Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

User Help for Mozilla Firefox
martini2
Posts: 14
Joined: September 13th, 2022, 6:25 am

Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

Post by martini2 »

Hello everyone!

For years I have used Firefox 47.0.2 on my WinXP computer. Now I've updated to 52.9.0esr. And also for many years I have been struggling unsuccessfully with the problem that under "C:\Documents and Settings\...\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\2b9qepw7.default-1469870616368\cache2" there is a folder "entries" that keeps expanding! Deleting it is impossible (via Firefox or manually via Windows Exprlorer), even in safe mode, even with TotalCommander. The folder just suddenly disappears when I click on it, but not its occupied space on my hard drive. It is now 45.5 GB!

I was hoping that the version update would make the problem go away - it didn't!

Please help me to solve this problem in an elegant way!

Thank you very much!
User avatar
DanRaisch
Moderator
Posts: 127186
Joined: September 23rd, 2004, 8:57 pm
Location: Somewhere on the right coast

Re: Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

Post by DanRaisch »

Is Firefox closed when you try to delete that folder from the operating system level?
martini2
Posts: 14
Joined: September 13th, 2022, 6:25 am

Re: Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

Post by martini2 »

DanRaisch wrote:Is Firefox closed when you try to delete that folder from the operating system level?
Yes!
User avatar
dickvl
Posts: 54145
Joined: July 18th, 2005, 3:25 am

Re: Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

Post by dickvl »

Firefox would normally create the cache2 folder in the secondary location and not in the primary location, so a cache2 folder in the primary location shouldn't be used.
The about:cache page should show the location of the disk cache and its content.

C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<profile>\
C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<profile>\

If you use "Clear history when Firefox closes" to clear the cache then the entries folder should be emptied when you close Firefox.
martini2
Posts: 14
Joined: September 13th, 2022, 6:25 am

Re: Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

Post by martini2 »

Thank you dickvl!

This is what my about:cache shows:

memory
Number of entries: 7
Maximum storage size: 24576 KiB
Storage in use: 40 KiB
Storage disk location: none, only stored in memory
List Cache Entries
disk
Number of entries: 249
Maximum storage size: 358400 KiB
Storage in use: 4079 KiB
Storage disk location: C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\---\Lokale Einstellungen\Anwendungsdaten\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\2b9qepw7.default-1469870616368\cache2
List Cache Entries
appcache
Number of entries: 0
Maximum storage size: 512000 KiB
Storage in use: 0 KiB
Storage disk location: C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\---\Lokale Einstellungen\Anwendungsdaten\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\2b9qepw7.default-1469870616368\OfflineCache

It shows an acceptable size, but in reality the folder is MUCH bigger and swelling! "Clear history when Firefox closes" doesn't seem to work.

Any other ideas?
martini2
Posts: 14
Joined: September 13th, 2022, 6:25 am

Re: Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

Post by martini2 »

So, no one is able to help me?
User avatar
therube
Posts: 21698
Joined: March 10th, 2004, 9:59 pm
Location: Maryland USA

Re: Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

Post by therube »

\cache2" there is a folder "entries" that keeps expanding!
Deleting it is impossible (via Firefox or manually via Windows Exprlorer), even in safe mode, even with TotalCommander.
Expanding, I can understand.
Not being able to delete, especially on XP, I can't.

What does happen when you attempt to delete a file from /cache2/ with TC?
It shows an acceptable size, but in reality the folder is MUCH bigger and swelling! "Clear history when Firefox closes" doesn't seem to work.
What is in there /cache2/ (by the way, what is in there ;-) ?) could be "left over, stale" entries that are not seen by FF, so won't be cleared - by FF.

So then you need to do it in an alternate way - like with TC - once you figure out what is happening on that end?

Might it be a permissions issue, where for some odd reason, /cache2/ is own by a different user then what you're currently logged in as?

If you run TC "As Administrator", are you able to clear out /cache2/ ?

(by the way, what is in there ;-) ?)
Does what is in /cache2/ look like "cache" entries [in name] (rather then, additionally, some other types of data)?
Fire 750, bring back 250.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1.19) Gecko/20110420 SeaMonkey/2.0.14 Pinball CopyURL+ FetchTextURL FlashGot NoScript
martini2
Posts: 14
Joined: September 13th, 2022, 6:25 am

Re: Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

Post by martini2 »

therube wrote: Expanding, I can understand.
Not being able to delete, especially on XP, I can't.
What does happen when you attempt to delete a file from /cache2/ with TC?
Expanding means the folder becomes bigger every day!
In TotalCommander I can mark the folder "entries", then press "delete", he starts deleting but after a few seconds writes "the folder can not be deleted"
After that it shows the size of "entries" just a few KB big, with about 40 files named like that& "0C8A621FD5B28621E9054AE744F628CD4500B038".
But in truth there seem to be all the data the browser captures online - pictures, html etc. That's why it becomes bigger every day!
I am logged in as admin.

A few years ago I did manage to move it to the desktop, where I couldn't move or delete it for a year. Then one lucky day I was able to move it back to the "cache2" folder. There it is now. Beeing 45 GB but showing 500 KB and impossible to delete!
User avatar
therube
Posts: 21698
Joined: March 10th, 2004, 9:59 pm
Location: Maryland USA

Re: Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

Post by therube »

the folder can not be deleted
If FF is open, you won't be able to delete the directory itself.
Likewise, if FF happens to have particular cache entries "locked", they too will not delete.
But all else, should.

Exit FF first.
files named like ... "0C8A621FD5B28621E9054AE744F628CD4500B038"
OK good.
Names like that are expected.
And in looking & seeing that (only), you've confirmed that nothing unexpected is in there (like, say, "whatareyoudoinginhere.TXT").
Fire 750, bring back 250.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1.19) Gecko/20110420 SeaMonkey/2.0.14 Pinball CopyURL+ FetchTextURL FlashGot NoScript
martini2
Posts: 14
Joined: September 13th, 2022, 6:25 am

Re: Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

Post by martini2 »

This (exiting FF) I've done every time before trying to delete the folder. To no avail. Any other ideas?
User avatar
dickvl
Posts: 54145
Joined: July 18th, 2005, 3:25 am

Re: Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

Post by dickvl »

Try to boot the computer in Windows Safe Mode to see if that allows to clear the cache2 folder.
martini2
Posts: 14
Joined: September 13th, 2022, 6:25 am

Re: Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

Post by martini2 »

dickvl wrote:Try to boot the computer in Windows Safe Mode to see if that allows to clear the cache2 folder.
Did that already. Doesn't allow...
User avatar
dickvl
Posts: 54145
Joined: July 18th, 2005, 3:25 am

Re: Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

Post by dickvl »

And running Windows Explorer as administrator ?
martini2
Posts: 14
Joined: September 13th, 2022, 6:25 am

Re: Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

Post by martini2 »

Did it as well. Same problem
User avatar
therube
Posts: 21698
Joined: March 10th, 2004, 9:59 pm
Location: Maryland USA

Re: Folder "entries" 45,5 GB in size!

Post by therube »

What does happen when you attempt to delete a file from /cache2/ with TC?
Fire 750, bring back 250.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.1.19) Gecko/20110420 SeaMonkey/2.0.14 Pinball CopyURL+ FetchTextURL FlashGot NoScript
Post Reply