Eliminating Unwanted Files (Rubbish) from Microsoft Edge - Tutorial

[davehc]

sometimes i just use Agent Ransack to find and delete the .bak .old .tmp files

Well, as I said in this overlong thread, I often, and laboriously, do it manually - not too mind boggling a task. But I have found that the “storage” feature in settings, does a fine job - Not complimenting MS, but I am sure they know which files are safe to remove.
Excess clutter? Well, my principal laptop, with a miserable 128 gig ssd, has been dual booting 10 and 11 for quite a while now - and I still have spare room fo my modest requirements

 

[The Shadow 2023]

Those are all taken care of in the first three lines of my Batch file. But then, that does nothing about the temporary files generated by Edge, Firefox, and Prefetch. Or, such files from any of the other umpteen browsers, etc.
I use both Edge and Firefox, daily, so those are covered by my Cleanup batch file.
Then there is the Recycle Bin, which a lot of people never think to delete. I've seen them with thousands of files in them. Arggg!
It only takes one little line of code to empty that little bugger.
From my batch file:

Echo Now deleting Recycle Bin
PowerShell Clear-RecycleBin -DriveLetter C -force -ErrorAction:Ignore
Echo Recycle Bin Emptied

I didn't write that code, but it works great, on Win-10 or Win-11.

Prefetch is such a garbage hole, that I just turned off "Prefetch" all together.
But for everyone else, or for my other 10 PC's with Prefetch still running, I wanted to delete the files that build up in the Prefetch Folder.
Well, I found out that I couldn't delete those files without Taking Ownership of the folder first. So, it requires one more line of code!

TAKEOWN /F "C:\Windows\Prefetch"
del /F /S /Q "C:\Windows\Prefetch\*.*"

If any delete command cannot find anything to delete, it just posts a "File Not Found" message and the program continues on to the next line. No harm, no foul.

Lunch Time! Y'all have a great day now, Y'hear?
Shadow

 

[The Shadow 2023]

I find it interesting, that when a DOS command is run in "Terminal", it pukes! But when a power shell command is properly run in a DOS Batch file, it runs just fine. OK, it's not impossible or even incredible, but I do find it Interesting.
For instance, while I'm on the subject, a wise man gave me this command to empty my Recycle Bin from within my Cleanup batch file: Yes, it calls on the Power Shell to do the work.

PowerShell Clear-RecycleBin -DriveLetter C -force -ErrorAction:Ignore
PowerShell Clear-RecycleBin -DriveLetter D -force -ErrorAction:Ignore

Why the second line? Well, I've recently found that on drive D: where I keep all my data files, things I've deleted in there were piling up in the Recycle Bin for Drive D:. So, line #2 above, takes care of that.
(drive D: is the storage partition on my SSD, and not a separate drive.)

Yes, it's true, very true, that I'm still tweaking my Cleanup Batch file, to make it more inclusive and more efficient.

 

[The Shadow 2023]

I've not given up yet! I'm still tweaking and tuning my Win11Cleanup.bat program.

After a day and a half of normal operation, I ran my batch file a while ago and got this report.

Correctomundo! That's 107,388 junk files accumulated in just about a day and a half.
And, a lot of those junk files are things that most Retail Cleaner programs will not remove.
That's a nice thing about writing my own Cleanup program....I can specify just what I want removed.
Once I find where some program stores its old junk files, I can just add that location to my program.

Junk files are like newspapers. One a day, if you read it and then throw it in the trash, is no problem.
But, if you just put it in a pile, before long that pile gets too big to handle.
So running my cleanup batch file on a regular basis, keeps the pile of junk files from getting too high.

Cheers Mates,

And, it's just FUN!
Extrapolating, from the above report, out to one year, represents 26,131,080 junk files.
That's greater than the size of Windows 11 itself, with all its related programs, by about twice.

 

[The Shadow 2023]

Well, it's not so much what you use, it's the fact that you do use Something. So many PC users don't do any kind of maintenance at all, till their PC winds up in a repair shop. In my own repair work, some years ago, I'd give folks the programs and written instructions on how to use them, to keep their PC's neat and clean, free of viruses, tracking cookies, and junk files, and running great, and ya know what?......they wouldn't do a darn thing to help themselves. Then one day I'd get a call. "My PC is running so slow, I can't do anything", and I'd go there and clean hundreds of thousands of junk files and Tracking Cookies off of their PC.
But that was then, and I no longer have that problem.

I just like writing my own cleanup program, because that way I can pick and choose what I want to delete.
And, if someday I discover a new location where junk likes to hide, I can quickly add that to my program.

 

[The Shadow 2023]

Just reading back over this thread again, this line caught my interest:

"best removing edge altogether is safer and less hassle"

For the average Windows user, Edge is no hassle at all. They have no clue, what garbage is piling up in the background, out of sight and out of mind. It's only when their PC loads up and dies, that they call for help, or just take their PC to a repair shop.

The only way that any of us here would ever see the "hassle" is that we're discussing how Edge stores up it's Temporary Internet Files, and other garbage, and never releases it.
I wonder just how many of you never saw it, till I called your attention to it. ???
Now you know where the problem lies, so what will you do with the knowledge?

 

[The Shadow 2023]

Hopefully, I'm not paranoid, or over-protective, but as an old Computer Tech, I know that "Stuff Happens".
When a HD (mechanical drive) is going bad, it will often give some warnings. However, when an SSD goes bad it does it at the speed of light. Poof! It's Gone! I know that from personal experience with my first SSD, from PNY. It was only two months old. (I bought it directly from PNY, but they refused to help me at all) (I no longer will buy any PNY product)
Fortunately, I had good backups.
When doing my regular backups, I want them to go as quickly and painlessly as possible. So I don't want to be backing up thousands of JUNK files. So before any and every backup, I do a massive cleanup of my HD (SSD) to make it as slim and trim as possible.
Thousands of junk files, you may ask?
Well, here's my Cleanup report from yesterday:

Yup, that's 160,803 junk files, in no more than two days.
Famous old saying, "Minus Crud is Cool". (author: Mike Warnke)

 

[Xploit Machine]

Additionally, below are the safely stoppable / disable without any issue to the Windows 11, personally teste by me

Have fun !
​

Name	Startup Type
ActiveX Installer (AxInstSV)	Manual
Agent Activation Runtime_51906	Manual
AllJoyn Router Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
App Readiness	Manual
Application Identity	Manual (Trigger Start)
Application Information	Manual (Trigger Start)
Application Layer Gateway Service	Manual
Application Management	Manual (Trigger Start)
AppX Deployment Service (AppXSVC)	Manual (Trigger Start)
AssignedAccessManager Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Auto Time Zone Updater	Disabled
AVCTP service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Background Intelligent Transfer Service	Automatic
Background Tasks Infrastructure Service	Automatic
Base Filtering Engine	Automatic
BitLocker Drive Encryption Service	Disabled
Block Level Backup Engine Service	Disabled
Bluetooth Audio Gateway Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Bluetooth Support Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Bluetooth User Support Service_51906	Manual (Trigger Start)
BranchCache	Disabled
Capability Access Manager Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
CaptureService_51906	Manual
Cellular Time	Manual (Trigger Start)
Certificate Propagation	Automatic
Client License Service (ClipSVC)	Manual (Trigger Start)
Clipboard User Service_51906	Automatic (Delayed Start)
CNG Key Isolation	Manual (Trigger Start)
COM+ Event System	Running
COM+ System Application	Manual
Connected Devices Platform Service	Automatic (Delayed Start)
Connected Devices Platform User Service_51906	Automatic
Connected User Experiences and Telemetry	Local System
ConsentUX User Service_51906	Manual
Contact Data_51906	Running
CoreMessaging	Automatic
Credential Manager	Running
CredentialEnrollmentManagerUserSvc_51906	Manual
Cryptographic Services	Automatic (Trigger Start)
Data Sharing Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Data Usage	Running
DCOM Server Process Launcher	Running
dcsvc	Manual (Trigger Start)
Delivery Optimization	Automatic (Delayed Start)
Device Association Service	Automatic (Trigger Start)
Device Install Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Device Management Enrollment Service	Manual
Device Management Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)	Manual (Trigger Start)
Device Setup Manager	Manual (Trigger Start)
DeviceAssociationBroker_51906	Manual
DevicePicker_51906	Manual (Trigger Start)
DevicesFlow_51906	Manual
DevQuery Background Discovery Broker	Manual (Trigger Start)
DHCP Client	Automatic
Diagnostic Execution Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Diagnostic Policy Service	Running
Diagnostic Service Host	Manual
Diagnostic System Host	Running
DialogBlockingService	Disabled
Display Enhancement Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Display Policy Service	Automatic
Distributed Link Tracking Client	Automatic
Distributed Transaction Coordinator	Automatic (Trigger Start)
DNS Client	Automatic (Trigger Start)
Downloaded Maps Manager	Automatic (Delayed Start)
Embedded Mode	Manual (Trigger Start)
Encrypting File System (EFS)	Manual (Trigger Start)
Enterprise App Management Service	Manual
Extensible Authentication Protocol	Manual
File History Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
F-Secure Freedome Service	Automatic
Function Discovery Provider Host	Manual
Function Discovery Resource Publication	Manual (Trigger Start)
GameDVR and Broadcast User Service_51906	Manual
Geolocation Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
GraphicsPerfSvc	Manual (Trigger Start)
Group Policy Client	Automatic (Trigger Start)
Human Interface Device Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
HV Host Service	Disabled
Hyper-V Data Exchange Service	Disabled
Hyper-V Guest Service Interface	Disabled
Hyper-V Guest Shutdown Service	Disabled
Hyper-V Heartbeat Service	Disabled
Hyper-V PowerShell Direct Service	Disabled
Hyper-V Remote Desktop Virtualization Service	Disabled
Hyper-V Time Synchronization Service	Disabled
Hyper-V Volume Shadow Copy Requestor	Disabled
IKE and AuthIP IPsec Keying Modules	Manual (Trigger Start)
Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)	Manual (Trigger Start)
Inventory and Compatibility Appraisal service	Manual
IP Helper	Automatic
IP Translation Configuration Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
IPsec Policy Agent	Manual (Trigger Start)
KtmRm for Distributed Transaction Coordinator	Manual (Trigger Start)
Language Experience Service	Manual
Link-Layer Topology Discovery Mapper	Manual
Local Profile Assistant Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Local Session Manager	Automatic
McpManagementService	Manual

 

[Xploit Machine]

.. continued

MessagingService_51906	Manual (Trigger Start)
Microsoft (R) Diagnostics Hub Standard Collector Service	Disabled
Microsoft Account Sign-in Assistant	Manual (Trigger Start)
Microsoft App-V Client	Disabled
Microsoft Cloud Identity Service	Manual
Microsoft Defender Antivirus Network Inspection Service	Manual
Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service	Automatic
Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service	Disabled
Microsoft Keyboard Filter	Disabled
Microsoft Office Click-to-Run Service	Automatic
Microsoft Passport	Running
Microsoft Passport Container	Running
Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider	Manual
Microsoft Storage Spaces SMP	Manual
Microsoft Store Install Service	Manual
Microsoft Windows SMS Router Service.	Manual (Trigger Start)
Natural Authentication	Manual (Trigger Start)
Net.Tcp Port Sharing Service	Disabled
Netlogon	Manual
Network Connected Devices Auto-Setup	Manual (Trigger Start)
Network Connection Broker	Manual (Trigger Start)
Network Connections	Manual
Network Connectivity Assistant	Manual (Trigger Start)
Network List Service	Manual
Network Location Awareness	Manual
Network Setup Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Network Store Interface Service	Automatic
NPSMSvc_51906	Manual
Office Source Engine	Manual
Offline Files	Manual (Trigger Start)
Optimize drives	Manual
P9RdrService_51906	Manual (Trigger Start)
Parental Controls	Manual
Payments and NFC/SE Manager	Manual (Trigger Start)
Peer Name Resolution Protocol	Manual
Peer Networking Grouping	Manual
Peer Networking Identity Manager	Manual
PenService_51906	Manual (Trigger Start)
Performance Counter DLL Host	Manual
Performance Logs & Alerts	Manual
Phone Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Plug and Play	Manual
PNRP Machine Name Publication Service	Manual
Portable Device Enumerator Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Power	Automatic
Print Spooler	Automatic
Printer Extensions and Notifications	Manual
PrintWorkflow_51906	Manual (Trigger Start)
Problem Reports Control Panel Support	Manual
Program Compatibility Assistant Service	Automatic (Delayed Start)
Quality Windows Audio Video Experience	Manual
Radio Management Service	Manual
Recommended Troubleshooting Service	Manual
Remote Access Auto Connection Manager	Manual
Remote Access Connection Manager	Manual
Remote Desktop Configuration	Manual
Remote Desktop Services	Manual
Remote Desktop Services UserMode Port Redirector	Manual
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)	Automatic
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator	Manual
Remote Registry	Disabled
Retail Demo Service	Disabled
Routing and Remote Access	Disabled
RPC Endpoint Mapper	Automatic
Secondary Logon	Manual
Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol Service	Manual
Security Accounts Manager	Automatic
Security Center	Automatic (Delayed Start)
Sensor Data Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Sensor Monitoring Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Sensor Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Server	Automatic (Trigger Start)
Shared PC Account Manager	Disabled
Shell Hardware Detection	Automatic
Smart Card	Manual (Trigger Start)
Smart Card Device Enumeration Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Smart Card Removal Policy	Manual
SNMP Trap	Disabled
Software Protection	Automatic (Delayed Start)
Spatial Data Service	Manual
Spot Verifier	Manual (Trigger Start)
SSDP Discovery	Manual
State Repository Service	Automatic
Still Image Acquisition Events	Manual
Storage Service	Automatic (Delayed Start)
Storage Tiers Management	Manual
Sync Host_51906	Automatic (Delayed Start)
SysMain	Automatic
System Event Notification Service	Automatic
System Events Broker	Automatic (Trigger Start)
System Guard Runtime Monitor Broker	Automatic (Delayed Start)
Task Scheduler	Automatic
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper	Manual (Trigger Start)
Telephony	Manual
Text Input Management Service	Automatic (Trigger Start)
Themes	Automatic
Time Broker	Manual (Trigger Start)
Udk User Service_51906	Manual
Update Orchestrator Service	Automatic (Delayed Start)
UPnP Device Host	Manual

 

[Xploit Machine]

.. continued

User Data Access_51906	Manual
User Data Storage_51906	Manual
User Experience Virtualization Service	Disabled
User Manager	Running
User Profile Service	Automatic (Trigger Start)
Virtual Disk	Manual
Volume Shadow Copy	Manual
Volumetric Audio Compositor Service	Manual
WaaSMedicSvc	Manual
WalletService	Manual
Warp JIT Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Web Account Manager	Manual
Web Threat Defense Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Web Threat Defense User Service_51906	Automatic
WebClient	Manual (Trigger Start)
Wi-Fi Direct Services Connection Manager Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Windows Audio	Running
Windows Audio Endpoint Builder	Running
Windows Backup	Manual
Windows Biometric Service	Automatic (Trigger Start)
Windows Camera Frame Server	Manual (Trigger Start)
Windows Camera Frame Server Monitor	Manual (Trigger Start)
Windows Connect Now - Config Registrar	Manual
Windows Connection Manager	Automatic (Trigger Start)
Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection Service	Manual
Windows Defender Firewall	Automatic
Windows Encryption Provider Host Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Windows Error Reporting Service	Disabled
Windows Event Collector	Automatic
Windows Event Log	Automatic
Windows Font Cache Service	Automatic
Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)	Automatic (Trigger Start)
Windows Insider Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Windows Installer	Manual
Windows License Manager Service	Automatic
Windows Management Instrumentation	Automatic
Windows Management Service	Manual
Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service	Automatic (Delayed Start)
Windows Mixed Reality OpenXR Service	Manual
Windows Mobile Hotspot Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Windows Modules Installer	Automatic
Windows Perception Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Windows Presentation Foundation Font Cache 3.0.0.0	Manual
Windows Push Notifications System Service	Automatic
Windows Push Notifications User Service_51906	Automatic
Windows PushToInstall Service	Manual (Trigger Start)
Windows Remote Management (WS-Management)	Manual
Windows Search	Automatic (Delayed Start)
Windows Security Service	Manual
Windows Time	Automatic (Delayed Start)
Windows Update	Manual (Trigger Start)
WinHTTP Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Service	Manual
Wired AutoConfig	Manual
WLAN AutoConfig	Automatic
WMI Performance Adapter	Manual
Workstation	Automatic
WWAN AutoConfig	Manual
Xbox Accessory Management Service	Disabled
Xbox Live Auth Manager	Disabled
Xbox Live Game Save	Disabled
Xbox Live Networking Service	Disabled

 

[The Shadow 2023]

Over the 40+years that I've been doing this PC stuff, I've come across many programs that claim to Clean Up your PC, improve performance, etc. Most don't!
For the most part, they are designed to make money for the authors. And, unfortunately, that's usually about all they do.

So, many years ago now, I set about to answer one great question, and that is "where does program X store it's temp files, etc."
Microsoft Windows is a total Pack Rat. It has a dozen or more little rat holes where it likes to store its junk. Browsers are next, again with the Temp files, only they are never named "Temp" or "tmp".
But they are saved with obscure names, and can be hard to find.
Since every PC is a little bit different, so must be the programs that are used to clean them up.
So, in my Cleanup batch file, I've attempted to address only junk folders that are common to every PC, within a certain OS.
That way, I can send my Batch file to anyone, anywhere in the world, and it will run just like it does, here on my own PC. There is no installation or setup required. Just click and run!


I've heard one person or another say, "I cleaned out the Temp folder" and Ican only reply, "Which one? There are many!"

 

[hathaway]

Have read with interest all your posts and on one of them you say you'll send your batch file to anyone who requests it. Well I'd really appreciate seeing it but how can I get it ?

 

[Bighorn]

That way, I can send my Batch file to anyone, anywhere in the world, and it will run just like it does, here on my own PC. There is no installation or setup required. Just click and run!

Have read with interest all your posts and on one of them you say you'll send your batch file to anyone who requests it. Well I'd really appreciate seeing it but how can I get it ?

Probably have to send a PM.

 

[The Shadow 2023]

Correctomundo Senior!

 

[Xploit Machine]

Have read with interest all your posts and on one of them you say you'll send your batch file to anyone who requests it. Well I'd really appreciate seeing it but how can I get it ?

probably u can follow this topic https://www.windows11forums.com/threads/a-diy-cleanup.1510/#post-5655

IMHO he's still working on the BATCH file for its efficiency and have not release it yet

 

[The Shadow 2023]

Sort of true, but at this point, lets just call it ver. 1.0. It will never really be finished, as long as I keep finding new hiding places for junk.
A very old friend, really raked me over the coals, and called me "stupid" for not selling it. He has it now, on his office PCs, and really likes it, but I was not very successful in explaining to him why I cannot or would not sell it. Long story!

But ver 1.0 is readily available to anyone who is willing to PM me with their request, and their email address. (that will be kept private)
Email protocols prohibit me sending the finished product, but I can send the Text of the Batch file, in an email, and then the recipient can copy and paste that text into a word processor (text editor,like Wordpad) and save it as "Cleanup.bat".
(I'm reluctant to post the entire text on an open forum, although I've given enough information that anyone could create their own Batch File.)

My batch file only includes the commands to remove the Temporary Internet Files for Edge and Firefox browsers. If a person uses Chrome or some other browser they can find out where that program stores its temp files and add that location to the batch file, following the example of the two already there.
One nice thing about a DOS Batch File, is that it's so easily edited, for personal preferences. And, there's no Mumbo-Jumbo....it's just a list of very simple DOS commands, thus the name, "Batch File".
The only exception is one Windows Power Shell command to empty the Recycle Bin.

I hope y'all are having a very nice Mother's Day.

The Shadow

 

[Xploit Machine]

Another tips on gaining extra spaces from junk files is by removing installed foreign languages from SYSTEM32 and SYSWOW64 folder, for example I only use English so I get rid of other languages except en, en-GB and en-US folders .. by removing the foregin language folders, I managed to save about 4GB space.

However in deleting the contents inside both these folders you have to use Take Ownership permission, and careful that not touching other folders which may cause W11 to not boot-up correctly. Use it wisely

 

[The Shadow 2023]

Well, I'm still tweaking on my Cleanup.bat program (batch file).

I'm still amazed at how many .old files are created (daily) by Edge.
It's got to be somewhere between ridiculous and criminal.
I don't know if they will ever go away by themselves, because I just delete them!
Or, actually, my batch file does.
Everything in my batch file was resident in Windows, and I didn't have to download, install and adjust any external software. And, it can only delete what I've told it to delete, and nothing else.
And, it never messes with the registry or other System Files.

A shortcut to my batch file is located on my desktop, and a simple Click-Click runs it.
An abbreviated version, without the file counter, etc. can be run from within my Startup folder, for an automatic, daily, HD cleanup. That would only add a few seconds to my boot time.

I just run Windows own "Disk Cleanup" in Extended mode, to take care of junk created by Windows itself.

I spent quite a bit of time on the internet yesterday, after I got home from grocery shopping, and later on, I ran my Cleanup batch file, and got this report.



That's a lot of junk files, created in just one day, mostly by Firefox, my default browser, but with a little help from Edge. I get NO Prefetch files, because I have Prefetch shut OFF.
But, I've left the line in my batch file, to take ownership of the Prefetch folder, and then empty it. It just gives me a "File not found" message and goes right on.

Time marches on, and I just keep on "Dumping the junk!", every day.

Y'all have a great day now, Y'hear?
Shadow

 

[The Shadow 2023]

I tried the "Microsoft PC Manager" program today. There are several pages of options, that do require some time to go through item by item. I really don't like programs like that, which require so much user intervention and take for granted that the user will know what to do.
Well, after running the program and taking all the options, I ran my own "Cleanup.bat" program and found and deleted another 4000+ files. About what I expected.
The program did show me the hiding place for the Windows Defender old scan logs. That path is now a part of my Cleanup.bat program.

Here's that new line:
del /F /S /Q "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Scans\History\Results\Quick\*.*"

 

[The Shadow 2023]

I'm still doing a little tweaking, mostly cosmetics, to my "Cleanup.bat" program (batch file) but essentially it's done.
If I run it at the end of a typical day, it will delete somewhere around 4000 junk files.
And, I always run it right before I do a "Ghost" backup of C:.

A friend of mine wants me to sell it, but I'm still just giving it away for FREE to those who want it and would use it.
Actually, I don't think it would be legal to sell a batch file based on MS DOS. Eh?

Cheers Mate,
Shadow
Happy 4th of July