysteriously dissapearing into the void. I may be paranoid, but long ages ago I had a computer who'se C drive was so screwed over that free space would randomly be determined after running the windows cleaner several times even thought it didn't actualy clean anything.

 

I'd like to avoid that -_-

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What do you do that....involves your harddrive regularly exploding ? O_O

Never had one die - yet.

 

But my laptop's 30 GB HDD was swapped out and replaced with a brand new empty 160 GB,

and then I put in a Boot Recover CD and powered up, and the CD restored the image fo my 30GB partition

and everything was immediately as it had been, but with 130 GB of unallocated space available for new partitions.

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I use TreeSize Free Portable to quickly display the space used in any part of a subdirectory tree.

If you know where 4sync keeps its files this should show you how much is used

http://www.jam-software.com/

 

I actualy uninstaled 4sync a bit ago, but the space seems to have increased when it was instaled. Is this a possible outcome ? And today, opened up, 19.73, opened one image file, 19.60. Used ccleaner, restared 19.67 that went down to 19.64

 

Is this realy normal ? I'm a bit afraid I might get to a point where I won't have big stuff to remove anymore.

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The most important thing is USED space and not FREE space.

 

If you have a 20 GB partition then free space change between 19.73 and 19.60 GB represents a used space change between 270 MB and 400 MB.

That is a change of 30% in the files being held.

The greater the space used, the smaller the percentage change needed for a 130 MB twitch.

Yes - I know that Windows will not fit into 270 MB :)

 

The next thing is your operating system.

Windows 7 is likely to make larger backups and updates than Windows XP.

 

If you have antivirus then you have a database, and for me that is 200+ MB

If you have no antivirus then you probably have more than 200+ MB of intrusion,

you could even be part of a BotNet in the distribution of malware

 

You said some other person could install software.

Has he a separate profile.

Can you see what is held there ?

 

I strongly recommend TreeSize.

That will show you what you have, and it especially focuses on the "big stuff",

so comparing what it shows on different days will show you where your 130 MB twitch is coming from.

It will also instantly show you "big stuff" you were unaware of, and which may, or may NOT, be safe to purge.

 

I do not know what is happening on your machine.

The only thing that alarms me is the possibility you have no A.V. protection.

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The most important thing is USED space and not FREE space.

 

If you have a 20 GB partition then free space change between 19.73 and 19.60 GB represents a used space change between 270 MB and 400 MB.

That is a change of 30% in the files being held.

The greater the space used, the smaller the percentage change needed for a 130 MB twitch.

Yes - I know that Windows will not fit into 270 MB :)

 

The next thing is your operating system.

Windows 7 is likely to make larger backups and updates than Windows XP.

 

If you have antivirus then you have a database, and for me that is 200+ MB

If you have no antivirus then you probably have more than 200+ MB of intrusion,

you could even be part of a BotNet in the distribution of malware

 

You said some other person could install software.

Has he a separate profile.

Can you see what is held there ?

 

I strongly recommend TreeSize.

That will show you what you have, and it especially focuses on the "big stuff",

so comparing what it shows on different days will show you where your 130 MB twitch is coming from.

It will also instantly show you "big stuff" you were unaware of, and which may, or may NOT, be safe to purge.

 

I do not know what is happening on your machine.

The only thing that alarms me is the possibility you have no A.V. protection.

 

1. Using XP

2. Running Avast

3. He doesn't use a seperate profile (and he's my father too :P)

 

Hmm, gonna try Treesize out then.

 

Edit: Okay, got it, started it, now what does do now exactly ?

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You launch it and click Scan and choose C:\ (or anything else of interest) from the "Drop-Down List"

It then shows the size of all primary folders listed in size order.

Click on any item and it will "expand" and show the next level down,

and so on and so on.

 

My version only shows what you have got and has no dangerous actions such as delete or move, and that is why I recommend it.

If you find a delete/move capability then you have danger from a version I have not used.

 

I only use it for investigation - I use other tools for moving and deleting things

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You launch it and click Scan and choose C:\ (or anything else of interest) from the "Drop-Down List"

It then shows the size of all primary folders listed in size order.

Click on any item and it will "expand" and show the next level down,

and so on and so on.

 

My version only shows what you have got and has no dangerous actions such as delete or move, and that is why I recommend it.

If you find a delete/move capability then you have danger from a version I have not used.

 

I only use it for investigation - I use other tools for moving and deleting things

 

Is there a way to save a log so that it can show me the folders and files with the biggest differences ?

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You can export to a printer.

I do not know if you could install "printer emulator" software that might capture text to a file.

 

You can have a free 30 day trial of a personal edition of Treesize which exports, presumably to a file

 

You can Google for "Treesize alternatives" and choose from "About 247,000 results (0.17 seconds) "

This one page lists many possibilities which may include making a log.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I actualy found out what I was, I think. I had system restore set to the max, aka 12 %. Putting it down to 0 % (200 MB) made free space jump from 21.3 to 25.9 GB.The sudden increase in free space was probably the computer automaticaly overwriting old restore point files. Is it okay if I leave the values for System Restore as low as I did ?

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200mb will not give you what you need if you are ever in need of a restore. 200mb < 1/3 of 1 compact disc & 1% of the required disc space just to run the operating system

 

 

ADVICE FOR USING CCleaner'S REGISTRY INTEGRITY SECTION

DON'T JUST CLEAN EVERYTHING THAT'S CHECKED OFF.

Do your Registry Cleaning in small bits (at the very least Check-mark by Check-mark)

ALWAYS BACKUP THE ENTRY, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'LL BREAK IF YOU DON'T.

Support at https://support.ccleaner.com/s/?language=en_US

Pro users file a PRIORITY SUPPORT via email support@ccleaner.com

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Good understandable write up here on xp system restore.

 

Item 5 talks about how much space to allocate.

 

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/10-things-you-should-know-about-windows-xps-system-restore-tool/6048545

 

Support contact

https://support.ccleaner.com/s/contact-form?language=en_US&form=general

or

support@ccleaner.com

 

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