Temp Files

Temp files, also referred as temporary files or foo files are those files with .tmp extension and are most commonly created by the applications running on Windows OS. These files are created to hold the data or information temporarily while the file is being created by the program. Once the program has been closed, these temporary files will be deleted automatically. They are typically used to help recover lost data when the program or computer is abnormally terminated.

Even though these files are created by variety or programs all of them will share the same file extension (.tmp). Due to this it is difficult to recognize which program created a specific temp file.

When Temp files are created?

Temp files can be created in a variety of circumstances; however few of the primary instances are as follows:

• When a computer application is unable to allocate adequate memory to complete the tasks that is to be performed
• In cases where the program is working on data larger than the address space of the architecture
• During the auto-save process and for software lock files, cache files and backup files

Advantages of Temp Files

Programs create temp files primarily for backup purposes. Most applications, such as Microsoft Office applications like Word, Excel, Spreadsheet etc., will save a temporary version of a file for every few minutes when the original file is open. This will help in restoring the files in case where the file is not saved and the program unexpectedly crashes or the computer is shut down abruptly.

Web browsers, such as Internet Explorer create "Temporary Internet Files" to store user data, including cookies, images from visited Web pages, and the user's browsing history. So that it is easier to load the pages when visited again.

Disadvantages of Temp files

These temp files are generally deleted automatically when the program is closed normally. But if the program quits unexpectedly, the temp files will not be deleted. In some instances, some temp files will be left behind even when a program is quit correctly. This might be due to programmer errors. These files can accumulate on your hard drive and occupy unnecessary hard disk space. This could reduce your system performance and slow down your PC. Hence, it is recommended to check and delete of these Temp files regularly.

While deleting these temp files, you might mistakenly delete your important files. In case you are worried about how to recover deleted files on PC then use Remo Recover software which is a perfect solution for data recovery from PC.