Cleaning up WinXP Folders

First, run "Disk Cleanup": c:\windows\system32\cleanmgr.exe
NOTE: this cleans out your "Temporary Internet Files" and leaves the cookies

Then delete the files in these folders - leave "Temporary Internet Files alone, since Disk Cleanup takes care of that) :

c:\windows\prefetch
c:\windows\Temp
c:\documents and settings\"username"\Local Settings\Temp

To do it instantly, create a Batch File

rmdir /s/q c:\windows\Temp
rmdir /s/q c:\windows\prefetch\*.* /Q ( /Q is "Quiet" mode - it will not ask you if it is OK to delete)

DOS Commands - Del vs Deltree vs Rmdir

del /q foldername - will delete the files in the folder. It will not delete the folder, nor will it delete any subfolders

deltree /y foldername - deletes the entire folder structure including all files and subfolders. You will need to copy the file from a Win98 machine since WinXP does not have Deltree.

rmdir /s/q foldername - same as deltree /y - deletes the entire folder structure including all files and subfolders.

*** so in general, use RMDIR but make sure to recreate the folder is needed

Example:

cd\windows
rmdir c:\windows\temp /s /q
md temp

Usage:
RMDIR [/S] [/Q] [drive:]path
or RD [/S] [/Q] [drive:]path

/S Removes all directories and files in the specified directory
in addition to the directory itself. Used to remove a directory
tree.

/Q Quiet mode, do not ask if ok to remove a directory tree with /S