In this article I will show you how to remove traces of work in Windows 10. We will delete temporary files, cache and browser history (Edge Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Yandex Browser), clean the registry and delete the DNS cache.
Cookies, browsing history, saved passwords, data from the Windows registry - all these jewels can fall into someone's dirty hands if these hands get to the keyboard of your computer. This is why it is very important to be able to delete logs, caches and other cookies so that someone does not accidentally find out information that is better to keep to yourself.
Windows, like a romantic young lady, cherishes warm memories of the documents recently opened by the user and running programs. To remove traces of Windows, you can use some suitable program, but they do not always work correctly. There is a much simpler and more effective method - without any cunning utilities and other lameness there.
Press Windows + R and type in the window that opens recent, then do not forget to press Enter. Here is a list of all files and folders that the current user has accessed recently. Select the contents of this folder by pressing Ctrl + A and press Del.
Now, in the same way, remove traces of work in the following folders:
You should save the script in a simple text file, assign an extension to it .batand run it whenever you want to remove traces.
To turn off the display of frequently used programs in the main menu in Windows 10, press Windows + R, type in the field ms-settings
ersonalizationthat opens , in the "Settings" window, click the rat on the "Start" icon, and then disable the functions "Show recently added applications", "Show most Frequently Used Applications "and" Show Recently Opened Items in Start Menu Jump Lists. "
Finally, you can delete the history of the Windows file manager, which he shoves everywhere: in the address bar, in the virtual folder "Quick Access", shows when you right-click on the icon of the running explorer in the taskbar, and even uses it to autocomplete in the "Run" window ...
Launch Explorer, open the "View" tab and press the "Options" button. In the "Privacy" section, uncheck both boxes and click on the "Clear" button.
It would be very nice if Windows nevertheless learned to nail unnecessary files on its own after the user session ends. This can be configured using local group policies.
Press Windows + R, type in the "Run" window gpedit.msc, do not forget to Enter. Go to User Configuration → Administrative Templates → Start Menu and Taskbar and enable the following policies:
It is clear that anyone can perform a similar operation if they wish. Windows 10 stores temporary files in several folders, which can be opened by typing the appropriate path in the Run box (Windows + R):
When run, the script will delete all temporary files that are not currently occupied by other processes. You can run it manually or on a schedule. And you can do the same using a graphical, sorry for the expression, user interface.
Open the main menu and in the "Settings" window go to the "System -> Memory" section. Click on the words "Temporary files", then check all the boxes on the next screen and click "Delete files".
Edge
The successor to Internet Explorer - Edge serves only to enable Windows 10 users to download a normal browser.
Nevertheless, for the sake of order, it should be mentioned as well: click on the [...] button in the upper right corner of the Edge window, select "Options" in the list that opens, and in it - "Privacy and Security". Click on the "Select what you want to clear" button in the "Clear browser data" section, check all the boxes and click on the "Clear" button.
Firefox
Open the menu by clicking on the appropriate button in the upper right corner of the browser window and select "Settings" in the list that appears, then "Privacy and Security". Find the section "Cookies and data", click "Delete data", check all the boxes in the window that opens and click "Delete".
Chrome
Here, too, you need to click on the button in the upper right corner, go to the section "Settings → Privacy and security → Clear history". In the window that opens, select the "All time" item from the menu, check the appropriate boxes and click "Delete data".
By default, Chrome deletes all data both locally and from the Google profile if the user is logged into their account. To save your browser history and cookies to the Google Cloud, you need to sign out of your account before clearing your browser storage.
Opera
Here, the scheme of actions is similar: the button in the upper right corner is the "Clear" button in the "Privacy and Security" section, after which you need to select the "All time" item in the menu, check the boxes and click "Delete data".
Yandex browser
Here you need to click the "Yandex Browser Settings" button in the top panel, go to the "History" section and click on the "Clear history" inscription at the bottom left. The familiar window will appear with the choice of the period and the checkboxes of the data types to be deleted. Select the desired items and click "Clear".
The problem is that it is impossible to change, let alone delete, some registry keys even from under the administrator's account, and working with it manually requires too much time and effort. To save a couple of extra hours for something more fun, you can use some free program to clean your registry. For example, LittleRegistryCleaner.
The program is pretty easy to use. The left side of the LittleRegistryCleaner window shows the registry keys and the categories of data they contain. The "Scan registry" button starts a search for errors and unnecessary keys that can be removed using the "Troubleshoot" button.
By the way, using the "Tools" menu, you can launch the convenient "Startup Manager" tool, which allows you to clean everything unnecessary from autorun - the necessary changes will be made to the registry automatically.
Another program for removing registry traces is called USB Oblivion. It is even easier to use it than to pick in the ear with a screwdriver: launch the utility, check the box "Perform real cleaning" and click on the "Clean" button.
After that, the program will restart under the administrator, stop Windows services that interfere with it and delete from the registry all data that may even carry a hint of confidentiality. After completing this tedious process, the utility will reboot the system, do not be alarmed.
All calls to DNS servers are cached, and the system stores them as carefully as the grandmother - the sliders of her beloved grandchildren. To clear the DNS cache, run a console command ipconfig /flushdns.
Conclusion
Of course, to remove traces on a computer, all of the above actions can be performed using all sorts of specialized programs like some kind of Wise care 365. But personally, I don't trust them: firstly, free utilities often drag along a bunch of adware, secondly, they delete information very selectively, periodically missing something, and thirdly, after criminal stories with CCleaner, use such tools sometimes dearer to yourself.
It is much safer to do everything manually or use partial automation using scripts, examples of which I gave above. You can collect one universal script from them yourself at your leisure.
Cookies, browsing history, saved passwords, data from the Windows registry - all these jewels can fall into someone's dirty hands if these hands get to the keyboard of your computer. This is why it is very important to be able to delete logs, caches and other cookies so that someone does not accidentally find out information that is better to keep to yourself.
Windows, like a romantic young lady, cherishes warm memories of the documents recently opened by the user and running programs. To remove traces of Windows, you can use some suitable program, but they do not always work correctly. There is a much simpler and more effective method - without any cunning utilities and other lameness there.
Press Windows + R and type in the window that opens recent, then do not forget to press Enter. Here is a list of all files and folders that the current user has accessed recently. Select the contents of this folder by pressing Ctrl + A and press Del.
Now, in the same way, remove traces of work in the following folders:
- %appdata%\microsoft\windows\recent\automaticdestinations\
- %appdata%\microsoft\windows\recent\CustomDestinations
Code:
@ECHO OFF
TITLE ReCeNT FiLEs cLEanUp
del / F / Q% APPDATA% \ Microsoft \ Windows \ Recent \ *
del / F / Q% APPDATA% \ Microsoft \ Windows \ Recent \ AutomaticDestinations \ *
del / F / Q% APPDATA% \ Microsoft \ Windows \ Recent \ CustomDestinations \ *
PAUSEYou should save the script in a simple text file, assign an extension to it .batand run it whenever you want to remove traces.
To turn off the display of frequently used programs in the main menu in Windows 10, press Windows + R, type in the field ms-settings
ersonalizationthat opens , in the "Settings" window, click the rat on the "Start" icon, and then disable the functions "Show recently added applications", "Show most Frequently Used Applications "and" Show Recently Opened Items in Start Menu Jump Lists. "Finally, you can delete the history of the Windows file manager, which he shoves everywhere: in the address bar, in the virtual folder "Quick Access", shows when you right-click on the icon of the running explorer in the taskbar, and even uses it to autocomplete in the "Run" window ...
Launch Explorer, open the "View" tab and press the "Options" button. In the "Privacy" section, uncheck both boxes and click on the "Clear" button.
It would be very nice if Windows nevertheless learned to nail unnecessary files on its own after the user session ends. This can be configured using local group policies.
Press Windows + R, type in the "Run" window gpedit.msc, do not forget to Enter. Go to User Configuration → Administrative Templates → Start Menu and Taskbar and enable the following policies:
- "Clear the log of recently opened documents on exit";
- "Clearing the list of recently used programs for new users";
- "Clear tile notifications on exit";
- "Delete the list of programs pinned to the Start menu";
- "Delete the list of frequently used programs in the Start menu";
- "Disable tracking user actions";
- "Do not store information about recently opened documents";
- "Remove menu" Recent Documents "from the" Start "menu";
- Do not display or track navigation items in remote location lists;
- Remove the Recently Added List from the Start Menu.
Delete temporary Windows files
Temporary files not only take up disk space (which is never enough anyway), but sometimes contain a lot of useful information. You have probably been able to restore Word documents from .tmp files when a user suddenly runs out of electricity and hesitates to buy an uninterruptible power supply in advance.It is clear that anyone can perform a similar operation if they wish. Windows 10 stores temporary files in several folders, which can be opened by typing the appropriate path in the Run box (Windows + R):
- %temp%(aka C:\Users\%Username%\AppData\Local\Temp) - temporary user files;
- %windir%\temp - temporary files of the operating system itself;
- %windir%\Prefetch - file cache to speed up loading Windows and applications.
Code:
@ECHO OFF
TITLE TeMp0RaRY F1Les re: MOVeR
RD% TEMP% \. / S / Q
RD% windir% \ temp \. / S / Q
RD% windir% \ Prefetch \. / S / Q
PAUSEWhen run, the script will delete all temporary files that are not currently occupied by other processes. You can run it manually or on a schedule. And you can do the same using a graphical, sorry for the expression, user interface.
Open the main menu and in the "Settings" window go to the "System -> Memory" section. Click on the words "Temporary files", then check all the boxes on the next screen and click "Delete files".
Clearing cache and browser history
Windows stores the user's temporary internet files in a folder %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Filesand cookies in a %USERPROFILE%\Cookies. The user does not have access to both folders even under the local administrator - these restrictions are introduced for security reasons. Therefore, the contents of the cache and cookies can be deleted manually, since the browser settings allow you to do this with ease.Edge
The successor to Internet Explorer - Edge serves only to enable Windows 10 users to download a normal browser.
Nevertheless, for the sake of order, it should be mentioned as well: click on the [...] button in the upper right corner of the Edge window, select "Options" in the list that opens, and in it - "Privacy and Security". Click on the "Select what you want to clear" button in the "Clear browser data" section, check all the boxes and click on the "Clear" button.
Firefox
Open the menu by clicking on the appropriate button in the upper right corner of the browser window and select "Settings" in the list that appears, then "Privacy and Security". Find the section "Cookies and data", click "Delete data", check all the boxes in the window that opens and click "Delete".
Chrome
Here, too, you need to click on the button in the upper right corner, go to the section "Settings → Privacy and security → Clear history". In the window that opens, select the "All time" item from the menu, check the appropriate boxes and click "Delete data".
By default, Chrome deletes all data both locally and from the Google profile if the user is logged into their account. To save your browser history and cookies to the Google Cloud, you need to sign out of your account before clearing your browser storage.
Opera
Here, the scheme of actions is similar: the button in the upper right corner is the "Clear" button in the "Privacy and Security" section, after which you need to select the "All time" item in the menu, check the boxes and click "Delete data".
Yandex browser
Here you need to click the "Yandex Browser Settings" button in the top panel, go to the "History" section and click on the "Clear history" inscription at the bottom left. The familiar window will appear with the choice of the period and the checkboxes of the data types to be deleted. Select the desired items and click "Clear".
Removing traces of work in the Windows registry
The Windows registry contains a lot of useful information that can be used with ill intentions. This, for example, the history of recently connected USB devices to the computer or the location of files.The problem is that it is impossible to change, let alone delete, some registry keys even from under the administrator's account, and working with it manually requires too much time and effort. To save a couple of extra hours for something more fun, you can use some free program to clean your registry. For example, LittleRegistryCleaner.
The program is pretty easy to use. The left side of the LittleRegistryCleaner window shows the registry keys and the categories of data they contain. The "Scan registry" button starts a search for errors and unnecessary keys that can be removed using the "Troubleshoot" button.
By the way, using the "Tools" menu, you can launch the convenient "Startup Manager" tool, which allows you to clean everything unnecessary from autorun - the necessary changes will be made to the registry automatically.
Another program for removing registry traces is called USB Oblivion. It is even easier to use it than to pick in the ear with a screwdriver: launch the utility, check the box "Perform real cleaning" and click on the "Clean" button.
After that, the program will restart under the administrator, stop Windows services that interfere with it and delete from the registry all data that may even carry a hint of confidentiality. After completing this tedious process, the utility will reboot the system, do not be alarmed.
Removing the DNS cache
DNS is not only a chain of stores selling computer junk, but also a system for addressing domain names on your Internet.All calls to DNS servers are cached, and the system stores them as carefully as the grandmother - the sliders of her beloved grandchildren. To clear the DNS cache, run a console command ipconfig /flushdns.
Conclusion
Of course, to remove traces on a computer, all of the above actions can be performed using all sorts of specialized programs like some kind of Wise care 365. But personally, I don't trust them: firstly, free utilities often drag along a bunch of adware, secondly, they delete information very selectively, periodically missing something, and thirdly, after criminal stories with CCleaner, use such tools sometimes dearer to yourself.
It is much safer to do everything manually or use partial automation using scripts, examples of which I gave above. You can collect one universal script from them yourself at your leisure.
