First, download and run [b]ATF-Cleaner:[/b]
http://tinyurl.com/kqmvp
Just put a check in front of 'Select All' and then click on the 'Empty Selected' button. This is a very handy tool for getting rid of useless files.
[i](for future reference, Internet Explorer 7 temporary files and cookies are located in this folder - C:\Documents and Settings\[your user profile name]\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files)[/i]
Second, you can delete [b]old XP System Restore Points.[/b] If you feel confident you will not need to restore your system to an earlier date prior to the most recent restore point, this can free up gigabytes of space! On one system I worked on, it freed up over 4 GBs.
To remove all but the most recent Restore Point, go to Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Disk Cleanup. This Windows utility can also empty temporary files for you but more importantly, for your situation... click on the 'More Options' tab, go to the System Restore section at the bottom, and click on the 'Clean up' button.
[b]Caution[/b]: you will find many other things that can be deleted in this utility. Be careful to only delete those things you are SURE you can do without. I do not recommend that you "clean up" Windows Components or Installed Programs unless you feel confident doing so. I also do not recommend deleting Downloaded Program Files, Setup Log Files, Catalog files, or compressing old files.
By the way... most cookies are harmless and some are even useful. In that, they save you from having to log in each time you visit sites you subscribe to. The possible threat of cookies has been over-hyped for years.
The best free tool for cleaning up potentially harmful cookies and other spyware/adware/malware junk is Ad-Aware:
http://tinyurl.com/2jqs43
I hope this helps.
Good Luck.
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