Windows 10: When you have to boot into SAFE MODE to delete undeleteable temporary files

Title.

I literally couldn't get them to delete any other way, and I still had to shift+delete for it to finally work. Here was the last half hour or so of my life....

Comprehensive list of other things I tried: -standard delete procedure -shift+delete -gave myself admin privileges and retried above -used various commands in the command prompt -did that again specifically as admin -deleted prefetch -removed Skype (interweb said it would help) -used CCcleaner -updated windows and CCcleaner, repeated all above steps -said loud swear words -rebooted into Safe Mode and tried standard delete -almost had a stroke from frustration -had to shift+delete in Safe Mode and they finally deleted.

All so I could get RTX voice working on my 1080.

I usually just take Windows with a grain of salt and overlook its weird quirks, but this was something else.

What else could I have tried / have you encountered this?

submitted by /u/JaCrispy440
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:)

 

Deleting Temporary Files from Storage in Settings - Windows 10

Hi Younes,

Thank you for the update.

I would suggest you to once boot in Safe Mode and then try deleting the temporary files. Refer to the following steps:

Follow the steps given below to boot your system in Safe Mode.

• 
  Type settings in search and click on Settings.
  
• 
  Click Update and recovery, and then tap or
  click Recovery.
  
• 
  Under Advanced startup, tap or click Restart now.
  
• 
  Once your PC restarts, on the Choose an option screen, tap or click
  Troubleshoot.
  
• 
  If you don't see the Startup Settings option, tap or click
  advanced options.
  
• 
  Tap or click Startup Settings.
  
• 
  Tap or click Restart.
  
• 
  On the Startup Settings screen, choose the
  Safe Mode.
  
• 
  Sign in to your PC with a user account that has
  administrator rights.
  
• 
  Press Windows key + R.
  
• 
  Type %temp% in the dialog box and click
  OK.
  
• 
  Select and delete all the files in the Temp folder.
  
• 
  Check if you are able to delete all of them.
  

Hope this information is helpful. Please post back your results for further assistance.

 

Deleting Temporary Files

Yes, they can, and should be, deleted periodically.

The temp folder provides workspace for programs. Programs can create temporary files there for their own temporary use. Each program should delete all its temporary files when it closes, but for various reasons it doesn't always happen (for example,
if the program crashes, it never gets to do this). That's why it's a good idea to periodically clean out anything left there.

Also note that there are some program installations which work in two steps. The first step concludes by writing temporary files and rebooting. The second step starts automatically after rebooting and needs to find those files there (and then deletes
them when it's done).

Other than doing it automatically when rebooting (that would interfere with installations like the kind I described), it's always safe to delete the contents of the temp folder. Because it's safe to delete any temp files that aren't open and in use
by an application, and since Windows won't let you delete open files, it's safe to (try to) delete them at any time. If any fail to delete because they're open, they'll either be deleted automatically when the app using them closes, or you'll get them the
next time you delete manually.

Some people may suggest that you reboot before deleting anything, but that's not necessary, for the reason described above (on the other hand, it doesn't hurt to do it).

 

Undeleteable Temporary Files

I can see more files after following your steps, but I don't any temporary files. Also, I've tried deleting them with the same results.