What File Types Can Deep Clean Find in Easy System Utility?

Deep Clean in Easy System Utility searches a selected Windows drive for files that use particular extensions. This allows it to find temporary files, logs, crash reports, backup copies and older files that may be stored outside the usual Windows cleanup locations.

The available file types are:

• .tmp
• .temp
• .log
• .dmp
• .mdmp
• .chk
• .wer
• .bak
• .old

These extensions are commonly associated with temporary or diagnostic data, but that does not mean every matching file is safe to remove. Some may still be used by Windows, installed software, games or personal projects.

This guide explains what each Deep Clean file type is, why it may exist and what you should check before deleting it.

How Deep Clean searches for files

See also: How to Clean Your PC Automatically When Windows Starts Article

The standard Clean section checks supported Windows, browser and software locations. Deep Clean works differently because it searches the selected drive for matching file extensions.

For example, selecting .log tells Easy System Utility to look for files whose names end in .log, regardless of whether they are inside:

• A Windows folder
• A program installation folder
• A game directory
• A user profile
• An old software folder
• A temporary directory
• A personal project folder

This wider search can find files that are not covered by the standard Windows disk cleaner. It also means the results require more careful review.

Deep Clean shows the path, size, file type and status of each result so you can decide what should be selected.

Temporary files: .tmp

The .tmp extension is one of the most common temporary file types found in Windows.

TMP files can be created while:

• Installing or updating software
• Editing documents
• Extracting compressed files
• Downloading updates
• Processing images or videos
• Running games
• Using web browsers
• Completing background Windows tasks

Many .tmp files are only needed while a task is running. They may remain behind if a program closes unexpectedly or does not complete its normal cleanup.

Can .tmp files be deleted?

See also: How Automatic Cleaning Works in Easy System Utility PRO Article

Older TMP files inside recognised temporary folders can often be removed once the program that created them has closed.

However, do not select every TMP file without checking its location.

A TMP file may still contain:

• Unsaved document recovery data
• Part of an active installation
• Temporary project information
• Data currently used by a running program
• Files needed to complete an update

Close your open programs before scanning and leave any uncertain files unticked.

Temporary files: .temp

The .temp extension has a similar purpose to .tmp.

It may be used by programs that want to clearly label a file as temporary. The file could contain working data, incomplete downloads, cached information or temporary installation files.

Is .temp different from .tmp?

See also: How to Save Cleaning Selections in Easy System Utility Article

There is no single rule that every program follows. Some software uses .tmp, while other software uses .temp.

The extension alone does not tell you whether the file is currently needed.

Use the file path to identify the related program and check whether that application is still open or installed.

Log files: .log

LOG files store records of activity carried out by Windows, applications, games and background services.

They can record information such as:

• Program startups and shutdowns
• Installation progress
• Update activity
• Errors and warnings
• Network connections
• Driver activity
• Game crashes
• Service events
• Diagnostic information

Log files are often plain text, although some programs use their own format.

Can Windows log files be removed?

See also: How to Include a Custom Folder in Easy System Utility Cleaning Article

Some older logs can be removed when they are no longer needed. However, recent logs can be valuable when diagnosing a problem.

Before removing a .log file, check:

• Which program created it
• Whether the program is having a problem
• Whether technical support has asked for the log
• How recently the file was updated
• How much disk space it is actually using

Many log files are very small. Removing hundreds of tiny logs may recover less disk space than deleting one clearly unnecessary large file.

Large logs from an old or removed program may be more worthwhile reviewing.

Crash dump files: .dmp

DMP files are created when Windows or a program saves information about a crash.

A dump file can contain details about:

• What the program was doing
• Which modules were loaded
• The state of memory
• The error that caused the crash
• The part of the program that stopped responding

Windows and software developers can use this information to investigate crashes.

Can .dmp files be deleted?

You can often remove older dump files when:

• The related crash has already been resolved
• You no longer need to investigate it
• The program is working normally again
• You have already sent the file to support
• The dump belongs to software you no longer use

Keep the file if you are still troubleshooting a crash or have been asked to provide it to a software developer.

Dump files can sometimes be large, so they are worth checking when trying to free disk space.

Mini dump files: .mdmp

MDMP files are smaller crash dump files.

They normally contain less diagnostic information than a full .dmp file, but they can still help identify why an application crashed.

Mini dumps are often created because they require less storage and are easier to send to support.

Should .mdmp files be kept?

Keep recent MDMP files while investigating a recurring crash.

Older mini dumps can normally be removed once:

• The problem has stopped
• The application has been updated
• The file is no longer needed by support
• You have decided not to investigate the crash further

Check the folder name to identify which program created the dump.

Recovered file fragments: .chk

CHK files may be created when Windows checks a drive and finds file fragments or damaged file system information.

This can happen after:

• An unexpected shutdown
• A power cut
• A storage device being disconnected incorrectly
• File system corruption
• A drive repair
• Running a disk checking tool

Windows may place recovered fragments inside folders such as FOUND.000.

Are .chk files safe to delete?

CHK files can be difficult to identify because their original names may have been lost.

Some may contain fragments of documents, images or other files that Windows attempted to recover.

Before deleting them, consider whether:

• A drive recently developed a problem
• Important files went missing
• Windows recently ran a disk repair
• You may want to attempt file recovery

If everything is working and you do not need the recovered fragments, old CHK files may no longer be useful.

When important data was lost, do not remove them until you have finished investigating or recovering the drive.

Windows Error Reporting files: .wer

WER files are created by Windows Error Reporting.

They can contain information about crashes and errors, including:

• Application name
• Program version
• Windows version
• Faulting module
• Error codes
• Crash details
• Report status

Windows may use this information to report a problem or help identify a known issue.

Can .wer files be removed?

Older WER files can usually be removed once the related problem is no longer being investigated.

Keep recent reports if:

• A program keeps crashing
• You are collecting information for support
• You want to compare repeated errors
• A Windows problem is still ongoing

The standard Easy System Utility cleaner also includes supported Windows Error Report locations. Deep Clean can find additional .wer files stored elsewhere on the selected drive.

Backup files: .bak

BAK files are backup copies created by Windows, software or the user.

A program may create a .bak file before:

• Replacing an existing file
• Installing an update
• Saving a new version
• Changing configuration data
• Repairing a database
• Editing a project
• Modifying program settings

The backup provides a way to return to the previous version if something goes wrong.

Are .bak files junk files?

Not automatically.

A BAK file could be:

• An old backup that is no longer required
• The only backup of an important document
• A copy of a program configuration
• A database backup
• A website backup
• A project recovery file
• A file created before an update

Check the folder and filename carefully before deleting it.

A backup stored inside an active project, business folder or application data directory may still be important.

Old BAK files belonging to software that was removed long ago may be suitable for deletion, but only after confirming what they contain.

Old files: .old

OLD files are commonly created when a program or Windows keeps a previous version of a file.

For example, software may rename:

settings.ini

to:

settings.old

before creating a new replacement.

This allows the older version to be restored if the new file causes a problem.

Can .old files be removed?

An OLD file may no longer be required when:

• The related update completed successfully
• The program has worked correctly for some time
• You do not need to restore the previous version
• The file belongs to uninstalled software
• The file is clearly an outdated duplicate

Be more cautious with .old files stored inside Windows folders, active program folders or personal projects.

The extension means the file is older, but it does not prove that it is unimportant.

Which Deep Clean file types are normally the safest to check first?

For a first Deep Clean scan, the most straightforward file types to investigate are usually:

• .tmp
• .temp
• Older .dmp files
• Older .mdmp files
• Older .wer files

These are frequently connected to temporary activity or crashes.

Even then, review their locations before cleaning.

Files such as .bak, .old, .chk and .log often require more judgement because they may contain backups, recovered data or useful diagnostic information.

Which file types can use the most disk space?

Any of the supported file types can become large, but some are more likely than others.

Dump files

Full .dmp files can contain a large amount of crash information and may use hundreds of megabytes or more.

Log files

Most logs are small, but a program with an error can repeatedly add new entries until a log becomes very large.

Backup files

A .bak file may be a complete copy of a database, document or other large file.

Temporary files

Large installers, video editors and games can create substantial temporary files while working.

Use the Size column in Deep Clean to identify results that are using the most storage.

A small number of large files will usually be more important than hundreds of tiny files.

Why might a selected extension find no results?

Deep Clean may return no matching files when:

• No files use the selected extension
• The drive was cleaned recently
• Windows has already removed temporary files
• Easy System Utility cannot access certain folders
• The files are stored on another drive
• The related program uses a different extension
• The files are hidden inside a protected location

Try running Easy System Utility as an administrator when you want it to scan more protected areas.

You can also select a different drive if your programs or games are installed elsewhere.

Can Deep Clean identify whether a file is safe?

Deep Clean can identify matching extensions and display useful details, but it cannot know the purpose of every file created by every Windows application.

The path often provides the best clue.

For example:

• A file inside a browser cache folder is likely connected to that browser
• A dump inside a crash report folder is probably diagnostic
• A BAK file inside a work project may be important
• An OLD file inside an uninstalled program folder may be outdated
• A LOG file inside an active security program may still be useful

Easy System Utility leaves the final selection to you so important files are not automatically removed simply because of their extension.

Can selected files be restored after cleaning?

You should treat files removed through Deep Clean as permanently deleted.

Do not rely on being able to recover them afterwards.

Before cleaning:

• Review every selected path
• Keep important backups
• Leave uncertain files unticked
• Save open work
• Close related software
• Check that you selected the correct drive

This is especially important for .bak, .old and .chk files.

Why do some results fail to delete?

A matching file may be found successfully but remain during cleaning because it is:

• In use by an open program
• Locked by Windows
• Protected by administrator permissions
• Being scanned by security software
• Stored on a read-only drive
• Changed after the scan
• Already removed by another process

Close the related software and restart Easy System Utility as an administrator before trying again.

Some active Windows files should remain locked and do not need to be forced.

How to choose file types for a Deep Clean scan

Select the extensions that match what you are trying to find.

To find temporary files

Select:

• .tmp
• .temp

To investigate program or Windows crashes

Select:

• .dmp
• .mdmp
• .wer
• .log

To find previous versions and backups

Select:

• .bak
• .old

To find recovered drive fragments

Select:

• .chk

Selecting fewer extensions can make the results easier to review and may reduce the time required to complete the scan.

Use the standard cleaner for routine Windows cleanup

Deep Clean is useful, but it is not intended to replace the standard Clean section.

For normal Windows junk file cleaning, use the standard cleaner first. It targets supported locations such as:

• Windows temporary files
• Thumbnail cache
• Crash dumps
• Windows Error Reports
• Windows logs
• Browser cache files
• Software cache files
• Recycle Bin contents

Deep Clean is better when you want to search more widely by file type and manually inspect the results.

Reviewing Deep Clean file types safely

The extensions available in Deep Clean help you locate files that might otherwise be difficult to find. They cover temporary data, logs, crash reports, recovered fragments, backups and older file versions.

A sensible approach is to:

1. Select only the file types relevant to your search.
2. Run Analyze.
3. Review the path and size of each result.
4. Identify which program or Windows component created it.
5. Leave uncertain files unticked.
6. Close related programs.
7. Clean only the files you no longer need.

Deep Clean gives you a wider view of what is stored on the drive, while still leaving you in control of what is removed.