New
#1
ntuser.dat
Greetings
Why do I have so many ntuser.dat files?
I counted 20 with various extensions: blf, regtrans-ms, pol, log1, log2, ini
I'm in windows 10 pro ver.1709 build 16299.248
thank you
ntuser.dat
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New #2
You most likely already know that ntuser.dat is your user profile, loaded at sign in as the HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry hive. You also understand that this is constantly being updated to reflect the changes that happen as you use the PC.
There transactions are not written to ntuser.dat as they happen, that usually occurs as you sign out or shut down. Instead they are written to the regtrans-ms files (short for registry transactions). Together all these types of files help prevent the registry becoming corrupt, the changes only being committed in a controlled manner at sign out. An 'uncontrolled' shutdown like a BSOD would leave ntuser.dat unmodified, so at next sign in it should be free of any changes that happened in the previous abruptly terminated session.
Best leave them alone then :)
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New #3
I didn't know what is the purpose of ntuser.dat files.
thank you for clarifying.
I won't touch them following your advice.
many many thanks
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New #5
so many ntuser.dat files
Still I don't understand why as a single user I have so many ntuser.dat files from different dates.
Now I understand that it keeps my user profile so as a single user should I have tens of files of the form:
NTUSER.DAT{class like expression}.TM.blf or .TMcontainer0000....#.regtrans-ms
dates are from Dec. 2017 to May 2018
thank you
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New #6
The transaction logs (regtrans) are there as a store for recent changes. Their purpose is to delay writing changes immediately to ntuser.dat until they are confirmed as being valid. Should a bad change be made that crashes the PC then the earlier ntuser.dat remains intact and will allow the machine to work at the next boot.
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New #7
There's nothing wrong to clean up those redundant backup files. I have been doing this for years and Windows should do it as part of clean up too. I use CCleaner to include those files under Current User and also delete those under: C:\Windows\System32\config as you can see in the screen shot.
Of course, it is always advisable to have a backup image of Windows in case something goes wrong.
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New #8
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New #9
Hi topgundcp do you mind sharing a full list of your ccleaner include custom deletion list? wanna to add the same list as yours on my ccleaner ;PThere's nothing wrong to clean up those redundant backup files. I have been doing this for years and Windows should do it as part of clean up too. I use CCleaner to include those files under Current User and also delete those under: C:\Windows\System32\config as you can see in the screen shot.
Of course, it is always advisable to have a backup image of Windows in case something goes wrong.
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New #10
@suta
Here you go. Unzip the file to CCleaner installation folder. Run CCleaner->Options->Advanced and put a check mark on "Save All Settings to INI file"
go thru the inclusion list and delete what you don't want or does not apply to you.
WARNING: Make sure Windows Updates is not running, otherwise it will delete all Updates Files causing Updates to fail.
ccleaner.zip
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