In
Windows 7 or Later Version there is no user interface to delete Offline Files
cache (CSC cache). The only way to delete cache is using registry key.
Detail steps are given below.
- Open Registry editor (Execute Regedit from Run window)
- Traverse to the path path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Csc\Parameters
- If Parameters key does not exist under CSC you can create a new node with that name.
- Now in the Parameters node create a new registry value with the name FormatDatabase of type REG_DWORD (i.e. DWord 32-bit value)
- Set the data in this new registry value to 1.
- Close registry editor.
The above steps can only be done from an administrator's
account. We can do the above steps from command line too. For this you
just need to run the below command from elevated administrator command prompt.
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Csc\Parameters /v FormatDatabase /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Csc\Parameters /v FormatDatabase /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
If you run the above command from a normal administrator
command prompt you will get "Error: Access is denied" message.
Note that the 'Delete temporary files' button under the 'Disk Usage' tab in ’Manage Offline files' window is not meant for deleting offline files cache. Some people have the misconception that this deletes offline files cache. This is not true.
Note that the 'Delete temporary files' button under the 'Disk Usage' tab in ’Manage Offline files' window is not meant for deleting offline files cache. Some people have the misconception that this deletes offline files cache. This is not true.