Trying to find the best way to have XP client PC's clear their Outlook 2003 temporary folder data on system shutdown (C:\Documents and Settings\%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK*). Can this be accomplished using Group Policy to set the "shutdown script" and use something like the below in a .bat file:
Perhaps I should rephrase my question: can a .bat file be caused for a shutdown script applied via Group policy or does it need to be in another fromat (vb, etc)? I have the following I plan to use: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- @echo off rem Delete Outlook 2003 temporary files on client Machines if exist "%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK*" (cd "%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK*") else (goto END) del *.* /s /f /q goto END :END
What makes you think that OLK files reside here: %userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK*? Why do you want to delete such files? The script you use is highly lethal: If the target folder you specify does not exist then it will wipe just about everything on your disk! As it happens, there is no folder called %userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK* hence your Windows installation will cease to exist when you first run your batch file. Furthermore, although it is not strictly necessary for the "CD" command, you should always surround your file/folder names with double quotes if they might contain embedded spaces. %UserProfile% does contain embedded spaces.
You can use BAT files as shutdown script, that's no problem. for more information see http://technet2.microsoft.com/windo...c165-49e3-b768-2b8898a5684b1033.mspx?mfr=true In addition to that I would suggest you use the following line to clear out temporary internet files. This will include the OLK folder and is what I use in our network ERASE C:\"Documents and Settings"\%USERNAME%\"Local Settings"\"Temporary Internet Files"\*.* /q /f /s Callypso Network Engineer
As mentioned, this won't work if that isn't the location - and the location can vary. The commands above could do Very Scary Things to your computer. See http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/outlook/find-the-microsoft-outlook-temporary-olk-folder/ for info on Outlook's temp folder. Presuming Outlook is using the normal/defaults, which are indeed in a subfolder under temp internet files, why not delete *all* your Internet cache files via a shutdown script? I have the following batch file running as a GPO-applied shutdown script in most of the networks I support....I cribbed it shamelessly from some nice stranger on the internet.
Thanks for your reply Lanwench. I agree with the potential dangers here. We do use a standard image which guarantees everyone has the same path but still, you never know. The problem is that our management doesn't want to delete the temporary internet files, only the Outlook temp files. I will see what pushing I can do though =). The script you posted below, was this saved as a .bat and assigned as the shutdown script? "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
What on earth do they think "temporary" is supposed to mean? Yep. I'm sure you can massage it to do only the OL folder, but my heavens, I'd discuss this with management. Or, in the case of the networks I support, I would simply run my shutdown script with no discussion. I don't believe in giving pointy-haired bosses too much information.
We did much the same, but on a user-by-user basis, and ran it as a logoff script. Rather than deleting all files in all contained folders (while leaving the folders in existence) we simply deleted the OLK folder. A new one is then created the next time the user runs outlook. We also deduced its actual name from the registry rather than resolving it from dir OLK*, but I guess either way would be OK. /Al
