I have a problem with disk-clean up. Its starts 'compress old files', gets as far as three dots on the status bar and hangs up. I can cancel it but have to manually kill 'cleanmngr' in the system processes list. This happens every time so I can't actually run the disk clean-up.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Volume Caches... Delete the Compress old files registry key....and reboot.


On Saturday, September 13, 2003 at 3:34 pm, Mostafa Ghanei wrote:
>
>I have a problem with disk-clean up. Its starts 'compress old files', gets as far
>as three dots on the status bar and hangs up. I can cancel it but have to manually
>kill 'cleanmngr' in the system processes list. This happens every time so I can't
>actually run the disk clean-up.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

*** Create a backup of that key first...send it to your desktop...if something fails...use it.


On Saturday, September 13, 2003 at 3:34 pm, Mostafa Ghanei wrote:
>
>I have a problem with disk-clean up. Its starts 'compress old files', gets as far
>as three dots on the status bar and hangs up. I can cancel it but have to manually
>kill 'cleanmngr' in the system processes list. This happens every time so I can't
>actually run the disk clean-up.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Here's a link that should explain this: http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/services/


On Saturday, September 13, 2003 at 6:02 pm, triplate wrote:
>*** Create a backup of that key first...send it to your desktop...if something fails...use
>it.
>
> http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/services/

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

i'm sorry, but what does this mean? i have the same problem, i can't run disk cleanup.


On Saturday, September 13, 2003 at 6:00 pm, triplate wrote:
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Volume Caches...
>
>Delete the Compress old files registry key....and reboot.
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

i'm sorry but what does this mean? i have the same prob, i can't run disk cleanup.


On Saturday, September 13, 2003 at 6:00 pm, triplate wrote:
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Volume Caches...
>
>Delete the Compress old files registry key....and reboot.
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

So what can I do if my old files get to "bloated" because i deleted the "Compress Old Files" registry key? I'm sure we all want as much free space as possible, but without this feature space gets taken up.


On Saturday, September 13, 2003 at 6:00 pm, triplate wrote:
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Volume Caches...
>
>Delete the Compress old files registry key....and reboot.
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Where is 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Volume' in the windows folder? And the one I delete is called 'Compress old files registry key'? Sorry, but ya'll just type away like we're all pros or something, and we're not...why would a pro ask? I'm a total dork, I can understand dork language if ya know what I mean LOL Thanks, She


On Saturday, September 13, 2003 at 6:00 pm, triplate wrote:
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Volume Caches...
>
>Delete the Compress old files registry key....and reboot.
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I found more help with this.

The post is here:  http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1020505770  

But I copied/pasted it below:

Saturday, May 4, 2002 at 2:49 am
Posted by Bor Greiner (3 messages posted) 

Hi,

This might work for you (if the computer hangs at 'scanning compressed files stage'):

1. Type Regedit in Start - Run 
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Volume 
Caches 
3. Export "Compress Old Files" folder (via right click)
4. Delete all entries in this folder 
5. Reboot 
6. Run Disk Cleanup
7. Import previous exported keys (by doubleclicking on exported .reg file)


Thanks to 'Bor Greiner', and everyone else that offers your help..









On Saturday, September 13, 2003 at 3:34 pm, Mostafa Ghanei wrote:

>

>I have a problem with disk-clean up. Its starts 'compress old files', gets as far 

>as three dots on the status bar and hangs up. I can cancel it but have to manually 

>kill 'cleanmngr' in the system processes list. This happens every time so I can't 

>actually run the disk clean-up. 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Wow, I'm impressed, I had this same problem and followed your direction and presto, my computer is back to it's bad old self, thanks a million Bryan Max


On Saturday, January 29, 2005 at 1:43 pm, SheCanBuild wrote:
>
>I found more help with this.
>
>The post is here: http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1020505770
>
>But I copied/pasted it below:
>
>Saturday, May 4, 2002 at 2:49 am
>Posted by Bor Greiner (3 messages posted)
>
>Hi,
>
>This might work for you (if the computer hangs at 'scanning compressed files stage'):
>
>1. Type Regedit in Start - Run
>2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Volume
>Caches
>3. Export "Compress Old Files" folder (via right click)
>4. Delete all entries in this folder
>5. Reboot
>6. Run Disk Cleanup
>7. Import previous exported keys (by doubleclicking on exported .reg file)
>
>
>Thanks to 'Bor Greiner', and everyone else that offers your help..
>
>
>
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

The directions above left out an important footnote and maybe this will help to explain the procedure a bit better: 1. Click Start, and then click Run. 2. Type regedit in the Open box, and then press ENTER. 3. Locate, and then click the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches 4. On the File menu, click Export, and then click Desktop, type VolumeCaches in the File name box, and then click Save. Note This step creates a backup of the VolumeCaches registry key. If you experience any problems after you complete the steps that are listed in this procedure, you can use this backup to restore the VolumeCaches key to its original state. To restore the key, double-click the VolumeCaches.reg file on your desktop, and then click Yes. 5. Expand the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches 6. Delete the Compress old files registry key. 7. Quit Registry Editor.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Hi I have the same problem. I tried the procedure but when I type in regedit in the run box, I can't find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches in there. Is it in another folder? Please help. Thanks.


On Monday, July 18, 2005 at 9:54 am, Bryan Max wrote:
>The directions above left out an important footnote and maybe this will help to explain
>the procedure a bit better:
>1. Click Start, and then click Run.
>2. Type regedit in the Open box, and then press ENTER.
>3. Locate, and then click the following registry key:
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches
>4. On the File menu, click Export, and then click Desktop, type VolumeCaches in the
>File name box, and then click Save.
>
>Note This step creates a backup of the VolumeCaches registry key. If you experience
>any problems after you complete the steps that are listed in this procedure, you
>can use this backup to restore the VolumeCaches key to its original state. To restore
>the key, double-click the VolumeCaches.reg file on your desktop, and then click Yes.
>5. Expand the following registry key:
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches
>6. Delete the Compress old files registry key.
>7. Quit Registry Editor.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Joe's List
Falcon's cleanup

Try it from a MS/DOS Command prompt, just to see if it's there and you're not seeing 
it for some reason:

Start / Programs / Accessories / Command Prompt

Cut and paste the following to export the Compress Old FIles keys under VolumeCaches:

regedit /E CompressOldFiles.reg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Compress 
Old Files"

If you have trouble pasting this into the command line, you can create a simple batch 
(.bat) file to run it from using Notepad.

Open notepad, paste the above into it.

Navigate to My Documents
Click File / Save as.
Set Save as type: to All files
Set the FIle name as: expreg.bat

Now run it:

Start / Run
Enter command and click OK.
Change to the My Documents directory (Folder):
cd "C:\Documents and Settings\youruseridhere\My Documents"
type in regexp and press enter

Verify the exported reg file is there:

type regexp.reg

Mine looked like this before I deleted everything under Compress Old Files:

=============  cut here =============
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Compress 
old files]

@="{B50F5260-0C21-11D2-AB56-00A0C9082678}"

"Priority"=dword:0000012c

"StateFlags"=dword:00000001
=============  cut here =============






Repair install WinXP 
Clean install WinXP

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I deleted the key. How can I restore it and enable compress?


On Saturday, September 13, 2003 at 6:00 pm, triplate wrote:
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Volume Caches...
>
>Delete the Compress old files registry key....and reboot.
>
>

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

On Friday, February 24, 2006 at 5:04 am, Menahse wrote:

>I deleted the key. How can I restore it and enable compress?

For what it's worth, I strongly recommend that you don't enable the Compress Old 
Files option for the following reasons:

1) If you are short of disk space, get another disk and add it as a second drive. 
They are dirt cheap (unless you are doing lots of AV editing or something like that). 
How much free disk space do you have, and how much do you want/need? (You should 
have at least 20% free space).

2) The Compress Old Files option more or less randomly compresses files. Actually 
it is according to date-last-accessed, but who is to say that because you haven't 
accessed a file recently means you won't access it tomorrow?

3) If you have redundant programs on your computer uninstall them!

4) If you have redundant documents on your computer, either archive them (copy them 
to CD or something) or just delete them if you are sure you do not want them (don't 
blame me when you lose your wedding photos).

4) There is a performance hit involved in accessing compressed files - they have 
to be uncompressed. If your computer is going slowly because it is running out of 
disk space, turning on the Compress Old Files option will not help (see item (1) 
and possibly increase your RAM).

5) If the Compress Old Files option was causing Disk Cleanup (CleanMgr.exe) to hang 
before, it probably still will, but don't take my word for that - I am working on 
a different hang (Offline Web Pages)...

Cheers,
Jann Padley
http://www.jpse.co.uk 

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I just wanted to thank all of you for your quick and simple instructions, I have had this problem before, and the HP support people, couldn't comprehend what I was asking them, and never could give me instructions on how to clear this problem up! Thank you so much! Sarah

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

Bryan, Here it is now March 2007 and I've run into this same problem, which after doing some checking, is apparently quite common. I followed your instructions and after closing the Registry Editor, I ran the Disc Cleanup and it went so fast,,, it was almost instantaniously. Ir worked great! Now, is there a need to restore the exported key, and if so or if not, should I leave it on my desktop? Oh,,, thanks loads, man!!!


On Monday, July 18, 2005 at 9:54 am, Bryan Max wrote:
>The directions above left out an important footnote and maybe this will help to explain
>the procedure a bit better:
>1. Click Start, and then click Run.
>2. Type regedit in the Open box, and then press ENTER.
>3. Locate, and then click the following registry key:
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches
>4. On the File menu, click Export, and then click Desktop, type VolumeCaches in the
>File name box, and then click Save.
>
>Note This step creates a backup of the VolumeCaches registry key. If you experience
>any problems after you complete the steps that are listed in this procedure, you
>can use this backup to restore the VolumeCaches key to its original state. To restore
>the key, double-click the VolumeCaches.reg file on your desktop, and then click Yes.
>5. Expand the following registry key:
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches
>6. Delete the Compress old files registry key.
>7. Quit Registry Editor.

[Reply or follow-up to this message]

I've followed these steps but I'm not clear when you say delete the old key. Is it the icon with the red "ab" sign next to it? If so, this is the one I tried to delete and it says I'm unable to. Please help thanks. Hi, This might work for you (if the computer hangs at 'scanning compressed files stage'): 1. Type Regedit in Start - Run 2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Volume Caches 3. Export "Compress Old Files" folder (via right click) 4. Delete all entries in this folder 5. Reboot 6. Run Disk Cleanup 7. Import previous exported keys (by doubleclicking on exported .reg file) B.


On Monday, March 19, 2007 at 7:04 pm, Ol' Brother Dave wrote:
>Bryan, Here it is now March 2007 and I've run into this same problem, which after
>doing some checking, is apparently quite common. I followed your instructions and
>after closing the Registry Editor, I ran the Disc Cleanup and it went so fast,,,
>it was almost instantaniously. Ir worked great! Now, is there a need to restore the
>exported key, and if so or if not, should I leave it on my desktop? Oh,,, thanks
>loads, man!!!
>
>
>

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