CCleaner Beginner's Guide

Cleaner Information

Windows Tab

Internet Explorer

Temporary Internet Files
This is the Internet Cache for IE. It saves the web pages and pictures from the sites you're visiting to your hard disk. These can build up over time to consume a large amount of disk space and may potentially contain personal information. Selecting this option will safely remove the files.

Cookies
Cookies are small text files that Web sites save on your computer to help your browsers remember specific information. For example, they might store your username and password. They are also used to store your preferences for personalized pages or to build a profile of which sites you visit and which banner ads you click on. Advertisers use this information to deliver targeted ads directly to your computer. Selecting this option will safely remove the files. You may wish to keep certain cookies, these may be selected on the Options window.

History
Much like the Internet Cache, IE also records and stores the addresses of all the websites you have visited. Selecting this option will safely remove the record of websites you have visited.

Recently Typed URLs
Any website addresses you manually type into the address bar are stored and displayed in the address drop-down box. Selecting this option will safely remove the record of typed in addresses.

Delete Index.dat files
Although essentially undocumented by Microsoft there are several hidden files, all with the filename index.dat that reside in directories on your system. These permanently cache website addresses and cookies from sites you have visited. This list is never deleted and gradually increases in size, resulting in IE slowing down. Selecting this option will mark these files for deletion the next time your computer is rebooted. (Unfortunately these files cannot be deleted immediately as they are permanently in use by the operating system.)

Last Download Location
When you download a file from the internet, IE remembers the directory location you chose. Selecting this option will clear the last directory, and reset to the default folder. On most systems the default location is the desktop.

Autocomplete Form History
When you type in a username and password on a webpage, IE frequently prompts you to select whether you'd like it to remember these details for next time. Whilst this is very useful and may save you time logging in. It can be a security risk as other people will be able to log in from your computer. Selecting this option with remove any stored usernames and passwords.

Windows Explorer

Recent Documents
When you open a document or file in Windows, a record of this is stored under the Recent Documents list on the Start menu. Selecting this option will clear this list. (Note: The documents themselves are left untouched.)

Run (in Start Menu)
An alternative to running programs from a shortcut icon, is to type in the application name into the Run form on the start menu. Every time you do this, the program you typed in is added to the drop-down list of previously run programs. Selecting this option will clear this list.

Search Assistant Autocomplete
When you search for a file in Windows Explorer, the file is added to a list of previously searched for files. Selecting this option will clear this list.

Other Explorer MRUs
MRUs (Most Recently Used) are lists within windows and in applications that maintain a list of the last few (normally 4 to 8) opened documents. It is normally located on the File menu of the application. This option clears a range of minor lists within Windows, including common dialogs, network drives and DirectX applications.

System

Empty Recycle Bin
This option will empty the Recycle Bin.

Temporary Files
Many applications use temporary files when working to save information. These are normally deleted upon exit, but occasionally they can be left behind. Normally when the program is not shut down properly. This option will safely delete these files. (By default it only removes files that haven't been used in the last 10 days, this prevents current temp files from being removed. There is an option to turn off this feature on the Options window.)

Clipboard
The windows clipboard can contain personal information you've copied from documents and also if it contains a large amount of data, it can use up a lot of memory. This option clears the clipboard and frees up the memory being used.

Memory Dumps
When windows crashes or blue screens the system saves a memory dump, potentially containing information about how the crash happened. This data is generally never needed, even by advanced computer professionals and may be safely deleted. This option will remove these memory dumps.

Chkdsk File Fragments
Chkdsk (CheckDisk) is the utility windows uses to scan the hard disk for files errors. Sometimes it finds fragments of files left on your system. These are saved as .CHK files on your system drive. In most cases these files are never needed and may be safely deleted. Selecting this option will remove these files.

Windows Log Files
When you install a new program or piece of hardware Windows logs the changes to .LOG files in the Windows directory. In most cases these files will never be needed, even for advanced users. This option will safely delete these files.

Start Menu Shortcuts
Removes start menu shortcuts that points to files that no longer exist.

Desktop Shortcuts
Removes desktop shortcuts that points to files that no longer exist.

Advanced

Old Prefetch Data
In Windows XP a Prefetch file is generated each time an application is run. This helps Windows optimize the application the next time it is executed. Unfortunately these files are not deleted when the applications are removed. This option removes these files for programs that haven't been accessed in 14 days. (This process is very safe and Windows will recreate the files as necessary.)

Menu Order Cache
The Start menu allows you to set a custom order to the programs listed, although there's no option to sort all folders by name. Selecting this option removes any custom ordering from the Start menu.

Tray Notifications Cache
In Windows XP the System Tray (the set of icons next to the clock in the bottom-right corner) orders and hides items automatically for you. Whilst this is useful, it records a list of every program that has been run from the tray. This option clears the list of previous programs and removes any custom display/hide options. (Warning: This won't have any affect until you manually restart the explorer process from the Task Manager.)

Window Size/Location Cache
Windows Explorer stores the view formatting and ordering settings for each folder on your system. After some time, this can contain a large amount of redundant data and may even slow down browsing for files on your system. Selecting this option will clear this data and reset the Windows Explorer display settings to their default option.

User Assist History
The start menu on Windows XP displays a list of the most recently run programs. Selecting this option will clear this list.

IIS Log Files
IIS (Internet Information Server) is the service Windows uses to display web pages. This comes with most XP Pro and Windows 2000 installations and is generally only used by web developers or designers. Every time someone requests a page it gets logged to a text file. Unless the computer is a web server, these are generally not needed, and may be safely deleted. This option will safely delete these files.

Hotfix Uninstallers
This will remove your Windows Updates from WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB$, you will not be able uninstall the Windows Updates.

Custom Files and Folders
Will clean your custom files and Folders that you have selected in Options, Customs.