Disk Cleanup Utility

[Brandon]

Whenever I attempt to run the Disk Cleanup Utility
provided with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, the
Utility "hangs" while attempting to calculate the amount
of space that could be freed up using the utility. There
is a page that describes this very problem on the
Microsoft Help And Support web site, but when I try to do
what the page recommends, the Disk Cleanup Utility simply
ceases to start up at all.

The recommended solution to my problem, which is
apparently a fairly common one, according to the Support
page is to delete the "Compress old files" registry key
using the Registry Editor. However, when I follow the
prescribed steps and attempt to run Disk Cleanup, nothing
happens.

Has anyone else encountered the same problem and found
that the solution contained on the Microsoft Help And
Support web site seems to be ineffectual?

Any information regarding this topic would be very much
appreciated.

[Kent W. England [MVP]]

No more than 12,000 other people have posted this question in the
Microsoft publics, but you can be forgiven for posting another request
since you are using the stupid web interface and have never heard of
Google Groups. Unfortunately, you only have a thirty percent chance of
finding my reply to your question, but endeavor to persevere, and switch
over to Outlook Express if you intend to visit regularly.

I don't recall what KB article you are referring to, but the advice that
works is to run Regedit, and navigate to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Compress
Old Files

Remove all the keys under "Compress old files" to get this cleanup
program to run to completion.

--
Kent W. England, Microsoft MVP for Windows



"Brandon" > wrote in
message ...

> Whenever I attempt to run the Disk Cleanup Utility
> provided with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, the
> Utility "hangs" while attempting to calculate the amount
> of space that could be freed up using the utility. There
> is a page that describes this very problem on the
> Microsoft Help And Support web site, but when I try to do
> what the page recommends, the Disk Cleanup Utility simply
> ceases to start up at all.
>
> The recommended solution to my problem, which is
> apparently a fairly common one, according to the Support
> page is to delete the "Compress old files" registry key
> using the Registry Editor. However, when I follow the
> prescribed steps and attempt to run Disk Cleanup, nothing
> happens.
>
> Has anyone else encountered the same problem and found
> that the solution contained on the Microsoft Help And
> Support web site seems to be ineffectual?
>
> Any information regarding this topic would be very much
> appreciated.

[Brandon]

I'm going to press my luck with this one and hope that
you're still with me on this, even though I'm using the
web interface. I've already done exactly what you told
me to do, and what all the other articles on the Dell and
Microsoft Help and Support sites say to do. I've used
regedit and navigated to

>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVers
ion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Compress
>Old Files

I then did exactly what all the other sites have said,
and what you recommended as well, and deleted all the
keys there. Now when I attempt to run Disk Cleanup,
nothing happens. I wouldn't post a question if the
answer were readily available. I appreciate your help in
this matter, but unless I'm being positively retarded,
I've done exactly what you say.

[Peter]

Hi,

Try download the utility from the link below:

Jupiter Jones wrote:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;812248
>Or
>Follow this link:
>http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm
>Line 48, Right column "Disk Cleanup - Compress..."
>Save on Desktop.
>Double click the file once downloaded.
>The file can then be discarded.

Hope it helps.

Peter


>-----Original Message-----
>I'm going to press my luck with this one and hope that
>you're still with me on this, even though I'm using the
>web interface. I've already done exactly what you told
>me to do, and what all the other articles on the Dell and
>Microsoft Help and Support sites say to do. I've used
>regedit and navigated to
>
>>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVers
>ion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Compress
>>Old Files
>
>I then did exactly what all the other sites have said,
>and what you recommended as well, and deleted all the
>keys there. Now when I attempt to run Disk Cleanup,
>nothing happens. I wouldn't post a question if the
>answer were readily available. I appreciate your help in
>this matter, but unless I'm being positively retarded,
>I've done exactly what you say.
>.
>

[Brandon]

Hey, Peter, thanks a lot for the help! I went to the
page you recommended and downloaded the fix there.
Somehow, whatever it did to the registry solved the
problem. Thanks again.

[Kent W. England [MVP]]

Glad that worked. Kelly's .reg file deletes the entire CompressOldFiles
key and all subkeys and that should disable the "Compress Old Files"
feature entirely instead of "fixing" your freezing problem and allowing
COF to run. Doesn't really matter since the COF feature does more harm
than good. Thanks to Peter for the follow-up advice.

--
Kent W. England, Microsoft MVP for Windows



"Brandon" > wrote in
message ...

> Hey, Peter, thanks a lot for the help! I went to the
> page you recommended and downloaded the fix there.
> Somehow, whatever it did to the registry solved the
> problem. Thanks again.
>