Cache memory is a fairly old tool. It was made part of the operating system in the very first versions of Windows. Cache memory is a system storage that makes it possible to store information necessary for RAM for some time. This tool allows the computer to access certain files very quickly, with minimal waste of time. Typically, you can find files in the cache memory that contain the results of many system programs. It contains information about the processes currently taking place, as well as the operation of various components of the system.
Today, there are several types of cache memory, and each of them should be cleaned from time to time to speed up the computer. There are both manual types of cleaning and automatic (via programs).
Instructions
Step 1
1) DNS.
DNS is a domain name service. This system forms correspondences between the textual name of the IP address and its numeric analogue. When a user performs an action, the information is recorded on the HDD, and this gives the computer the opportunity to save both time and memory in the future - after all, fewer resources are required for repeated access. The load on the DNS server is also significantly reduced. However, a lot of information can slow things down, so DNS memory should be flushed out from time to time. Plus, this allows you to free up a lot of space on the hard drive.
So, the DNS flush procedure is pretty simple and is done manually as follows:
1. First you need to click "Start". Then - "Execute". In the line that appears on the desktop, type: ipconfig / flushdns
2. Then Enter is pressed. And the DNS memory is flushed, no big deal.
Step 2
2) Thumbnails.
This file contains thumbnails of images. This is necessary to increase the speed of loading images. Thumbnails file creation mechanism is very simple. As soon as the user enters the folder with pictures for the first time, this file is formed in it (it is created hidden). It contains thumbnails of all the images that are in this folder. Such a file allows the system to spend much less time and resources on opening a particular illustration in the future. All pictures are simply loaded from the generated small database.
You can delete files manually: Select Thumbs.db (in the mode of hidden folders and files shown) -> press Delete -> confirm. However, upon further visit to the folder, the file will be recreated. To prevent this from happening, you should simply disable the Thumbs.db generation option itself. This is done like this:
1. Press "Start". Then, in the search bar that appears, enter gpedit.msc. And press Enter.
2. As soon as a new window opens, you should get to Windows Explorer. This is done like this: you need to click User Configuration -> then Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Explorer.
3. In the next window that appears, find the item "Disable thumbnail caching in hidden files thumbs.db". You need to right-click on it. And in the new menu, click on "Change".
4. Then a window will appear again, where you must select the "Enable" option. Click Ok.
Step 3
3) Temporary system files.
These elements (often quickly becoming unnecessary) take up the most space on your hard drive. They contain all the saved data from the Internet: changes in files, updates, reports of various errors, etc. They occur during the work and search on the Internet.
To remove temporary system files in Windows there is a special tool: "Disk Cleanup". Despite the dreadful name, it is harmless for all files and folders, except for temporary system ones. This cleanup removes all cached items, freeing up a lot of disk space and speeding up your computer.
The algorithm for cleaning temporary files is very simple:
1. First you need to go along the following path: Start -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Cleanup. When you are prompted to select a partition to clean up, you should check "Drive C". Then click OK.
You can also go to the required section through "My Computer". In an open folder window, right-click on the partition you want to clean up (usually Drive C), then select Properties. An area with the "Disk Cleanup" button will appear in a new window, on which you need to click.
2. Then you need to wait while Windows collects all information about temporary system files and displays it on the screen. When a complete list of items that can be deleted appears, you should mark the necessary ones. Then you need to click OK.
Step 4
4) Special programs for clearing the computer's cache memory.
In addition to manual ways to get rid of unnecessary files on your computer, there are also automated ones. One of the most user-friendly and multifunctional programs is CCleaner. It allows you not only to quickly and easily clear the temporary memory of your computer, but also makes it possible to uninstall programs without consequences, find system errors and fix them, etc.
CCleaner can be downloaded from the official website without any problems. During the installation process, the program allows you to select the interface language. As a rule, English is set by default, but Russian is on the list, which is very convenient.
Once the program is installed, you can start clearing the cache:
1. Start CCleaner first.
2. Then, in the "Cleaner" tab, click on the "Analysis" button located at the very bottom of the window. The program will start analyzing all files, highlighting unnecessary ones.
3. Once the process is complete, the user will see a list of files that can be deleted. Next to each file type, there will be an amount of memory that it occupies on the computer and which can be cleared.
4. Then you can click "Clear" and the program will delete all unnecessary cache files.
