How much can one delete from a Roaming file?

In summary, the conversation is about a person wanting to delete files in their Roaming directory but is hesitant because of warnings about potentially damaging the application. They ask for advice and are advised to rename the files instead of deleting them to be safe. The directory is also confirmed to store settings specific to the user's account and mainly contains update files, which can be safely deleted or renamed.
  • #1
nomadreid
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My Malwarebytes keeps giving me a message that it has blocked a potentially damaging .exe file, and told me where to find it. I would like to delete a lot of this file, but a lot of articles say "Be very careful about deleting anything from the Roaming file." Scary. How much can I delete from this file without mucking up the application? For example, can I delete the temporary files and the history? But the only "exe" files I see are updates; can I delete the exe files without removing the actual updates?
 
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  • #2
If you're not sure, then just rename the file. Then, if the program stops working, you can restore it without a problem. I often rename updater programs that come with software so that they won't check to see if my program needs to be updated (in their opinion).

BTW, I assume that you're referring to the Roaming directory in the %USERPROFILE%/AppData directory?
 
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  • #3
Thanks, Borg. Sorry for the delay in answering. I am referring to the files that I receive when, in Windows 7, I put %appdata% in the "Search Programs" box in the Start menu.
 
  • #4
The files in that directory are for storing settings that are specific to your account. For example, Firefox stores all of your bookmarks in a subdirectory of that directory. There shouldn't be too many exe files in there. If you're sure that the files are update files, they are probably safe to delete. But, again, I would just rename them to change .exe to something like .old just in case.
 
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  • #5
Thanks, Borg. I have started to experiment, and so far my computer has not exploded.
 

Related to How much can one delete from a Roaming file?

1. How do I know how much I can delete from a Roaming file?

This will depend on the specific file and its contents. It is important to carefully review the file and consider the potential consequences before deleting anything.

2. Will deleting too much from a Roaming file cause any issues?

Yes, it is possible that deleting important data from a Roaming file can cause issues with the functionality of the program or system that uses it. It is important to only delete what is absolutely necessary and to make backups of the file beforehand.

3. Can I delete a Roaming file entirely?

In most cases, it is not recommended to delete a Roaming file entirely as it may contain important settings or data for a specific program or system. It is best to only delete specific portions of the file that are no longer needed.

4. Is it safe to delete a Roaming file from my computer?

Again, this will depend on the specific file and its contents. If you are unsure, it is best to err on the side of caution and not delete the file. If you do decide to delete it, make sure to backup any important data beforehand.

5. Can I recover a deleted Roaming file?

In some cases, it may be possible to recover a deleted Roaming file using data recovery software. However, this is not always guaranteed and it is best to avoid deleting important files in the first place.

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