Batch script to delete temp files

Normally I would send an email about once a month, if I remember, to tell people to use the disk cleanup tool so that the temporary folders don’t get too bloated.  But yesterday, I discovered that it apparently isn’t emptying the windows temporary folder.  I guess I incorrectly assumed that was part of what it was doing.  I had 2 computers with windows\temp folders over 30 gigs.

This prompted me to hunt for a little batch script that I could use to clear out the user’s temporary files folder and the Windows temporary file folder when they log in.  I’ll just have to make a note to myself to do it on a regular basis.   The first script I put together was pretty simple and worked, kind of.  The only problem was that it didn’t delete the subfolders in either temp folder, it just deleted all the files.  That’s fine because it solves the main problem, but I don’t like having those empty folders there either.  I couldn’t find a switch that said to delete subfolders too, just one to delete the entire folder – which wasn’t what I wanted.

I found a post in the SpiceWorks forum that had a script somebody threw together that deletes all the files and the empty subfolders.  I definitely do not understand all the switches and variables that are in it, but I’ve tested and it works perfectly.

First script: Deletes only the files in the temp folders and the files within the subfolders.

rem clean up user’s temp folder
cd %tmp%
del /q /f /s *.*

Rem clean up windows temp folder
cd %systemroot%\temp
del /q /f /s *.*

Second script: deletes the files and empty subfolders.

echo off

REM clean up user’s temp folder
set CAT=%tmp%

dir “%%CAT%%”/s/b/a | sort /r >> %TEMP%\files2del.txt
for /f “delims=;” %%D in (%TEMP%\files2del.txt) do (del /q “%%D” & rd “%%D”)
del /q %TEMP%\files2del.txt

REM clean up windows temp folder
set CAT=%systemroot%\temp

dir “%%CAT%%”/s/b/a | sort /r >> %TEMP%\files2del.txt
for /f “delims=;” %%D in (%TEMP%\files2del.txt) do (del /q “%%D” & rd “%%D”)
del /q %TEMP%\files2del.txt

To change the folders these scripts are cleaning out you want to change the “cd” lines in the first one and the parts after “CAT=” in the second one.

 

There are some issues with this script that could potentially cause problems. I haven’t experienced any problems with it, but others have. Please see the comments below. I’ll update the post when I have a chance to actually work on it.