\Tempfile seems like an unusual name, but I think you (or the admin) could name
the temp file anything they want.
My belief is that anything that writes to the Tempfile (%temp% version) can be
deleted at will. Obviously, you shouldn't be doing something at the same time
that's writing to that folder (installing new programs???).
I have a .vbs file that I keep on my desktop. I click on that anytime I want
with no second thoughts at all.
x:\Windows\temp folder is a more usual name (at least in earlier versions of
windows). I just started using WinXP and it looks like the %temp% folder is now
associated with the current user.
I get this folder (8.3 naming rules):
C:\DOCUME~1\DAVIDP~1\LOCALS~1\Temp
And this (same folder--but long file names):
C:\Documents and Settings\David Peterson\Local Settings\Temp
(Under win98, my temp folder was named: C:\windows\temp.)
The Temporary Internet files: I delete those whenever I want, too. The
difference is that when I revisit a frequently visited web site, I might have to
wait for stuff (pictures/graphics) to download again. (MSIE is pretty smart.)
If you upgraded through different versions of Windows, then this would explain
the various Temp folders. (But some programs create their own instead of using
the windows temp folder that has been "reserved" for temporary files/folders.
When I find those Temp folders hanging around, I'll empty/delete them, too.)
One word of warning. I've seen people store important files (email attachments
especially) in those Temp folders. If you don't do this, then I'd delete at
will. If you do this, then stop it! <bg>. Find those files that haven't been
stored in their correct homes and move them where they belong.
Yesterday, I installed some software. It created c:\temp and didn't clean up
after itself. I just deleted that folder. (I could see that it was
installation files (.CABs in different folders).
=====
As for the multiple *.xlb files, I'm betting that you upgraded through various
versions of excel. I like to rename all of them (with excel closed). Then
reopen excel, make a small change to the toolbar and close excel.
Then I'd search for that newest *.xlb and know where the current version of
excel likes to find it. (Upgraded versions of excel know to look at folders
that were used with the older versions of excel.)
Lindsay said:
Thanks for your advice, Dave. I've tried your suggestions, and I think the
problem may have been with the .xlb file. But following the steps you suggested
has raised more questions and I hope you (or anyone else) can help.
1. %temp% took me to a folder called \TEMPFILE which contained 118 .TMP files
(now deleted), but also 400 other files in that folder or in several sub-folders
called \TEMPFILE\_ISTEMPDIRn (n=1,2,3) and other names. All files are at least
2 years old, but many of them are .dll files, which I've been reluctant to
delete. Where have these come from and is it safe to delete all?
There's also a folder\WINDOWS\TEMP which contains another 445 files, of which
221 are .TMP files but, again, the remaining 224 are all in subfolders and are
not .TMP files and I'm reluctant to delete them. Where might these have come
from and is it safe to delete all of them? What is the difference between
\TEMPFILE and \WINDOWS\TEMP and why did %temp% go to only the former?
I've also deleted all Temporary Internet Files using Internet Explorer
Tools>Options>General ...
2. I found 5 .xlb files (I prefer ZTree to Windows Explorer for file search and
manipulation) -- 4 old ones in \WINDOWS and one current one in
\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel. I renamed the 4 old ones but, as
expected. Excel still would not fire up. But when renamed the current .xlb
file, Excel miraculously appeared as it should. What might have caused the
corruption in the .xlb file? I did not have a lot of customisation in my
toolbars, but I did have a few macros and I see that all bar one have
disappeared. Is there any way to find out exactly what was in my corrupt .xlb
file? And is it now safe to delete the 4 old .xlb files?
Sorry about all the questions, but I hope you are able to help me understand
what this is all about.
