What are the sort of empty folders and files one needs to be careful not to delete?

What are the sort of empty folders and files one needs to be careful not to delete? And what are the best programs for empty folder and file deletion?

I am undertaking that systematic deletion for the first time. I ran Glary Utilities and found over 300 folders and removed them. Then I ran a freeware program named Remove Empty Directories and it found over 3000 more empty fiolders and files. (I suspect specialized programs typically do a better job at a task than multi-faceted programs.)

 

Re: What are the sort of empty folders and files one needs to be careful not to delet

Hey there conceptualclarity:

I've got a question on this subject. Been leery of removing empty folders, because I just haven't ever gotten it straight if programs automatically create a folder if the one the program is supposed to use is deleted. So do programs or does Windows create folder if one is supposed to be present but has been deleted? Any knowledge out there on this subject?

One other question. Are all logs .log files? If not, why not?

 

Re: What are the sort of empty folders and files one needs to be careful not to delet

Those are good questions. I thought the time I posted this would be good for drawing a lot of responders. I'm new here. If we don't get responders I hope maybe you can round some up.

 

Re: What are the sort of empty folders and files one needs to be careful not to delet

This looks like very good advice:

Here are some programs I located:
1. Remove Empty Directories
2. Empty Folder Nuker
3. FMS Empty Folder Remover
4. Fast Empty Folder Finder

While some folders can be removed, it is not safe to remove 0 byte files. This can cause malfunctions of the system or of programs.

 

Re: What are the sort of empty folders and files one needs to be careful not to delet

Hey conceptualclarity, I use Puran Utilities to remove empty folders,because if it a folder that should not be removed, Puran will not remove it. Just download, install and choose the Empty Folder Finder. You can find it here, http://www.majorgeeks.com/Puran_Utilities_d7894.html

 

Re: What are the sort of empty folders and files one needs to be careful not to delet

Thanks, Nick T, for that suggestion. Sounds interesting :
" Puran Service Manager - Helps you to enable/disable Windows services. It assists your decision in various forms." I've been wanting something like that. I suspect Windows of bloating my computer. That was certainly the case with ctfmon.exe, for which I have no need.
"Minimal PC - Helps you to close and switch back all the specified services/processes on your computer in a click."
I will have to look into that further.

Thanks, AltBo, for the great information here and in the private message. I'm a long way from having the privilege to message back.

Does MG have any policy against people posting the same questions to it and to other forums?

 

Re: What are the sort of empty folders and files one needs to be careful not to delet

conceptualclarity...

If there is a policy on posting on multiple boards, I haven't seen it. That said I think there is sort of an unspoken rule of thumb on that topic. I think so much of Major Geeks mostly because it's different than a many help sites. Don't know if I would say better to the point that those aren't great sites, just that I think here it's more about that you get the results you are looking for. Definitely, I don't think anyone here would have any problem with you posting on a manufacturer's site about an issue you have mentioned here. Same would be true of a developer's site. Otherwise, I think it's a matter of discretion. If it's helping your situation no problem. Perhaps someone can come along and clarify this, and maybe I am completely wrong. Anyway, I looked and didn't see a mention of the issue.

NP...PM any time you have anything you'd like to know about PL or any of the other programs. I think you got all I have or at least for the time being. Thanks for taking an interest in the subject, honestly. I have been looking for some feedback on the system I have set up, and I have been working some with the developer of PL updating him on how my tests are going. Your input and some others' have really helped me with that...:major

 

Re: What are the sort of empty folders and files one needs to be careful not to delet

Hi, AltBo. I believe MG gave a indication that until I had 50 posts I couldn't send any private messages. I'll probably get there in a matter of weeks.

I would really hope that MG would not get upset about posting the same question to other forums. I really don't think what I post elsewhere should be of concern to a particular forum so long as I'm not cribbing from the forum's content.

I asked because I saw a malware cleaning forum where the forum respondent gave a pretty nasty warning to somebody that he would get kicked off other forums if he posted to them the same thing he posted there. I have forgotten exactly what it was he posted. The respondent did not come across as somebody I'd ever care to meet.

I'm satisfied with what I've gotten here in regard to this matter. Most, but not all of my threads on Major Geeks have gotten significant response.

I have joined a number of computer forums. But posting on computer forums is something I've literally been doing only for several weeks, so I don't know the lay of the land.

 

Re: What are the sort of empty folders and files one needs to be careful not to delet

I joined yesterday, because I found myself in the midst of having a malware that kept trying to force me to buy windows 7, telling me that my win xp was invalid and Microsoft no longer would validate the windows xp. Major geeks is the first place I come when I'm looking for software to solve issues.

This morning I couldn't log into my computer, just flat told me no.. So, I pulled out my old dos memory from my brain, hit the dos in soft mode .. Between, a second computer, and a library directory of windows dills and exe.. I walked through the register, and finally reached the point where the malware was gone, but it still needed to be re validated through Microsoft, which took about 8 minutes on the phone.. And the computer is back up humming away. I really want to know who puts out that malware, and how it managed to get through my firewall, spybot, and virus controls. And how this software couldn't stop it, nor even find the malware or help me get rid of it..:confused This one was totally manual step by step.

 

Re: What are the sort of empty folders and files one needs to be careful not to delet

conceptualclarity...

You'll get to 50 before you know it.

For the most part, I don't think anyone will give you a hard time about posting on more than one board here, especially the non-malware boards. The difficulty with the malware boards is that there may be two or more ways (usually many) to clean a computer, etc. However, if a user begins trying more than one method from more than one malware removal expert, results in scans start to not make sense to them, and the process can lead to malfuctions on the user's PC, usually resulting in delayed fix results. The expert who finally ends up performing the removal/cleaning may even have to start the process over from the beginning. This could be enough time for malware to do serious damage, as boots and use give malware and viruses more of a foothold on a PC. Malware experts are really just looking out for users when they ask them to forego help from another malware removal board while they are getting help on one malware removal board already.

This setup can be kind of difficult for users, because users often at first don't know what the problem with their PC is. Malware techs can usually look at the scans they ask for and see if something is amiss that indicates malware. If not, it probably won't take them long...just 3-5 posts. However, users also don't realize how difficult it can be when users start to get advice from more than one malware board on different sites. So being one of the malware fighters while I suppose rewarding, must be a little frustrating too. The experts really can't be up front about how they do things, because hackers could get tipped off and make life more difficult...and users don't really understand why the process has to be so impersonal. In the end, the malware experts have to just say "do this please" instead of something like, "I suspect x,y, and z are part of a malware program, so let's now focus on seeing if we can get rid of them." When users don't understand, there can be conflict, but time is of the essence with malware removal, so removal techs have no choice but to be remote and straightforward, even when shutting down a thread. This situation really isn't a personal attack...just business.

In the final analysis, all the malware removal experts I have run across will leave you with a clean PC, even though their methodologies are different on certain things. However, they very much just have to tell users what to do for the most part. Viruses are tricky and working from a message board takes time and alot of effort. No time for real friendliness...just finish and on to the next one. They are amazing and do an amazing service...

As for kicking individuals off of boards, the malware experts just want users to listen to them when they say "please don't try to get help for this on any other malware removal board". So when you're engaged with a malware expert on any board, stick to the one thread. If your post gets ignored, wait a few days, then you can try a malware board someplace else. As a user, just make sure you say you are receiving help if you are getting help from someplace else.

As for conflict on other types of help boards, like the Software board here at MGs, I have seen questions like..."Windows shuts down if I enter the wrong password 6 times in 30 seconds, how do I stop this?" I mean this can only be someone trying to break into someone's PC. There are even programs that enable users to enter 1000s of passwords per second, and this 6 passwords in 30 seconds feature is a security feature in Windows. Usually there is tact, but, sometimes, someone may be thrown off a board who asks this type of question. After over 10 years of experience on boards, I can say it's all on the level. Every help site I have run across is managed by good people

By the way, if you run into problems with a response here, don't be afraid to press the issue with an "Anyone?" bump or a "Please, I don't understand what's going on here" bump...

 

Re: What are the sort of empty folders and files one needs to be careful not to delet

Very good questions and impressive detective effort on your part. Great work. I love to see it when users beat malware with "their own two hands" so to speak.

It comes down to greed with malware. They want credit card numbers and other personal information. Many of them aren't very good programmers, though...

:major

 

Re: What are the sort of empty folders and files one needs to be careful not to delet

I'm surprised no one has asked this question yet...

What's the purpose of deleting empty folders? Are you talking about your Documents folder being over-populated with folders you don't want? Empty folders don't hinder system performance at all.

 

Re: What are the sort of empty folders and files one needs to be careful not to delet

@ AltBo : Thanks for a very enlightening discussion of this matter about computer forums.

Since I posted this, it appears to me that this is so.