Working With Temporary Files

 

Windows and applications create a variety of temporary files which are just that - temporary. Like anything created to be used on a temporary basis, they are not meant for long term use. However, temporary files can puzzle computer users, especially when they suddenly appear in the My Documents folder without explanation. A temporary file may share the original's filename but with a different extension such as .tmp, .temp, .bak, or .sav. In addition, some temporary files have unusual characters in the filename such as the tilde (~).

 

Depending on the program that created the temporary file and the reason it was created, the file is often automatically purged once it has served its purpose. For example, Microsoft Word creates a temporary file, complete with the tilde in its filename and the.tmp extension at the end, each time you create a document. In this case, Word does this as a safety measure so that if there's an issue such as a power outage while trying to save the file, you have a backup. Once you close your current session of Word, the temporary files created during that session are deleted. In addition, Microsoft Word has a second line of defense (creating a backup copy) if you choose to enable it. When enabled, Word saves the file twice: one with the traditional.doc or .docx extension and the other with a.bak extension.

 

In addition to transient files created and later deleted by applications, your computer likely has several folders containing temporary downloads, cookies, and Internet files. These are used to improve your Web browsing experience by storing passwords and speeding page loads when you revisit a site. However, these folders can grow quite large, adversely affecting your computer's performance. You can safely delete these files, but keep in mind that if you delete cookies, you may need to re-enter your user name and password when you visit a Web site where this information was previously stored.

 

While you can browse your computer to find these folders, the easiest way to manage them is through your Web browser. For example, if you use Internet Explorer 8, simply launch the browser and click on Internet Options. The General tab has an area labeled, "Browsing History." Find that area, click the Delete button and then choose the types of temporary files that you want to remove from your computer.

 

For the most part, temporary files are safe to delete. There's no need to delete those created by applications such as Microsoft Word as those are generally deleted once you close the application. Should a straggler remain and you do not need it, you can manually delete it without any adverse consequences. Use your judgment as far as deleting.bak files from your hard drive. If you have backups online or on an external hard drive, than these are redundant and safe to delete. All Internet temporary files are safe to delete, though you may lose your personal settings and saved form data.

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