Deleting unwanted files...

Northface22 · #1 10-02-2005, 09:45 AM

Computer: Presario 2710CA
Operating system: XP Home
Memory: 30 GB/512 RAM

Many tech help sites suggest that it is safe to delete files ending with ".cnt"
or ".CNT", (quotation marks not included), however, as you may be aware, when in the "Search" screen, right-clicking these files doesn't bring up an actual delete option, rather, you get three options instead: "open containing folder", "copy", and "extract".

Call me paranoid, but I hesitate to click "extract", unless someone says it's the same thing as "delete". And if it's the same as delete, then why doesn't it say so.

Oddly enough, search-barring various Google sites gets no closer to the truth on this, so what is the best course of action with these files?

Another thing: my "Add/Remove" screen includes "Netscape 6 (6.1)", but seeing as I have never used Netscape since purchasing my computer over three years ago, I guess I can safely say I never will.

Therefore, can I safely delete Netscape without harming anything else? I seem to remember the last time I tried to do this, I got a message saying that deleting it might affect another program or other related issue.

Experienced advice on this would be appreciated.

yoni5002 · #2 10-02-2005, 10:01 AM

Dont worry about Netscape... you can Safely Remove it if you are not using it... (BUT) Be aware with those .CNT Files cos' your Sistem could be death after earising those files... I dont use XP Home Edition because of that... Many Cleaners program on the Internet have damaged many Windows Home Edition OS in my customer's Computer... >>>Fixed>>> Get Windows XP Professional..... When you run the same tools on XP Professional everything runs smooth... Don't erase anything in your Computer if you are not sure of what you are doing

yoni5002º
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Northface22 · #3 10-02-2005, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoni5002

Dont worry about Netscape... you can Safely Remove it if you are not using it... (BUT) Be aware with those .CNT Files cos' your Sistem could be death after earising those files... I dont use XP Home Edition because of that... Many Cleaners program on the Internet have damaged many Windows Home Edition OS in my customer's Computer... >>>Fixed>>> Get Windows XP Professional..... When you run the same tools on XP Professional everything runs smooth... Don't erase anything in your Computer if you are not sure of what you are doing

yoni5002º
________

Roger, willco!

No, I'm very careful when considering to delete anything. I also use the CCleaner and it's pretty good. I don't think it has deleted anything essential--yet--although I am beginning to suspect something is being deleted that causes my CDs not play every now and then. (See my other post).

By the way, I just noticed in CCleaner that the "issues" section apparently monitors my earlier search bar hunt for deletable files.

For example, I discovered that .syd and .sav files might be safe to delete, so I searched for some and I did find a few. I didn't delete them, but they now appear in CCleaner as presumably safely-deletable issues. Is this the way CCleaner is supposed to work? Should I worry or not?

yoni5002 · #4 10-03-2005, 02:38 AM

thats the way it works!!!!

I'e never had a problem using it

yoni5002º
_________

Northface22 · #5 10-03-2005, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoni5002

thats the way it works!!!!

I'e never had a problem using it

yoni5002º
_________

Good to know. I also find CCleaner very effiencient. In fact, I run it many times a day and always find new crap to delete, although I almost never find anything to delete under the "Applications" setting.

Just to clarify: when I did my search under various suffixes like .syd and .sav, for example, I did not delete the files I found there, but did notice under CCleaner's "issues" "problem" heading the words: "Unused File Extension" and the .syd, .sav, etc. so presumably, I can use CCleaner to delete these safely.

I then searched for .003 suffixes, and when refreshing CCleaner, the .003 appeared there also: not the actual files themselves, only the unused file extension.

I'm guessing this is a good way to get rid of these assorted loose ends, although there's probably still a lot of junk hiding in our computers that would be better off deleted. I see lots of "eula" and "spuninst" files and wonder what value they'll ever have. I'll just leave them there. No point in getting carried away. Cleaning one's computer can become as obsessive as cleaning one's teeth

if one isn't careful!

Scroll down on this page: http://forums.techguy.org/history/t-382236.html to see a very long list of files having suffixes of indeterminable value.

For lack of anything better to do, it might even be fun and educational to grab someone's old computer out of the trash and see what you can get away with deleting before the damn thing won't work anymore. Has anyone ever tried this?

yoni5002 · #6 10-03-2005, 10:57 AM

I'll tell you what I use to optimize my computer... hag hag hag:

CCleaner, Norton Utilities(All of them), System Mechanic Professional, Registry Mechanic, And a lot of registry Tweaks... + Microsoft Antispyware, Ad-adware Professional, Spybot Search & Destry, Spyware Blaster, 3 firewalls and one to another things like: Perfect Disk, HDD Regenerator, Microsoft BootVis, and a few more things....
Actually I didnt mention all of my tools, but I spent like 3 hours every week to maintain Windows as a tunder!!!... I have a lot of important information to take care of and a lot of programs installed in my Comp to do my daily work,,, I CAN NOT AFORD TO LOSE THAT AT ALL!!!

yoni5002
_________

Northface22 · #7 10-03-2005, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoni5002

I'll tell you what I use to optimize my computer... hag hag hag:

CCleaner, Norton Utilities(All of them), System Mechanic Professional, Registry Mechanic, And a lot of registry Tweaks... + Microsoft Antispyware, Ad-adware Professional, Spybot Search & Destry, Spyware Blaster, 3 firewalls and one to another things like: Perfect Disk, HDD Regenerator, Microsoft BootVis, and a few more things....
Actually I didnt mention all of my tools, but I spent like 3 hours every week to maintain Windows as a tunder!!!... I have a lot of important information to take care of and a lot of programs installed in my Comp to do my daily work,,, I CAN NOT AFORD TO LOSE THAT AT ALL!!!

yoni5002
_________

I also use Norton Internet Pro 2006, Ad-Aware, and eTrust Pest Patrol to keep the crap out. Funny thing is that certain pop-up ads still get through.
I've noticed a big reduction in spam email in recent months, though. Seems those lawsuits did the trick after all!

jcchev · #8 12-15-2005, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northface22

I also use Norton Internet Pro 2006, Ad-Aware, and eTrust Pest Patrol to keep the crap out. Funny thing is that certain pop-up ads still get through.
I've noticed a big reduction in spam email in recent months, though. Seems those lawsuits did the trick after all!

Does running CCleaner create any problems if I also have Norton System Works?

Nontechguy · #9 12-15-2005, 02:39 PM

Yoni buddy , why so many firewalls ? I mean I am sure if a hacker really want to hack into your computer that he could and it wouldn't matter as to how many firewalls you have install , right ? So why so many ?