Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (
More info?)
Oh...thank you for all that information. I'll leave it alone. BTW, I do
search Google for answers before I start asking here . I was directed to a
forum and someone asked if it was safe to delete and the short answer was
"Yes". that's why I wanted to double check here.
Thanks again, much appreciated,
Casey.
"Alex Nichol" <alexn.mvpdts@ntlworld.delete.com> wrote in message
news:cchsv0tava49qu91cairub7dkf80teg4pe@4ax.com...
> Casey wrote:
>
>>I have a lot of files in a folder called prefetch in Windows Explorer,
>>could someone please tell me what they are and are they safe to delete,
>
> Leave them. When a program is loaded, a record is put, or updated, in
> the corresponding file in Prefetch, detailing what files it uses, in
> what order. Boot of the system has such a record, too
>
> From that two things happen.
>
> One - when a load is started in future, the system arranges to get the
> expected files into RAM straight away, without waiting to be asked, and
>
> Two - every three days, a sort of semi-defrag run is done in a quiet
> period, which arranges files so that such sets will be able to load as a
> smooth stream without need to hunt around the disk for them. The boot
> side of this speeds load of the system: the Bootvis program does a
> preliminary optimisation of their layout, but it will take place, and
> better, through the automatic process. The details of the best layout
> are kept in the layout,inf file which is checked and updated each time
> this optimisation runs, for the best overall performance. This can be
> used for optimisation alternatively by some third party defrag programs,
> eg Perfect Disk Pro
>
> Two points:
>
> Contrary to what is said it is *not* necessary to empty prefetch. Any
> program that does
> not get used for a week will have its file dropped out anyway: ones that
> are rarely used get low priority in optimisation
>
> and:
> The optimisation at regular intervals is initiated by task scheduler so
> you need to have it running for this to work (also for System Restore
> to make its daily restore point) even though no scheduled task appears
> if you look in control Panel - Scheduled tasks. Check the Advanced menu
> there, and if it says 'Start Using. . ' click that so it says 'Stop
> using . . .' It then looks for a time when the system is quiescent (I
> think it waits for 15 mins of no disk activity, but am not sure on
> that). This is one reason for the query 'my hard disk goes chattering
> when I am doing nothing'; the other being search engine indexing.
>
> --
> Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
> Bournemouth, U.K. Alexn@mvps.D8E8L.org (remove the D8 bit)