View Full Version : Question about unremovable temp files
I get Spybot to clean my temp files every time I use it, but it can never remove certain files, says they are in use, and I apparenty have over 200 of them. The ones it can't remove appear to be "wwwXX.tmp" files, such as "wwwA1.tmp", "www97.tmp", or "wwwAB.tmp". I seem to get an additional one of these unremovable files everytime the computer starts. My computer seems to be clean and working fine, but I was curious if anyone knew what creates and uses these temp files.
md usa spybot fan
2008-08-20, 22:40
monkeys:
… but I was curious if anyone knew what creates and uses these temp files.
Actually I don't the foggiest idea, but you should be able to find out.
What Windows OS are you running?
The following is based on Windows XP and may not be totally be applicable to another Windows OS.
When files are being used, a handle (pointer) is created. These handles can be interrogated to determine what process is using a file. One program that can interrogate these handles is:
Process Explorer v11.21
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx
Note: Process Explorer does not have to be installed to run.
__________
To find out what process is using one of these "wwwXX.tmp" files:
Download Process Explorer:
The direct download URL is:
Download Process Explorer (1.6 MB)
http://download.sysinternals.com/Files/ProcessExplorer.zip
Unzip/extract the content of ProcessExplorer.zip to a known location.
Right click on the downloaded ProcessExplorer.zip file.
Select "Extract All...",
Use the "Extraction Wizard" to extract the files from the ProcessExplorer.zip file.
Eula.txt
procexp.chm
procexp.exe
Find one of the wwwXX.tmp files that is in use:
Go into Start » Run » type "%temp%" (no quotes) » click "OK" (that action should bring up a Windows Explorer window listing the temporary files stored on your system).
In Windows Explorer:
Right click on one of the "wwwXX.tmp" files.
Select "Open with…".
Chose "NotePad" for the program to open the "wwwXX.tmp" file with:
You are actually looking for a "wwwXX.tmp" file that you can not open because of a message indicating:
Notepad
The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.
[OK]
If the file opens with "NotePad" attempt to open other "wwwXX.tmp" file until you find one that can not be opened "... because it is being used by another process".
Determining the process using the file:
Start Process Explorer (procexp.exe).
Go to the "Find" menu and select "Find Handle or DLL…".
Enter the name of the "wwwXX.tmp" file that you determined was in use in the "Handle or DLL substring" and then click the "Search" button.
If the file is still in use, you should be able to determine the process using the file.
Strange, none of them seem to be in use when I open them with Notepad, and nothing seems to come up when I search for them with Process Explorer. When I open them with Notepad, they all seem to say:
[InternetShortcut]
URL=http://utforums.epicgames.com/forumdisplay.php?f=20
Strange, none of them seem to be in use when I open them with Notepad, and nothing seems to come up when I search for them with Process Explorer. When I open them with Notepad, they all seem to say:
[InternetShortcut]
URL=http://utforums.epicgames.com/forumdisplay.php?f=20
Were you by any chance starting Spybot with your browser open when you got the can't delete - in use message in relation to the temporary files. If so try it with the browser closed.
No browser open, still says they are in use and cannot be removed.
I have the same problem even with all programmes closed
how is it possible that temp files are in use all the time? because they shouldnt. i have 219 files that i cant remove with spybot.
Strange, none of them seem to be in use when I open them with Notepad, and nothing seems to come up when I search for them with Process Explorer. When I open them with Notepad, they all seem to say:
[InternetShortcut]
URL=http://utforums.epicgames.com/forumdisplay.php?f=20
That would appear to be a "favorites" entry. Are these files in the C:\Documents and Settings\Username\local settings\temp folder, or in a subfolder below the temp folder in that path, or are they in C:\Windows\Temp or a sub folder below the temp folder in this path.
What operating system is this occurring on, what Service pack and what is the browser version that you are using.
Ron M and Blues, you say you have the same problem. Are your files the same type as monkeys, and can you provide answers to the questions above?
That would appear to be a "favorites" entry. Are these files in the C:\Documents and Settings\Username\local settings\temp folder, or in a subfolder below the temp folder in that path, or are they in C:\Windows\Temp or a sub folder below the temp folder in this path.
What operating system is this occurring on, what Service pack and what is the browser version that you are using.
Ron M and Blues, you say you have the same problem. Are your files the same type as monkeys, and can you provide answers to the questions above?
They're in C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Local Settings\Temp, Windows XP Service Pack 2 and my browsers are Internet Explorer 7/Firefox 3.
Monkeys,
Did you try the last paragraph in md usa spybot fan's post about determining the process using the file. Just pick any of the wwwXX.tmp files.
* Start Process Explorer (procexp.exe).
* Go to the "Find" menu and select "Find Handle or DLL…".
* Enter the name of the "wwwXX.tmp" file in the "Handle or DLL substring" and then click the "Search" button.
* If the file is still in use, you should be able to determine the process using the file.
Can you try:-
(a) Go into Spybot, and with it in Advanced mode, click on settings, then settings again, then scroll down through the settings screen until you find the System Start group. Click on "Run program once at next system startup", then exit Spybot and reboot. Spybot will start up early in the bootup sequence (once off setting). Please let us know whether it still thinks all the files are in use.
(b) If that doesn't work, have you tried booting into safe mode and seeing whether you can manually delete one of the wwwXX.tmp files. In XP the files in this location should not be critical ones and so should be able to be deleted without problems, however it may be a good idea to take small steps.
to me it is solved, i deleted a map called "remove" in C:\Windows\Temp that had maps in it called "xp" and "win98(or something)" and other names like that. spybot doesnt show the message anymore. the map was not deleted by ccleaner and "atf cleaner" that is strange because i thought they removed almost every temporary file.
i dont know if this helps you monkeys.
Monkeys,
Did you try the last paragraph in md usa spybot fan's post about determining the process using the file. Just pick any of the wwwXX.tmp files.
* Start Process Explorer (procexp.exe).
* Go to the "Find" menu and select "Find Handle or DLL…".
* Enter the name of the "wwwXX.tmp" file in the "Handle or DLL substring" and then click the "Search" button.
* If the file is still in use, you should be able to determine the process using the file.
Tried that, Process Explorer doesn't seem to find them.
to me it is solved, i deleted a map called "remove" in C:\Windows\Temp that had maps in it called "xp" and "win98(or something)" and other names like that. spybot doesnt show the message anymore. the map was not deleted by ccleaner and "atf cleaner" that is strange because i thought they removed almost every temporary file.
i dont know if this helps you monkeys.
I don't seem to have that folder in C:\Windows\Temp.
monkeys
Did you try either of my suggestions (a) or (b) and if so what specifically was the result?
monkeys
Did you try either of my suggestions (a) or (b) and if so what specifically was the result?
I tried (a) but it didn't work.Now I cannot stop Spybot from running once at every start up.How do I stop it?
monkeys
Did you try either of my suggestions (a) or (b) and if so what specifically was the result?
Not yet, but I did do something. Seems like Spybot isn't removing them because they're marked as read only.
I tried (a) but it didn't work.Now I cannot stop Spybot from running once at every start up.How do I stop it?
Rob N,
Whilst you said early on in this thread that you had the same problem as Monkeys, you then didn't answer my subsequent question about whether it was really the same or provide any answers to the questions I raised. Now it appears you have opted to try one of my suggestions to Monkeys.
Until such time as you provide answers to the questions I asked, I really can't offer you any suggestions except in relation to your last post "how do I stop it". Normally the run program once at system startup does just that. When you tick the option it runs once at the next bootup, and that's it.
Did it delete any of the temporary files, did you do a scan, did the scan find anything, if it did, did you try to fix anything. Did you have Teatimer running at the time, did it ask you to accept/deny anything and if so what did you do. If you don't say, then how do you expect anyone else to know.
You could try reversing the procedure, ie. Untick the option manually.
Not yet, but I did do something. Seems like Spybot isn't removing them because they're marked as read only.
Why did you not try the previous suggestions (a) and (b) before posting the above?
It would have been nice to find the owner process of the files in question, but other than the (a) and (b) suggestions I have already made, that you apparently haven't tried, the only other suggestion I have for you is to remove the read only status from one of the files and then try to delete it. You need only try one file, if it doesn't work with that it probably will not work for the others. If they are genuinly "in use" removing the read only will not solve the problem, which is why I suggested (b) in my earlier post.
I ticked 'Run once at system start up' and rebooted and I still had 130 or so temp files nearly all under Appdata/'username'/local/temp which Spybot says are in use,some of these files are connected with Norton 360 which I also run but others are macrovision files.Nothing is found during a full scan,teatimer was running but nothing came up to accept/deny.
After the reboot above the computer was left on until yesterday when I rebooted again.On reboot Spybot ran again so I looked up settings and noticed that 'No Automation' was checked and 'Run once at start up'.Now I couldn't uncheck these options all I could do was click the middle option (can't remember what this is as I'm on another computer) this cleared the other two so i then proceded to click 'No automation' thus leaving 'Run once...' as unchecked,I then closed Spybot.Then I immediatley opened Spybot again and looked under settings and both 'No automation' and 'Run once...' were checked agian.
Please can you advise as to what I am doing wrong.Why is Spybot not remembering my change?
Rob N,
You said "....temp files nearly all under Appdata/'username'/local/temp..." and also "...some of these files are connected with Norton 360" which indicates to me your original post of "I have the same problem" as the thread originator was not so. For future reference, unless you are sure you have the same problem it pays to start your own thread as it is then much less confusing for everyone.
First, what operating sytem and what service packs are you running, what type of CPU and how much memory is available.
Second, go into Spybot and turn off Teatimer. Spybot/Advanced mode/Tools/Resident - untick Teatimer.
Third - For the time being let's try and fix the problem of Spybot starting up each time you Reboot - we'll look at the temp files problem later.
Shut down the computer (Full power off, not a restart). Wait 30 secs or so then restart it.
If the Spybot program automatically starts up, simply exit the spybot program via the File/Exit - not the red cross.
Then reboot again. If Spybot starts automatically again, go into Spybot/Advanced/settings/settings. Under Automation - Program Start, remove any ticks. Under automation - System Start remove any ticks and set the radio button to No automation. Exit the spybot program via the File/Exit - not the red cross. Then reboot again.
If this does not fix the problem of Spybot starting each time you boot up and if your operating System is XP, goto C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Spybot - Search & Destroy. Delete the file configuration.ini. Then restart Spybot and exit. Try a reboot.
Report back whether this has stopped Spybot from starting at bootup. For the time being leave Teatimer disabled.
Vista SP1 Intel E6750 Core 2 Duo 2.66Ghz,4gb RAM,350 GB on hard disc
Spybot has now stopped running on boot up,thank you.
All the temp files that Spybot is finding that it cannot delete are under Users/'My username'/Appdata/Local/temp
Why did you not try the previous suggestions (a) and (b) before posting the above?
I thought I already tested if they were in use by opening them with Notepad and when Process Explorer failed to tell me anything, so I did a test with marking files as read only because I noticed a normal temp file Spybot can remove isn't marked read only. So I tried marking that normally removable file as read only, and Spybot couldn't remove it anymore. I also have an idea what might be creating these files now. I have Unreal Tournament 3, and under its selection in start>all programs, it has shortcuts to its official sites, forums, etc. And I can't check right now, but I'm 99% sure the forums address was the same thing I saw when I opened the temp files with Notepad.
Spybot has now stopped running on boot up,thank you.
All the temp files that Spybot is finding that it cannot delete are under Users/'My username'/Appdata/Local/temp
Have you tried opening Spybot by right clicking on the desktop icon and selecting "Run as" and then select an administrator account?
I am not a Vista user, nor do I use any Norton products so if the above doesn't work, then I am unfortunately not able to suggest any other solutions at this time. Perhap one of the Vista users has an idea.
.. so I did a test with marking files as read only because I noticed a normal temp file Spybot can remove isn't marked read only. So I tried marking that normally removable file as read only, and Spybot couldn't remove it anymore.
Whilst that observation is correct, even if a file is not marked Read only, it can still be "in use by another person or program". Read only status will not stop you manually deleting a file, it will simply query whether you really want to do it.
Manual delete in "Safe mode" should work with most "in use" files (except perhaps some system files) because the parent program that would normally be using them would not generally be running in safe mode. particularly if it is a games program. I did sugest you try manual deletion in post 10 in this thread, but I can't find any subsequent post indicating you actually tried it.
The question may be whether these files are needed for the owner program to work properly, even if they have been deposited in an area intended only for transient files, so be warned, deleting them may have a negative effect on their parent program.
Can I enable Teatimer again?
Can I enable Teatimer again?
Your choice - I run teatimer on my PC's, but I normally turn it off whilst I am installing new software or resolving specific problems as it saves having to accept or deny changes associated with that process. Once the PC is back operating normally I re-enable it, however it is a matter of whether an individual user is prepared to think about the accept or deny choices when/if they come up and make informed decisions. If they are, Teatimer is a good safeguard, however some users simply cannot handle it, and in these cases it is perhaps better left disabled.
Whilst that observation is correct, even if a file is not marked Read only, it can still be "in use by another person or program". Read only status will not stop you manually deleting a file, it will simply query whether you really want to do it.
Manual delete in "Safe mode" should work with most "in use" files (except perhaps some system files) because the parent program that would normally be using them would not generally be running in safe mode. particularly if it is a games program. I did sugest you try manual deletion in post 10 in this thread, but I can't find any subsequent post indicating you actually tried it.
The question may be whether these files are needed for the owner program to work properly, even if they have been deposited in an area intended only for transient files, so be warned, deleting them may have a negative effect on their parent program.
I can manually delete the files in normal mode, and I Spybot removes them once I uncheck "Read only". I just wish I could figure out why a new file keeps getting made every time I start the computer.