User's Manual
What Types of File are Recommended for Deletion?
TuneUp Utilities searches for the following types of file which can normally be deleted from your hard disk with-
out causing problems.
Type Description
Saved lost
clusters
Repair programs like CHKDSK search your hard disk for lost clusters and save them. These
backups are usually never used by users.
Google Earth™
Cache Files
Google Earth™ uses this cache to save image data.
Internet Explorer,
Mozilla Firefox,
Opera and Safari
cache
All pictures, text and animations that you view in Internet Explorer while surfing the Internet
are saved in the cache. If you visit a website again, the text and images can be loaded from
the cache more quickly than from the Internet. However, it is advisable to empty your cache
from time to time.
Thumbnails
Thumbnails of images are used by various programs to provide a quick preview. The thumb-
nail views used by Windows, ACDSee™ and Google Picasa™ are taken into consideration.
Recycle Bin All files in the Recycle Bin can be deleted if you really do not need them.
Log files
Many programs write log files that can be used to analyze their behavior. This can be help-
ful, for example, when trying to solve problems. Any log files that you do not plan on eval-
uating can be deleted.
Backup files
Many programs automatically create backups of your files. These can be deleted if you do
not need them.
Memory dump
files
When problems with an application occur, Windows saves the portion of your system mem-
ory used by the application in question to a file for troubleshooting purposes. These files
are unnecessary and can be deleted.
Temporary files
Many programs create files to temporarily store data that should normally be deleted by the
program after its tasks are complete. These files can always be deleted.
Temporary help
files
Windows creates temporary help files so that it can display the help files more quickly.
These files can be deleted without hesitation.
Temporary instal-
lation files
Many Microsoft installation programs create installation files to store data temporarily that
should normally be deleted by the program after its tasks are complete. These files can
always be deleted.
Windows error
reporting files
When a program crashes, Windows saves data about the program. If this service has been
disabled or if settings do not allow for information to be sent to the manufacturer, these
files can be deleted.
What Type of Backups are Suggested for Deletion?
Type Description
Windows XP, Windows Vista
and Windows 7 Update and
Service Pack Backups
When Windows is updated, backup files are created.
Restore points
Restore points are used to save the status of system files on the computer.
They are created by the System Restore service at specified intervals and
when changes are made to the computer.
TuneUp Utilities Manual 79