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Troubleshooting

Each section names a symptom, its usual cause and the steps that solve it. For short answers to general questions, see the FAQ.

Less space is freed than the analysis showed​

Cause: The analysis estimates the space at the time of the scan. Files can change afterwards, remain in use or be protected; the final result counts only files actually removed.

Solution:

  1. Close the applications that use the affected files, for example browsers for the Internet cache.
  2. Choose Analyze again to see what remains.
  3. Select the categories and choose Clean up again. See Clean up and review results.

Files could not be removed​

Cause: The files are open, access is denied, or they are protected by Windows. Explorer can hold thumbnail and icon caches open.

Solution:

  1. SystemCleaner can offer to close Explorer, retry the files and restart Explorer afterwards. Accept only when Explorer windows and the desktop may be interrupted.
  2. Otherwise close the application that uses the files and run another analysis and cleanup.
  3. For locations with a Windows shield, restart as administrator; see Administrator rights.

A category or location shows no size​

Cause: The location can only be measured with administrator rights. A missing measurement is not an empty category.

Solution:

  1. Select the location; SystemCleaner offers to restart as administrator.
  2. Approve the Windows prompt.
  3. Run the analysis again in the elevated session; the previous analysis is discarded on restart.

The analysis is gone after the restart as administrator​

Cause: The restart as administrator starts a new session; the existing scan is discarded.

Solution:

  1. Choose Analyze again in the elevated session.
  2. Review the drive cards and select what to clean.

Windows.old remains after cleanup​

Cause: Some files of the previous Windows installation are protected by Windows beyond ordinary administrator access. SystemCleaner reports those files as not removable.

Solution:

  1. Check the summary in Done: the files that could not be removed are counted separately.
  2. A partial cleanup is not evidence that the protected files were deleted. Use Windows' own tools if the remaining data must go.

Caches are back after cleanup​

Cause: Windows and applications recreate caches during normal use. Their reappearance does not mean the previous cleanup failed.

Solution:

  1. Run a new analysis when disk space is needed again.
  2. Leave caches that are rebuilt immediately, such as the thumbnail cache, out of routine cleanups if the rebuild slows the computer.

The Recycle Bin or a category is not selected​

Cause: The Recycle Bin, the search index, the previous Windows installation and the ESD installation data are not preselected because their contents may still be needed.

Solution:

  1. Read the explanation under the category.
  2. Restore files you need from the Recycle Bin first.
  3. Select the category; the Recycle Bin asks for confirmation. See Cleanup categories.