Prefetch deleting

Hi,
I've heard that in XP, deleting some of the prefetch folder will help performance. Is this true and can I delete everything or only stuff I'm sure I don't need?

 

Cool, thanks for the quick reply M.A. Downloading it now.

 

Tater,

[I hadn't seen MA's rapid response when I posted this. I'll have a look at that prog, too.]

I have a batch file set to delete everything in the Prefetch folder, and I run it once a week or so, when I'm taking out the rest of the garbage.

If you select (Ctrl+a) all of the entries in the Prefetch folder and hit delete, Windows will preserve anything recent that it might need. You may find 10-30 entries left behind.

My batch file has the same effect: it wipes everything Windows will let it take, but Windows usually saves a handful or so of the entries there.

It's no great big deal, like emptying the Restore Points now and then. Clearing Prefetch may save you a few MB. Clearing the SysVolInfo folder saves a whole lot more than that, and can affect performance noticeably.

 

Can you delete the entire SysvolInfo folder? Also, I did a serch and can't find that folder. Where should it be in XP.

 

Tater,
You asked, "Can you delete the entire SysvolInfo folder?"

No, it's a protected system folder. But it will remain empty if you have System Restore turned off.

"Also, I did a serch and can't find that folder. Where should it be in XP."

It's a "hidden" folder, so in an Explorer window, click Tools in the menu bar, then Folder Options, and click the View tab. In the list, check Display contents of system folders, and check Show hidden files and folders. (While you're there, un-check Hide extensions for known file types.)

There's a System Volume Information folder on every hard drive partition you can see in My Computer. If you turn SysRestore off, the folder stays empty.

Those of us who actively use SysRestore occasionally to turn back the clock a few minutes or hours to get back settings we fouled up with a bad installation (for instance) usually keep Sys Restore running on our OS drive, but not on the others.

If you turn it off (on all drives) and reboot, you will empty the folder. Then turn it on right away and it will make a new Restore Point for you and keep running. Then see my post above for occasional repetition of the process.

 

Yes you can.

IF system restore is turned off.



I've done it a few times without adverse effects


I'd take the above advice however.

 

Wellsir, ya live and learn. I thot I'd tried to wipe it before and been told by Windows that it was a no-no.

Thanks for that vote of confidence, Adryn! I do try to get it right. Sometimes I actually DO get it right.

 

Sorry, didnt mean to second guess you.


Look at it from the point of if you format a partition or drive in Windows.

It builds that folder.


Now if you remove the partition, the folder gets deleted too.

Then rebuilt when you make it again.



And if you delete it, and turn on system restore again, it will rebuild itself.


You are absolutely right that it is protected however. You actually have to take full control of the folder in file permissisons (if NTFS) before the system will allow you to nuke it.