Does anyone know of... - Treo Forum

arcangel59 · 04-09-2008, 07:43 PM

a program that would be adept at removing orphan files? I got to wondering about this as I was (thankfully) advised to start using NVBackup when I had some trouble with conflicting programs hijacking my LED light (see the thread under "LED help needed"). So, does anyone know of any worth recommending? I install and remove my fair share (or more) of apps onto my treo, so I imagine it's something I probably should've looked into long ago....

Treo Musketeers · 04-09-2008, 08:17 PM

There are basically two ways of handling this issue. One is through applications like TealScan or Cleanup. They both will find orphan files...however, they also find a lot of "false positives" or files that they identify as being orphan but whose app might be on the card, or associated with an app that truly is on the device. So you really need to know what you're doing and which app many of these subfiles are connected to, to know whether to delete them or not. The second, and probably the better way, is simply to back up your device to your card. Then do a hard reset, and then selectively restore the apps you want back on your device, as well as which preferences, etc. You will be able to tell that a lot of orphan files are now gone, because you'll see that you suddenly have much more memory space on your device.

arcangel59 · 04-09-2008, 09:11 PM

OK, assuming I go opt for the latter in my case, how do I know which is a "preference" that I'm using/depending upon, and what would be the orphan files? I would've done this on the last hard reset, but was leery of leaving out something important....

Treo Musketeers · 04-09-2008, 10:12 PM

The beauty of having NVBackup or another backup app, is that you can always go back and do another selective restore if you realize that you're missing something. Orphan files are most likely going to appear in an Unknown apps folder or something like that. I use Resco Backup Pro, and I don't remember what NVBackups look like, but generally they have all the apps, and then folders for other things they're unsure of (pics, videos, preferences, etc.). If nothing ese, trial and error is always a good teacher. Don't be afraid of hurting your device. Worse comes to worse, you just do another hard reset and start over (a little wiser).

arcangel59 · 04-10-2008, 07:27 PM

On that "trial and error note", would you recommend that I start my selective backup by simply de-selecting the ones that I'm suspicious of being an orphan file, or only include the ones I'm sure are legit and hope for the best, or is there another approach that I'm not thinking of?

Treo Musketeers · 04-10-2008, 08:40 PM

With a selective restore, you're not actually deleting anything. You're just restoring the apps you want on your device. All the orphan files won't be restored that way. Does that make sense?

bakemcbride21 · 04-17-2008, 07:18 AM

Also, go with the free destaller lite, it truly removes programs (and associated databases and should eliminate any future issues

Treo Musketeers · 04-17-2008, 01:04 PM

I would recommend against Destaller or Uninstaller programs. They offer limited additional functionality over the stock delete function in the basic launcher, (actually the only thing that Destaller Lite does that the stock delete function won't is force delete), and sometimes can cause more problems then they solve by causing resets, etc. though force deletes. It is more important to make sure you disable any apps that need disabling. And then you can just delete the app. I would recommend a program like Cleanup or TealScan to look for Orphan files to delete as none of the uninstall programs completely deletes all apps. However, these programs also give you a lot of false positives, such as database files for apps you may have on your SD card, etc. So you have to be careful.

arcangel59 · 04-17-2008, 08:13 PM

Thanks for the info on Destaller.

OK, so I finally got around to attempting a selective restore (been busy). I must've done something wrong, as no matter what I left unchecked from the selective restore list, I got the same restore of everything. Am I missing something?

Treo Musketeers · 04-17-2008, 08:21 PM

Something doesn't sound right. Are you using NVBackup?

04-09-2008, 07:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
arcangel59 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 My Treo: Treo 700p My Carrier: Verizon My OS: XP Posts: 21 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Does anyone know of... a program that would be adept at removing orphan files? I got to wondering about this as I was (thankfully) advised to start using NVBackup when I had some trouble with conflicting programs hijacking my LED light (see the thread under "LED help needed"). So, does anyone know of any worth recommending? I install and remove my fair share (or more) of apps onto my treo, so I imagine it's something I probably should've looked into long ago....

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04-09-2008, 08:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
Treo Musketeers Moderator At Your Service Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH My Treo: Treo 755p My Carrier: Sprint My OS: Vista Posts: 1,300 Thanks: 236 Thanked 494 Times in 330 Posts	There are basically two ways of handling this issue. One is through applications like TealScan or Cleanup. They both will find orphan files...however, they also find a lot of "false positives" or files that they identify as being orphan but whose app might be on the card, or associated with an app that truly is on the device. So you really need to know what you're doing and which app many of these subfiles are connected to, to know whether to delete them or not. The second, and probably the better way, is simply to back up your device to your card. Then do a hard reset, and then selectively restore the apps you want back on your device, as well as which preferences, etc. You will be able to tell that a lot of orphan files are now gone, because you'll see that you suddenly have much more memory space on your device.

04-09-2008, 09:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
arcangel59 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 My Treo: Treo 700p My Carrier: Verizon My OS: XP Posts: 21 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	OK, assuming I go opt for the latter in my case, how do I know which is a "preference" that I'm using/depending upon, and what would be the orphan files? I would've done this on the last hard reset, but was leery of leaving out something important....

04-09-2008, 10:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
Treo Musketeers Moderator At Your Service Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH My Treo: Treo 755p My Carrier: Sprint My OS: Vista Posts: 1,300 Thanks: 236 Thanked 494 Times in 330 Posts	The beauty of having NVBackup or another backup app, is that you can always go back and do another selective restore if you realize that you're missing something. Orphan files are most likely going to appear in an Unknown apps folder or something like that. I use Resco Backup Pro, and I don't remember what NVBackups look like, but generally they have all the apps, and then folders for other things they're unsure of (pics, videos, preferences, etc.). If nothing ese, trial and error is always a good teacher. Don't be afraid of hurting your device. Worse comes to worse, you just do another hard reset and start over (a little wiser).

04-10-2008, 07:27 PM	#5 (permalink)
arcangel59 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 My Treo: Treo 700p My Carrier: Verizon My OS: XP Posts: 21 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	On that "trial and error note", would you recommend that I start my selective backup by simply de-selecting the ones that I'm suspicious of being an orphan file, or only include the ones I'm sure are legit and hope for the best, or is there another approach that I'm not thinking of?

04-10-2008, 08:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
Treo Musketeers Moderator At Your Service Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH My Treo: Treo 755p My Carrier: Sprint My OS: Vista Posts: 1,300 Thanks: 236 Thanked 494 Times in 330 Posts	With a selective restore, you're not actually deleting anything. You're just restoring the apps you want on your device. All the orphan files won't be restored that way. Does that make sense?

04-17-2008, 07:18 AM	#7 (permalink)
bakemcbride21 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 36 Thanks: 1 Thanked 18 Times in 9 Posts	Also, go with the free destaller lite, it truly removes programs (and associated databases and should eliminate any future issues

04-17-2008, 01:04 PM	#8 (permalink)
Treo Musketeers Moderator At Your Service Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH My Treo: Treo 755p My Carrier: Sprint My OS: Vista Posts: 1,300 Thanks: 236 Thanked 494 Times in 330 Posts	I would recommend against Destaller or Uninstaller programs. They offer limited additional functionality over the stock delete function in the basic launcher, (actually the only thing that Destaller Lite does that the stock delete function won't is force delete), and sometimes can cause more problems then they solve by causing resets, etc. though force deletes. It is more important to make sure you disable any apps that need disabling. And then you can just delete the app. I would recommend a program like Cleanup or TealScan to look for Orphan files to delete as none of the uninstall programs completely deletes all apps. However, these programs also give you a lot of false positives, such as database files for apps you may have on your SD card, etc. So you have to be careful.

04-17-2008, 08:13 PM	#9 (permalink)
arcangel59 Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 My Treo: Treo 700p My Carrier: Verizon My OS: XP Posts: 21 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for the info on Destaller. OK, so I finally got around to attempting a selective restore (been busy). I must've done something wrong, as no matter what I left unchecked from the selective restore list, I got the same restore of everything. Am I missing something?

04-17-2008, 08:21 PM	#10 (permalink)
Treo Musketeers Moderator At Your Service Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH My Treo: Treo 755p My Carrier: Sprint My OS: Vista Posts: 1,300 Thanks: 236 Thanked 494 Times in 330 Posts	Something doesn't sound right. Are you using NVBackup?

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