How Do You Clear Cache?

[BobH]

After all these years, it might seem like a simplistic question; however, there are probably several ways to clear cache memory. I have always used CCleaner (correctly or incorrectly), but today I got a strange result with it.

After running the Analyze function and clicking the Clear button, I always run the Analyze function a second time because often there are object that did not get removed on the first pass. I've never seen a second pass fail to remove everything until today. After several passes where the Analyze function showed 194kb to be removed and the Clear function showed that number removed, on running Analyze immediately the same 194kb show as 'to be removed.'

Knowing that CCleaner is a tool and not knowing any details about how it determines that there is data to be removed, it occurred to me that maybe there is a way to see into the cache with greater clarity and to know how to choose to clear it.

FWIW I use both Firefox and Opera. Opera failed to log me into a site this morning without giving me any indication of a problem. While it might be a fault of the site's markup or its server, my first reaction to such glitches - after trying a second and third time to confirm my entries were correct - is to clear cache using CCleaner.

So, please educate me.

[HansV]

Depending on the settings that you selected in CCleaner, it can remove much more than the browser cache - it can clear the temporary files left behind by many application, the list of recently opened documents in various applications, the thumbnails of images in folders containing pictures, the Recycle Bin etc.

Sometimes, it will not be possible to remove some files because they are currently in use, and hence locked against deletion. A new Analyze run will then detect these files over and over. That is nothing to worry about. For best results, have no other applications running while you run CCleaner.

Also, by default, CCleaner will not remove temporary files that are less than 24 hours old:

S0028.png

So some files will be left behind. They'll be removed later on, however.

[BobH]

Thank you, Hans!

My CCleaner options are set as I want them. I had a password vault program open and a Word document. Apparently one of them - or a system function - was responsible for the 194kb that I could not remove.

Is there a 'better' or more transparent way to clean cache in a browser or file history? I know that is a bit like asking, "How long is a piece of string?" I just want to be certain that I'm not my own worst enemy in my solutions.

Thanks, again.

[HansV]

CCleaner is a very convenient way to clear browser caches, temporary files etc. because it knows most or all of the nooks and crannies where such files can hide.
But each browser also has its own built-in way to clear its cache:
In Internet Explorer, select Tools > Internet Options, then click Delete...
In Firefox, click the Menu button, then Options. Activate the Privacy tab, then click "clear all current history".
In Chrome, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete.

[BobH]

Thank you - once again - Hans!!!

I was fearful that by using CCleaner I might be missing something in clearing cache. I'm glad to receive your reassurance that it is a good tool in that it searches all the nooks and crannies. I shall continue to use it because it is so easy to do and will cover any browser I might use.

(I'd make it a whole bottle but couldn't find the smilie.)