What to do with .ex_, etc. files after XP SP2 install

I installed XP SP2 and several files simply went away like calc.exe calculator, freecell.exe game etc. The best I can find is calc.ex_ or freecell.ex_ but renaming them does no good. They are just gone.

The main problem I have is what to do with all of these .XX_ files that were created when this POS installed itself. Can I delete them without consequence or am I stuck with them taking up disc space?

 

That is odd.

Click start, run, cmd (enter)
cd\windows\system32
dir calc.exe

does it show up?

if so, then can you click start, run, the type in: calc (press enter)

If it doesn't show, go back to your command screen (cmd)

type in:

path

Does your path look similar to this?

PATH=c:\ruby\bin;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\Program Files\Support Tools\;

Note: I edited out a lot of stuff from my path. You path should have ATLEAST
c:\windows
c:\windows\system32

 

All is as it should be but the calc.exe and a few other programs have been wiped out. I believe they are 16 bit programs. I know freecell.exe is.


I'd still like to get rid of all of those .xx_ files if I can.

 

just delete them....i had the same problem

 

They are mostly in the c:\Windows\i386 and c:\i386 directories.

Before I delete them, what exactly are they there for in the first place; restore files?

 

These are not corrupt or suspicious files they are compacted windows files. C:\I386 is a complete copy of the I386 directory of the XP CD and Windows\I386 is the same thing, You only need one of those directories Open Windows Explorer and in views click-on Details look at the date of the directory. You want to delete the one that is the newest. THe C:\I386 directory is most likely the original.