Solved Windows 10 & 11 create tons of empty folders in System32

kelper · Nov 18, 2024

I wish I had not deleted them. Revo uninstaller would not start, shift+reset would not launch recovery and Defender updates would not install. In the end, I did a repair install of Windows. Currently I have 16,000 empty folders! I am running Disk Cleanup now and will report back when it finishes.

garioch7 · Nov 19, 2024

There was a discussion over at Bleeping Computer about this issue over a year ago. @JohnC_21 provided me with a batch file to delete those folders, which I have been doing weekly ever since without any adverse repercussions.

Code:

@echo off
del "C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\*.tmp" /s /q /f
FOR /d %%p IN ("C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\*.tmp") DO rmdir "%%p" /s /q

Have a great day.

Regards,
Phil

wiganken · Mar 14, 2025

@garioch7 - A quick question re your post #242: -
In your experience how long does the batch file take to run if done weekly? Are you able to see the folder deletion process happening?

The reason I ask is that I created the batch file with the code copy/pasted into it and then I ran it. A window flashed up on the screen but it disappeared within 1/4 of a second. Too quick to read if anything was executed. I put this down to my having deleted 3826 of these folders manually an hour beforehand so there would have been nothing to find and delete. It had taken 2 1/2 years for that number of folders to be created since I had last deleted them. Or, it could be that the batch file isn't executing at all.
I am wondering that if I allow them to grow again then the window should stay on the screen longer and I will be able to see the batch file in operation.

pseymour · Mar 14, 2025

@wiganken You can put a pause at the end of the batch file. It will stop at the end and wait for you to press a key, so you can see what happened.

But in terms of how long it should run, it really shouldn't take much time to delete empty folders.

wiganken · Mar 14, 2025

pseymour said:
You can put a pause at the end of the batch file.

Thank you. I did that and it worked but I see that it could not find *.tmp?
The path is correct and it is true that there are no .tmp folders or any .tmp files
Question - Is the "Could not find...." referring to .tmp files and folders?

To confirm it works I will allow some empty folders to build up again and then run it again but I was just wondering, since it may be some while until that happens. It would be nice to know now rather than wait.

The-Hive · Mar 14, 2025

wiganken said:
@garioch7 - A quick question re your post #242: -
In your experience how long does the batch file take to run if done weekly? Are you able to see the folder deletion process happening?

The reason I ask is that I created the batch file with the code copy/pasted into it and then I ran it. A window flashed up on the screen but it disappeared within 1/4 of a second. Too quick to read if anything was executed. I put this down to my having deleted 3826 of these folders manually an hour beforehand so there would have been nothing to find and delete. It had taken 2 1/2 years for that number of folders to be created since I had last deleted them. Or, it could be that the batch file isn't executing at all.
I am wondering that if I allow them to grow again then the window should stay on the screen longer and I will be able to see the batch file in operation.

@wiganken hi there,
If you go to Task scheduler, down the left had column navigate to:
Task Schedular Library >Microsoft> Windows>Management>Provisioning
In the center column you will find: Cellular, Logon, MdmDiag...., Retry and Run OnRestart Disable these and that will stop the folders reappearing, you only need to check the original folder then after major updates, Mine has been like that for ages and all works fine.
Rod BTW read post #34

pseymour · Mar 14, 2025

@wiganken Both of those commands seem to run silently. I don't get any output at all on my system when I run them, even if there are no files or folders present. I notice, though, that your command prompt window does not appear to be running as Administrator. That could be the source of the "file not found" type messages.

But the first command, the del line, is the one that deletes files. The second line deletes directories.

I was in that discussion at Bleeping Computer that garioch7 mentioned, and I found that it seemed to be coming from the provisioning tasks that The-Hive mentioned. I do the same thing @The-Hive does, and just disabled the scheduled tasks. Hasn't had an effect on me since that discussion at BC, nearly ~~two~~ three years ago.

Batchfile to delete temp empty folders - Windows 11

Page 1 of 2 - Batchfile to delete temp empty folders - posted in Windows 11: It is a known issue with Win 11 that it creates empty folders in Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local In the last 4 weeks it has created over 1200 such folders. I thought I would write an old...

www.bleepingcomputer.com

wiganken · Mar 14, 2025

pseymour said:
I notice, though, that your command prompt window does not appear to be running as Administrator

If I run the batch file as Administrator (by right-clicking on it and selecting 'Run as administrator') this is what I see: -

If I run it by double-clicking on it I see as shown in post #245.

Does that seem right?

pseymour said:
the first command, the del line, is the one that deletes files. The second line deletes directories.

Thanks for the explanation.

@The-Hive - Thank you. I will try doing that.

wiganken · Mar 14, 2025

@The-Hive - I did that. All Provisioning tasks are now disabled. Hope that works (until the next feature update resets things). :crossed

See photo: -

pseymour · Mar 14, 2025

wiganken said:
Does that seem right?

Seems right to me, yep. I have no such files or folders in my systems, and those commands run without complaint.

Ztruker · Mar 14, 2025

Everything Search found 6,622 on my Win 11 system. I can't open the folders or delete them, don't have sufficient authority.

Almighty1 · Mar 14, 2025

wiganken said:
If I run the batch file as Administrator (by right-clicking on it and selecting 'Run as administrator') this is what I see: -

View attachment 128260

If I run it by double-clicking on it I see as shown in post #245.

Does that seem right?

Thanks for the explanation.

@The-Hive - Thank you. I will try doing that.

The other way to do it is to open Terminal in Administrator mode by right clicking on the Start Menu, then after that, open a command prompt and then run the batch file from the command prompt window itself.

glasskuter · Mar 14, 2025

This issue has existed in every release of 11 since 2021. The last time I deleted all mine was when I went to 23h2 and didn't think to check when I went to 24h2. This thread reminded me of it. I had 1500 of these suckers. It's easy to take care of stopping it and deleting what you have, though, so I can't see why anyone would need a batch file.

pseymour · Mar 14, 2025

glasskuter said:
It's easy to take care of stopping it and deleting what you have, though, so I can't see why anyone would need a batch file.

Totally with you. But it’s a comfort thing. Some people are okay with deleting things after they’re aged and unnecessary. Some people are comfortable with disabling the scheduled tasks. Do what makes sense for you.

garioch7 · Mar 15, 2025

I missed following this topic. Sorry about that @wiganken . All I see when I execute that batch file is a command prompt flash very briefly on the screen, but the files are gone after.

Thank you, @Brink and @pseymour . I have disabled those scheduled tasks. I was not aware of that option.

I am very grateful for the expertise here being shared so generously with all of us.

Have a great day.

Regards,
Phil

Winuser · Mar 15, 2025

wiganken said:
@The-Hive - I did that. All Provisioning tasks are now disabled. Hope that works (until the next feature update resets things). See photo: -
View attachment 128262

I'm running Insider Canary builds and update almost weekly. I just checked and the settings are still set to Disabled.

Almighty1 · Mar 15, 2025

garioch7 said:
I missed following this topic. Sorry about that @wiganken . All I see when I execute that batch file is a command prompt flash very briefly on the screen, but the files are gone after.

Thank you, @Brink and @pseymour . I have disabled those scheduled tasks. I was not aware of that option.

I am very grateful for the expertise here being shared so generously with all of us.

Have a great day.

Regards,
Phil

Like I said in a earlier comment, if you want to see what is in the batch file's output, open the administrator command prompt first and then run the batch file from the command prompt since there is a difference when you are running the batch file from a command prompt and running it from Windows itself as the former is an opened window that will never close until you close it and the later will be a window that will disappear once the batch file finishes as it's only there to run the batch file and not for you to see what happens inside the window unless you decide to log the output to a text file.

wiganken · Mar 16, 2025

@Almighty1 - I just added Pause at the end of the batch file as advised by @pseymour in post 244 and that is a lot easier than opening a command windows and copy/pasting the code into it.
I have disabled all Provisioning tasks so, hopefully I won't need to run the batch file but it is handy to run it occasionally as a check.

Almighty1 · Mar 16, 2025

wiganken said:
@Almighty1 - I just added Pause at the end of the batch file as advised by @pseymour in post 244 and that is a lot easier than opening a command windows and copy/pasting the code into it.
I have disabled all Provisioning tasks so, hopefully I won't need to run the batch file but it is handy to run it occasionally as a check.

No one told you to copy and paste the code as don't you already have the batch file with the code in it, open the command window:
filename.bat
is all you have to type so if it was named 1.bat then you type only 1.bat and then hit enter and it will still pause like before which may or may not be needed, depending how much output there really is. Why would you need to copy and paste code as you are using the same exact batch file you were using before except instead of clicking on it, you just have to type the name of the batch file. You spent more time writing the above message. See exactly what post #252 says... Where did I even say you had to copy and paste anything? When people try to help you, it pays to actually *read* what is said rather than responding and adding you have to copy and paste the code when I had never said that anywhere and instead making it sound more complicated than reality. Besides, the batch file already contains the commands so all you need to do is run the batch file.

wiganken · Mar 16, 2025

Okay, so I don't understand what you mean so let's leave it that. I am happy with having the batch file with Pause added at the end. It only takes a double-click to execute it if I need to. I'll leave the room now.

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