Hi Edel, First of all, well done at trying out the cleaning of your hard disk, bet you were a little nervous,*smiles* but hey, God loves a tryer, right!. Below I have taken some information off the web as to what cookies and cache files are about. (Cookies) Basically cookies are just small text files which go into a special folder on your hard drive which is called "cookies folder". These files help identify you to a particular web site the next time you return to it such as a shopping site or a site where you may have filled out some sort of form etc. read on for more details. . (Internet Browser) - Holds information on the times and dates you have visited web sites. Other information can also be saved to your hard disk in these text files, including information about online purchases, validation information about you for members-only web sites, and more. www.ontrack.com/glossary/ . are small files that can be created and written to by a programming/scripting language. The most common are JavaScript cookies that are read/written to a user's hard drive by a JavaScript program that runs in the web browser when a user visits a web site. These are an example of client-side cookies but server-side cookies may be created by languages such as PHP. ... www.smallbizonline.co.uk/glossary_of_internet_terms.php (Cache files) Cache files are files that come down from the internet each time you go on-line and work with web pages. It is like residue that goes into a special folder on your computer so that if for some reason you want to load up one of those web pages again, the computer will look in its cache folder and instead of wasteing time going on-line it will simply load up what it has stored in its cache folder for you in order to bring up the file quicker. Problem is that as we now visit the internet so much and download such a large amount of material from the internet all this can build up a pile of useless files on our machines hence the need to clear them out. Read on for more. . Cache files are an area on the hard disc of a computer where web pages and page elements (graphics etc) are stored when a page is downloaded from the Internet. If a page is revisited and the page, or elements of the page, are still held in cache then the computer will use the cache version to save time rather than download afresh. It also allows previously visited pages to be viewed offline. www.smallbizonline.co.uk/glossary_of_internet_terms.php -----Original Message----- From: vip_students-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:vip_students-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Edel Carey Sent: 14 May 2007 21:27 To: vip_students@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [vip_students] cookies and cache files? Hi all Just did the cleanup and I'm curious to know what cache files and cookies are. Edel ----- Original Message ----- From: "NCBI Technical Support" <paul.traynor@xxxxxxx> To: <vip_students@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 9:47 AM Subject: [vip_students] Using the disk cleanup tool in windows. > > This short tutorial applies to anyone using windows XP or windows 2000. > > We are always inclined to let our computers pile up with junk and think > that all we have to do is just turn it on and off each day expecting it to > run like a well oiled machine. Truth is that you computer each day > accumulates a lot of junk files and can even accumulate damaged sectors > as > a result of such junk files. Every time you go onto the internet, create a > new file, use your music and of course download those essential files, > depending on what you consider essential your PC is building up all the > remnants of such files unknown to the vast majority of us. As part of your > "keep my computer tidy effort", we are going to look at how we can clean > off > such files. > > [Running the Cleanup utility] > > Step 1. Launch Disk Cleanup via "Start menu. > > Step 2. Arrow down to Programs menu. > > Step 3. Arrow down to Accessories > > Step 4. Arrow down to System Tools and right arrow in here. > > Step 5. Arrow down to "disk cleanup" and press the enter key. > Note: A dialogue window will appear enabling you to select the drive you > want to clean up. > In this case it will always be "Local drive C:" as this is where our > windows > operating system resides and so does all other files related to anything > we > do within the environment of windows for our day to day work. > > Step 6. Arrow up or down in the list box to Select the required drive and > then tab to the OK. Button and press the spacebar > > Note: The process begins of windows examining The specified drive, and the > amount of space you can potentially free up calculated. > This scanning can take a few minutes or seconds depending on your system > and how fast it is so give it time and the results will come up where > then > jaws will announce what is on the screen. > > Part 2. > (Select Files) > > Step 1. Tab to the list of file categories. Each of these items in the > list > presented to you is preceded by a checkbox which can be checked or > unchecked > using the spacebar. > Note: As you arrow through this list you will be told where the files are > coming from that are presented to you in the list, for example; > > * Temporary files. > * Temporary Internet files. > * Cache files. > * backup files. > > Note: The above list is just an example and your list may differ slightly. > > Step 2.Check the boxes associated with the items you want to delete and > click OK. > Note: I have personally checked all the boxes in this list, some of them > are > checked already and if you wish to exercise caution then just leave what > is > checked by default and continue to next step. > Step 3. Tab to the ok button and hit the spacebar, you may or may not be > asked if you are sure you wish to delete the items that have been marked > for deletion, just answer "yes or ok" to this prompt by using the tab key > and spacebar. > > When the job is finished, tab to the "ok or close button" and press the > spacebar to finish off. > > Well done, you have performed a disk cleanup. > > > > > ******************************************************************** > > NOTICE: The information contained in this email and any attachments > is confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended > recipient you should not use, disclose, distribute or copy any of > the content of it or of any attachment; you are requested to notify > the sender immediately of your receipt of the email and then to > delete it and any attachments from your system. > > NCBI endeavours to ensure that emails and any attachments generated > by its staff are free from viruses or other contaminants. However, > it cannot accept any responsibility for any such which are > transmitted. We therefore recommend you scan all attachments. > > Please note that the statements and views expressed in this email > and any attachments are those of the author and do not necessarily > represent the views of NCBI > > > ******************************************************************** > > > > > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.7.0/803 - Release Date: 13/05/2007 > 12:17 > > ******************************************************************** NOTICE: The information contained in this email and any attachments is confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient you should not use, disclose, distribute or copy any of the content of it or of any attachment; you are requested to notify the sender immediately of your receipt of the email and then to delete it and any attachments from your system. NCBI endeavours to ensure that emails and any attachments generated by its staff are free from viruses or other contaminants. However, it cannot accept any responsibility for any such which are transmitted. We therefore recommend you scan all attachments. Please note that the statements and views expressed in this email and any attachments are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of NCBI ********************************************************************