10/8/14 2:20 PM

I know a few of you are Microsoft gurus...

Got a new laptop for Mom but she hates the keyboard after a few days. So it's going back...

I've nuked all the internet cookies and temp files. No user file has been created yet. But I vaguely recall temporary files are also created when working with non-internet files, like files read from a memory stick. I would like to delete those too... if I know where they are.

Not that there's any personally sensitive information. I just want to get rid of any temporary files in any kind of cache area without going through a huge amount of hassle. (no, I can't just re-format the disk, this is a return, I don't want to touch the OS. Just getting rid of any "data"...)

10/8/14 2:55 PM

There is a set of folders created for each windows account/profile... it should resemble something like:
C:\Users\<account name>

The subfolder names should be instructive as to what they contain. It is safe to delete the folders and their contents.

10/8/14 6:14 PM

right click on "my computer"
select "properties"
select "advanced" tab
click on "environment variables" button

temp files are the stored in the paths associated with TMP and TEMP environment variables, for both the userid and system -- there will be 4 unique paths.

not sure where IE keeps all it's various cache files. :-/ a quick google-fu will reveal that, probably somewhere in the user account path c:\users\*userid*\buried-somewhere-in-here

10/8/14 9:03 PM

Download a copy of the free version of ccleaner and use it to remove all temp files.

https://www.piriform.com/CCLEANER

10/8/14 9:53 PM

This option will clean the computer and reset it to as shipped condition.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-ways-factory-reset-windows-computer/

10/8/14 10:17 PM

But does the "reset" get rid of the user data files?

I'm less concerned with removing virus or updates, mostly only interested in removing as much of the user specific data left in temporary caches

10/9/14 5:58 AM

If you scroll down a ways in the link that Tom provided, it says this:

“Resetting,” which Windows called “Remove everything and reinstall Windows,” means that you lose everything, including your Metro apps, personal data, and other applications and return to a fresh copy of Windows. In other words, there’s no need to completely reinstall Windows 8 if there are any issues.

“Resetting” your computer is also a great way to prepare it for sale to another person, so that Windows remains installed, but all of your personal files and programs are erased.

Sounds like it should do what you want.