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Disk Cleanup Utility Compress Old Files
When I run the Disk Cleanup Utility, I get 2,729,332 in "Compress Old Files."
I run it fairly frequently and there is always a very large size listed. Is this OK and can just be ignored, or is there some steps I can take to rid myself of the old files. I don't know how to find out what old files they are referring to, so I don't know whether I need them or not. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. |
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#2
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Disk Cleanup Utility Compress Old Files
"raggmopp" wrote in message ... When I run the Disk Cleanup Utility, I get 2,729,332 in "Compress Old Files." I run it fairly frequently and there is always a very large size listed. Is this OK and can just be ignored, or is there some steps I can take to rid myself of the old files. I don't know how to find out what old files they are referring to, so I don't know whether I need them or not. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. "old files" are those which haven't been used lately. Since you failed to mention file names, it is anybody's guess as to what might happen when you delete them. Jim |
#3
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Disk Cleanup Utility Compress Old Files
"Compress old files" is something you don't really want to do. It won't
hurt anything, but there's hardly ever a good reason to do it. What is an 'old' file? It's a non-system file that you haven't accessed in X days. You can can choose the number for X. (IIRC the default is 90 days.) "Compress old files" compresses these files so they take up less space on your hard disk. Here's why it's not a good idea: It can take a real long time to compress all those files. It doesn't make your computer run any better or any faster. It can actually slow your computer by a half second or so when you want to access a compressed file (depending on how large the file is), because Windows has to uncompress it. Once the file has been accessed, Windows does not automatically re-compress it. "Compress old files" is a relic from when hard disks were small and expensive. These days, hard disks are huge and cheap. The only reason you want to "compress old files" is if your new, larger hard disk hasn't been delivered yet. --- Leonard Grey Errare humanum est raggmopp wrote: When I run the Disk Cleanup Utility, I get 2,729,332 in "Compress Old Files." I run it fairly frequently and there is always a very large size listed. Is this OK and can just be ignored, or is there some steps I can take to rid myself of the old files. I don't know how to find out what old files they are referring to, so I don't know whether I need them or not. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. |
#4
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Disk Cleanup Utility Compress Old Files
"raggmopp" wrote in message
... When I run the Disk Cleanup Utility, I get 2,729,332 in "Compress Old Files." I run it fairly frequently and there is always a very large size listed. Is this OK and can just be ignored, or is there some steps I can take to rid myself of the old files. I don't know how to find out what old files they are referring to, so I don't know whether I need them or not. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. The Disk Cleanup Utility will offer to compress files that you haven't accessed recently. If you click on this entry and hit the Options button you should see a dialog where you can set the number of days that must pass before an unaccessed file will be compressed. File compression is designed to save space on your hard drive. None of the files in this category will be deleted. File compression comes with a cost in performance. Should you need to access any of these files they will need to be decompressed before they are opened. For that reason, unless you are pressed for hard drive space, this is an option that you might want to leave unchecked. Good luck Nepatsfan |
#5
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Disk Cleanup Utility Compress Old Files
How do I find out what files they are. I can't see them listed anywhere.
"Jim" wrote: "raggmopp" wrote in message ... When I run the Disk Cleanup Utility, I get 2,729,332 in "Compress Old Files." I run it fairly frequently and there is always a very large size listed. Is this OK and can just be ignored, or is there some steps I can take to rid myself of the old files. I don't know how to find out what old files they are referring to, so I don't know whether I need them or not. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. "old files" are those which haven't been used lately. Since you failed to mention file names, it is anybody's guess as to what might happen when you delete them. Jim |
#6
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Disk Cleanup Utility Compress Old Files
Use Windows built-in search function and the 'when was it modified'
selection. --- Leonard Grey Errare humanum est raggmopp wrote: How do I find out what files they are. I can't see them listed anywhere. "Jim" wrote: "raggmopp" wrote in message ... When I run the Disk Cleanup Utility, I get 2,729,332 in "Compress Old Files." I run it fairly frequently and there is always a very large size listed. Is this OK and can just be ignored, or is there some steps I can take to rid myself of the old files. I don't know how to find out what old files they are referring to, so I don't know whether I need them or not. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. "old files" are those which haven't been used lately. Since you failed to mention file names, it is anybody's guess as to what might happen when you delete them. Jim |
#7
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Disk Cleanup Utility Compress Old Files
Leonard
I agree with the sentiments you express but doubt that this is correct "It's a non-system file "? Are Windows Update uninstall files system files? -- Regards. Gerry ~~~~ FCA Stourport, England Enquire, plan and execute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Leonard Grey wrote: "Compress old files" is something you don't really want to do. It won't hurt anything, but there's hardly ever a good reason to do it. What is an 'old' file? It's a non-system file that you haven't accessed in X days. You can can choose the number for X. (IIRC the default is 90 days.) "Compress old files" compresses these files so they take up less space on your hard disk. Here's why it's not a good idea: It can take a real long time to compress all those files. It doesn't make your computer run any better or any faster. It can actually slow your computer by a half second or so when you want to access a compressed file (depending on how large the file is), because Windows has to uncompress it. Once the file has been accessed, Windows does not automatically re-compress it. "Compress old files" is a relic from when hard disks were small and expensive. These days, hard disks are huge and cheap. The only reason you want to "compress old files" is if your new, larger hard disk hasn't been delivered yet. --- Leonard Grey Errare humanum est raggmopp wrote: When I run the Disk Cleanup Utility, I get 2,729,332 in "Compress Old Files." I run it fairly frequently and there is always a very large size listed. Is this OK and can just be ignored, or is there some steps I can take to rid myself of the old files. I don't know how to find out what old files they are referring to, so I don't know whether I need them or not. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. |
#8
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Disk Cleanup Utility Compress Old Files
In Windows Explorer by default compressed files appear in a blue font.
The next paragraph may apply in your situation. Go to Start, Control Panel, Folder Options, View, Advanced Settings and verify that the box before "Show hidden files and folders" is checked and "Hide protected operating system files " is unchecked. You may need to scroll down to see the second item. You should also make certain that the box before "Hide extensions for known file types" is not checked. Next in Windows Explorer make sure View, Details is selected and then select View, Choose Details and check before Name, Type, Total Size, and Free Space. -- Hope this helps. Gerry ~~~~ FCA Stourport, England Enquire, plan and execute ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ raggmopp wrote: How do I find out what files they are. I can't see them listed anywhere. "Jim" wrote: "raggmopp" wrote in message ... When I run the Disk Cleanup Utility, I get 2,729,332 in "Compress Old Files." I run it fairly frequently and there is always a very large size listed. Is this OK and can just be ignored, or is there some steps I can take to rid myself of the old files. I don't know how to find out what old files they are referring to, so I don't know whether I need them or not. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. "old files" are those which haven't been used lately. Since you failed to mention file names, it is anybody's guess as to what might happen when you delete them. Jim |
#9
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Disk Cleanup Utility Compress Old Files
How sentimental are you, really?
--- Leonard Grey Errare humanum est R.I.P Usenet: 1980-2008 (PC Magazine) http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2326848,00.asp Gerry wrote: Leonard I agree with the sentiments you express but doubt that this is correct "It's a non-system file "? Are Windows Update uninstall files system files? |
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