Empty Tmp Folders?

[CheeseQueen452]

Is it safe to empty both tmp folders? There's a few hundred MB of files that I'd like to get rid of if possible. My hard drive is smaller than what most people have these days, so I like to do a little "house cleaning" now & then....

[menotu]

Have you tried Bleachbit? That's pretty good at cleaning out extraneous gumph

[Bald Brick]

Is it safe to empty both tmp folders? There's a few hundred MB of files that I'd like to get rid of if possible. My hard drive is smaller than what most people have these days, so I like to do a little "house cleaning" now & then....

It usually is, at least if you reboot immediately afterwards. But typically you'll have a lot more than two tmp folders.

~/tmp, /root/tmp and /var/tmp may or may not be symlinks to /tmp, and if they are, they'd be emptied automatically when you empty /tmp. The same goes for temporary directories that are links to subdirectories under /tmp.

But some programs (e.g. e-mail clients) create tmp folders galore. Is it safe to empty them? The program that created them will usually empty them when they aren't needed anymore, so be careful.

If you have lots of RAM, consider moving /tmp to RAM, and it will be empty every time you reboot.

[Was_Just19]

Blackbird,
                    is there a recommended method of emptying /tmp (when used on a HDD not RAM) at each shut-down?
  This, it seems, would have similar effect to using RAM /tmp and be suitable for those with insufficient memory to do so.

Maybe something linked to the "Shutdown" command, rather than "Reboot" or other?

Thanks.

[Bald Brick]

I don't think there is a recommended way. A couple of years ago I used a script that I found on the net, but it seems that I haven't saved it.

Just adding the lines

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rm -rf /tmp/*
rm -rf /tmp/.*to ~/bash_logout will remove everything in /tmp that is owned by your normal user at logout or shutdown, but unfortunately I don't think that it will touch anything owned by root.

I'll try some googling.

Edit. I found this: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-general-1/script-to-empty-tmp-folder-415361/.

I suppose one could simply edit /etc/rc.d/init.d/halt to empty /tmp at shutdown, but I'd hesitate editing files in init.d, not because it's dangerous but because I tend to forget what I've done....

[parnote]

I suppose one could simply edit /etc/rc.d/init.d/halt to empty /tmp at shutdown, but I'd hesitate editing files in init.d, not because it's dangerous but because I tend to forget what I've done....

Isn't that what comment lines are for? 

parnote

[Bald Brick]

I suppose one could simply edit /etc/rc.d/init.d/halt to empty /tmp at shutdown, but I'd hesitate editing files in init.d, not because it's dangerous but because I tend to forget what I've done....

Isn't that what comment lines are for? 

parnote

Comment lines? What kind of a sissy do you take me for?

Actually what is hard to remember isn't what a few added lines in a script does, but which script you added them to, particularly when an update has overwritten some system files including the edited script.

[parnote]

I suppose one could simply edit /etc/rc.d/init.d/halt to empty /tmp at shutdown, but I'd hesitate editing files in init.d, not because it's dangerous but because I tend to forget what I've done....

Isn't that what comment lines are for? 

parnote

Comment lines? What kind of a sissy do you take me for?

Actually what is hard to remember isn't what a few added lines in a script does, but which script you added them to, particularly when an update has overwritten some system files including the edited script.

Keep a written log book of what you do, where you do it, and when you did it? You could even keep such a file on your computer, but the drawback is if your computer goes down. I guess you could place it in your Dropbox folder, so that every time you update it, you have an automatic backup.

blackbird, we can go on about this stuff all day. And I'm not saying I do any of this ... I'm just playing the Devil's advocate. 

parnote

[Bald Brick]

 

[CheeseQueen452]

So, what's the best way to do this? I used bleachbit, but it didn't get rid of everything since some of the options gave me a warning that it could cause a problem. I see few suggestions here, but I want to make sure I use the safest/easiest method.

[Was_Just19]

So, what's the best way to do this? I used bleachbit, but it didn't get rid of everything since some of the options gave me a warning that it could cause a problem. I see few suggestions here, but I want to make sure I use the safest/easiest method.

Well I am not the one to advise .....  I take 'tmp' rather literally, and believe that any app that uses it to store anything in the long term (between boots) is misbehaving.
So I have no hesitation - for me - in deleting everything under /tmp at each reboot.

I do not agree with deleting anything there between logins .......

We'll see what others have to say about it ....

[CJ]

If I am not mistaken... yup, in PCC, under Boot -> Set up boot system, then click on Advanced and you have a check mark for Clean /tmp at each boot.

Cheers!
CJ

[Bald Brick]

If I am not mistaken... yup, in PCC, under Boot -> Set up boot system, then click on Advanced and you have a check mark for Clean /tmp at each boot.

Cheers!
CJ

You have, but ticking that check box adds the line

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none /tmp tmpfs defaults 0 0to /etc/fstab. In other words, it moves /tmp to RAM, which will indeed guarantee that /tmp is empty when you reboot.

JohnBoy, however, asked about

emptying /tmp (when used on a HDD not RAM)

[CJ]

If I am not mistaken... yup, in PCC, under Boot -> Set up boot system, then click on Advanced and you have a check mark for Clean /tmp at each boot.

Cheers!
CJ

You have, but ticking that check box adds the line

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none /tmp tmpfs defaults 0 0to /etc/fstab. In other words, it moves /tmp to RAM, which will indeed guarantee that /tmp is empty when you reboot.

JohnBoy, however, asked about

emptying /tmp (when used on a HDD not RAM)

I then postulate that the description of the check box is somewhat misleading. Nevertheless, good (for me) to know, as I have 8gb RAM, and since your clarification, this might be a good option for me.

Cheers!
CJ

[Bald Brick]

I then postulate that the description of the check box is somewhat misleading.

It certainly is. Those with very little RAM should be told what ticking it really does.

Nevertheless, good (for me) to know, as I have 8gb RAM, and since your clarification, this might be a good option for me.

I also have 8GB and I have had the check box ticked for a year and a half with no negative effects. And RAM is faster than a hard drive.