cScan Cross-Platform Guide

Overview

cScan now supports Windows, macOS, and Linux! The script automatically detects your operating system and adapts its behavior accordingly.

Platform Detection

When you run cScan, it will display the detected platform:

--- User Space Cleanup Assistant (Windows) ---
--- User Space Cleanup Assistant (macOS) ---
--- User Space Cleanup Assistant (Linux) ---

Platform-Specific Features

Windows

• Recycle Bin: Files are moved to Windows Recycle Bin
• Temp Paths: %TEMP%, %LOCALAPPDATA%\Temp
• System Protection: Protects Windows, Program Files directories
• Admin Check: Uses Windows UAC to check admin status

macOS

• Trash: Files are moved to macOS Trash
• Temp Paths: /tmp, ~/Library/Caches
• System Protection: Protects /System, /Library, /Applications
• Admin Check: Checks if running as root (sudo)

Linux

• Trash: Uses gio trash or moves to ~/.local/share/Trash
• Temp Paths: /tmp, /var/tmp, ~/.cache
• System Protection: Protects /bin, /usr, /lib, /etc
• Admin Check: Checks if running as root

Cross-Platform File Categories

The script intelligently categorizes files based on platform conventions:

Safe to Delete

• All Platforms: Cache files, temp files, crash dumps
• Windows: DXCache, server-cache, pip\cache
• macOS/Linux: .cache/, .npm/, Trash/

User Files (Need Confirmation)

• Windows: Downloads\, Documents\, Videos\
• macOS: Downloads/, Documents/, Movies/
• Linux: Downloads/, Documents/, Videos/

Installation

Windows

pip install psutil
python cScan.py

macOS

pip3 install psutil
python3 cScan.py

Linux

pip3 install psutil
python3 cScan.py

Usage Examples

CLI Mode (All Platforms)

# Run the script
python cScan.py  # Windows
python3 cScan.py # macOS/Linux

# Direct CLI mode
python cScan.py --config  # Edit configuration

GUI Mode

The GUI adapts to your platform:

• Windows: “Empty Recycle Bin” button
• macOS/Linux: “Empty Trash” button

Platform-Specific Cleanup Suggestions

Windows

• Clear %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\thumbcache_*.db
• Use Disk Cleanup tool (cleanmgr.exe)
• Remove old Windows.old folders

macOS

• Clear ~/Library/Caches/ subdirectories
• Remove old iOS device backups
• Clean Xcode derived data
• Use Storage Management (Apple Menu > About This Mac > Storage)

Linux

• Clear ~/.cache/ subdirectories
• Remove old package manager caches
• Use system cleanup tools (bleachbit)

Configuration

The configuration file (cScan_config.ini) works the same on all platforms:

[Settings]
large_file_threshold_mb = 100
use_recycle_bin = true  # Uses Trash on macOS/Linux

[Paths]
# Platform-specific paths are automatically handled
include_downloads = true
include_documents = true
include_temp_folders = true

Safety Features

Cross-Platform Protection

• System files are protected on all platforms
• Running applications are detected and protected
• Files in use cannot be deleted
• Critical system paths are never touched

Platform-Specific Safety

• Windows: Protects Windows directory, Program Files
• macOS: Protects /System, /Library, /Applications
• Linux: Protects /bin, /usr, /lib, /etc

Troubleshooting

macOS Permission Issues

If you get permission errors on macOS:

1. Grant Terminal/iTerm full disk access in System Preferences
2. Run without sudo for user files
3. Use sudo only for system-wide cleanup

Linux Trash Issues

If trash doesn’t work on Linux:

1. Install gio: sudo apt install glib2.0-bin
2. Or files will be moved to ~/.local/share/Trash/files/

Windows PowerShell Issues

If PowerShell commands fail:

1. Run PowerShell as administrator once
2. Execute: Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

Advanced Features

Custom Scan Paths

Add platform-specific paths in the config:

[Paths]
# Windows
custom_scan_paths = D:\Downloads, E:\Temp

# macOS/Linux
custom_scan_paths = /Users/Shared/Downloads, /opt/temp

Dry Run Mode

Test what would be deleted without actually deleting:

[Settings]
dry_run_mode = true

Performance Tips

All Platforms

• Close unnecessary applications before scanning
• Exclude large media folders if not needed
• Run regular cleanups to prevent buildup

Platform-Specific

• Windows: Disable Windows Defender scanning temporarily
• macOS: Quit Time Machine during cleanup
• Linux: Stop package managers before cleaning caches

This cross-platform version ensures consistent behavior across all operating systems while respecting platform-specific conventions and safety requirements.