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Summary: Windows maintains a location where programs can put temporary files. Sometimes you might want to change that location, and it's fairly easy to do so.
Aside from your small C: partition, you're describing a reasonably good set up. By moving your temporary files to E: you should not only get an improvement in available space on C:, but things might also speed up just a tad. • First, I want to be clear to everyone that we're not talking about Internet Explorer's temporary files. Those are controlled by settings in Internet Explorer's options. Similarly, many applications also allow you to specify alternate locations for temporary files used by that application. We're talking about Windows itself. Windows has a concept of a directory where it, and other applications if they so choose, can place files that are for temporary use only. Fire up a Windows Command Prompt, (typically in Start, All Programs, Accessories), and in that windows type SET followed by the Enter key. Windows will list a number of what are called "environment variables" that make various types of information available to running programs. Two of them will look much like this: TEMP=C:\DOCUME~1\LeoN\LOCALS~1\Temp TMP and TEMP both specify the directory to be used for temporary files. Both TMP and TEMP are used for compatibility reasons. In this example they actually specify "C:\Documents and Settings\LeoN\Local Settings\Temp", but in 8.3 compatibility representation. Changing them is easy. Right click on My Computer and click on Properties. In the resulting dialog click on the Advanced tab and you should see something like this:
Click on the button near the bottom labeled Environment Variables, and you'll see something like this:
You may see both TMP and TEMP listed in the section labeled User variables for (account). That's the common location; each different login account is assigned its own temporary location. Personally, I prefer to have a single location for the entire system. So if TMP and TEMP are present in the top list, I click on each and then click on Delete. However you can simply edit them, as we're about to edit the System copies, if you prefer. "... some programs can get confused if the temp
directory is set to the root of a drive."
If you scroll down in the bottom list labeled System Variables you'll find TMP and TEMP again. Click on one, and then press the Edit button:
In the Variable value: edit box you can now specify a path to a directory that Windows and many other programs should use for temporary files. As you can see, I've specified a different directory entirely, but still on the C: drive. You could specify "E:\" to use all of E: as your temporary location, but I'd actually recommend creating a subdirectory on E:, such as perhaps "E:\temp" and using that, as some programs can get confused if the temp directory is set to the root of a drive. Be sure and repeat that process for both TMP and TEMP. You'll need to restart any running programs for the new value to take effect. In fact, you'll need to restart Windows for it to begin using the new value for its own temporary files. Related:
Article 11356 | Posted April 6, 2007 |
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Apart from the temp files created, or used, by Internet Explorer, is it safe to delete any other temp files?
Posted by: wlc network at April 7, 2007 12:19 AMHow do I know if I have more than one hard drive?
Posted by: apeke at April 7, 2007 09:02 AMI know I have C:, however, when I had to reformat and install windows XP clean, it deleted and re-created a new C: drive...
I am not sure if I have a D: or E: drive....
If so, how do I find out if I have one or the other?
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wlc network: Typically, yes. New article on that:
http://ask-leo.com/can_i_delete_the_contents_of_my_tmp_folder.html
Leo
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Posted by: Leo A. Notenboom at April 8, 2007 11:38 AMcr3OZd9Xcxy7Mgz4mS7udNI=
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Apeke: drives should be listed in Windows Explorer.
You might also try disk manager: Right click on "My Computer", click on
"Manage", click on "Disk Management" and that should show you what you have.
Leo
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Is there anyway I can change my default location of my music and my pictures folder?
Posted by: Aalok at April 8, 2007 07:25 PMThanks for the info. Much appreciate it !!
Posted by: Ð.Sp!dér at July 28, 2007 02:00 PMAt the plcae of C letter , I have %system%
Posted by: hountsi at April 6, 2008 05:54 PMHow to make wih this expression ?
Thanks