Perfectdisk Stops Prefetch - Greg Hayes?

Strafe wrote:
Sorry, but you apparently have no basic understanding of how XP
prefetching works.

I have no management utility. In fact, I have nothing extra
installed at all, other than SP1 and several apps for email, news,
antivirus, etc.

By default, XP cleans up the prefetch folder and does a partial
defrag of the drive to optimize the layout of the files listed for
quicker access. This is part of XP and has been since day one.

Bill, can you reveal your sources for this information? So far the
others seem to think you have it wrong. As someone who has manually
deleted prefetch files before, I'm interested.

Bill has been supplied the information on prefetch provided by both
Microsoft and Raxco and remains insistent that XP cleans up the prefetch
files every three days when all available information states otherwise.
Frankly, he apparently is a bit reluctant to do his own research but is
willing to crosspost his denial of the facts presented.
Q

Richard Urban wrote:

Stand alone computer - let perfect disk manage all files

Thanks. I've tried that setting too, and PD will optimize the files at
the front of the drive as expected.

But unfortunately, prefetch clean up still does not occur.

Richard Urban wrote:

Stand alone computer - let perfect disk manage all files

Thanks. I've tried that setting too, and PD will optimize the files at
the front of the drive as expected.

But unfortunately, prefetch clean up still does not occur.

Strafe wrote:

Sorry, but you apparently have no basic understanding of how XP
prefetching works.

I have no management utility. In fact, I have nothing extra installed at
all, other than SP1 and several apps for email, news, antivirus, etc.

By default, XP cleans up the prefetch folder and does a partial defrag
of the drive to optimize the layout of the files listed for quicker
access. This is part of XP and has been since day one.

Bill, can you reveal your sources for this information? So far the others
seem to think you have it wrong. As someone who has manually deleted
prefetch files before, I'm interested.

Sure...

There are several sources, including Microsoft, MSDN (Microsoft
Developers Network), and dozens of google posts:

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hwdev/...benchmark.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...on126121120120

http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/is...l/default.aspx

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...%40tkmsftngp02

"While some recommend deleting obsolete files, I find that my system
will only retain files that range up to 4 days old (the 4 day old ones
will be likely be gone tomorrow)."

That's a quote from the last google groups reference, but doing a search
for "windows xp prefetch" will bring up dozens of topical posts.

My own personal experience shows that with a typical installation, XP
will "self-tune" itself every three days, performing a partial defrag
and removing obsolete and unused prefetch files automatically. There is
no need to touch the prefetch folder nor delete any files under normal
circumstances.

The only time that changes, if is you install software that requires
prefetching to be disabled (like backup software) or altered.

For two years I've been running Windows XP. I've installed it a dozen
times on my own computers, and I can't count how many times I've
installed it on other peoples systems. In virtually all instances, XP
prefetching takes care of itself.

The only exceptions were a system that used a backup utility that needed
to disable prefetching, and the problem I've reported here with
PerfectDisk.

Strafe wrote:

Sorry, but you apparently have no basic understanding of how XP
prefetching works.

I have no management utility. In fact, I have nothing extra installed at
all, other than SP1 and several apps for email, news, antivirus, etc.

By default, XP cleans up the prefetch folder and does a partial defrag
of the drive to optimize the layout of the files listed for quicker
access. This is part of XP and has been since day one.

Bill, can you reveal your sources for this information? So far the others
seem to think you have it wrong. As someone who has manually deleted
prefetch files before, I'm interested.

Sure...

There are several sources, including Microsoft, MSDN (Microsoft
Developers Network), and dozens of google posts:

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hwdev/...benchmark.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...on126121120120

http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/is...l/default.aspx

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...%40tkmsftngp02

"While some recommend deleting obsolete files, I find that my system
will only retain files that range up to 4 days old (the 4 day old ones
will be likely be gone tomorrow)."

That's a quote from the last google groups reference, but doing a search
for "windows xp prefetch" will bring up dozens of topical posts.

My own personal experience shows that with a typical installation, XP
will "self-tune" itself every three days, performing a partial defrag
and removing obsolete and unused prefetch files automatically. There is
no need to touch the prefetch folder nor delete any files under normal
circumstances.

The only time that changes, if is you install software that requires
prefetching to be disabled (like backup software) or altered.

For two years I've been running Windows XP. I've installed it a dozen
times on my own computers, and I can't count how many times I've
installed it on other peoples systems. In virtually all instances, XP
prefetching takes care of itself.

The only exceptions were a system that used a backup utility that needed
to disable prefetching, and the problem I've reported here with
PerfectDisk.

Quaoar wrote:

You continually respond "no" when there is no validity to your
contention of what the OS performs on Prefetch.

No validity?

You just posted it yourself:

Windows XP Performance
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...te/xpperf.mspx

Once every three days, by default, Windows XP will perform a partial
defragmentation and adjust the layout of the disk based upon current
use. The files to be moved are written in the file Layout.ini (found in
the Prefetch directory under the System Root directory).

While this page does not mention that XP cleans up the folder, it does
mention that XP will "adjust the layout", which is what maintaining the
folder is all about.

Read my other post in this thread for info and links.

Quaoar wrote:

Bill has been supplied the information on prefetch provided by both
Microsoft and Raxco and remains insistent that XP cleans up the prefetch
files every three days when all available information states otherwise.

Really?

Please point to webpages or google posts from those two sources that
specifically mentions that prefetching DOES NOT clean up the folder
every three days.

I have posted links to various sources that indicate XP takes care of
the prefetch folder (about every three days).

Frankly, he apparently is a bit reluctant to do his own research but is
willing to crosspost his denial of the facts presented.

Are you a troll or what?

I've been doing research for three weeks about this issue since it first
popped up after installing PerfectDisk. I've read dozens and dozens of
pages of info...

Bill wrote:

Strafe wrote:

Bill, can you reveal your sources for this information? So far the others
seem to think you have it wrong. As someone who has manually deleted
prefetch files before, I'm interested.

Perhaps I should mention this, for the sake of those who don't know
about it...the Task Scheduler must be running for prefetching to work
properly.

Also, the clean up only occurs when the system is idle, at which time
the system calls the following API:

advapi32.dll

That API will run the following task:

ProcessIdleTasks

If you wish to see how it works, you can force it to run manually from
the command line with this command:

rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks

Click Start, Run..., copy and paste the above line EXACTLY as it appears
and hit enter (or click OK). If you have Windows Explorer open in the
prefetch folder, you will see the folder get cleaned up (if it hasn't
been cleaned up recently).

Quaoar wrote:

You continually respond "no" when there is no validity to your
contention of what the OS performs on Prefetch.

No validity?

You just posted it yourself:

Windows XP Performance
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...te/xpperf.mspx

Once every three days, by default, Windows XP will perform a partial
defragmentation and adjust the layout of the disk based upon current
use. The files to be moved are written in the file Layout.ini (found in
the Prefetch directory under the System Root directory).

While this page does not mention that XP cleans up the folder, it does
mention that XP will "adjust the layout", which is what maintaining the
folder is all about.

Read my other post in this thread for info and links.

Quaoar wrote:

Bill has been supplied the information on prefetch provided by both
Microsoft and Raxco and remains insistent that XP cleans up the prefetch
files every three days when all available information states otherwise.

Really?

Please point to webpages or google posts from those two sources that
specifically mentions that prefetching DOES NOT clean up the folder
every three days.

I have posted links to various sources that indicate XP takes care of
the prefetch folder (about every three days).

Frankly, he apparently is a bit reluctant to do his own research but is
willing to crosspost his denial of the facts presented.

Are you a troll or what?

I've been doing research for three weeks about this issue since it first
popped up after installing PerfectDisk. I've read dozens and dozens of
pages of info...

Bill wrote:

Strafe wrote:

Bill, can you reveal your sources for this information? So far the others
seem to think you have it wrong. As someone who has manually deleted
prefetch files before, I'm interested.

Perhaps I should mention this, for the sake of those who don't know
about it...the Task Scheduler must be running for prefetching to work
properly.

Also, the clean up only occurs when the system is idle, at which time
the system calls the following API:

advapi32.dll

That API will run the following task:

ProcessIdleTasks

If you wish to see how it works, you can force it to run manually from
the command line with this command:

rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks

Click Start, Run..., copy and paste the above line EXACTLY as it appears
and hit enter (or click OK). If you have Windows Explorer open in the
prefetch folder, you will see the folder get cleaned up (if it hasn't
been cleaned up recently).

The "ProcessIdleTasks" command can be run from run, no need to open a =
command window. =20

You are correct, prefetch is supposed to clean (purge) itself every 3 =
days, at least in everything I have read, and that is what it does on my =
system. =20

I didn't notice if you had listed this article: =
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de.../en-us/append=
ix/hh/appendix/enhancements5_3oc3.asp it's a good overview of PF. Then =
there is this:=20
"Please note that Bootvis.exe is not a tool that will improve =
boot/resume performance for end users. Contrary to some published =
reports, Bootvis.exe cannot reduce or alter a system's boot or resume =
performance. The boot optimization routines invoked by Bootvis.exe are =
built into Windows XP. These routines run automatically at =
pre-determined times as part of the normal operation of the operating =
system."

from: =
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hwdev/...tboot/default=
..mspx.

By any chance do you have GoBack installed?

--=20
Hj=B8
"Bill" wrote in message =
...
| Bill wrote:
|=20
| Strafe wrote:
|
| Bill, can you reveal your sources for this information? So far the =
others
| seem to think you have it wrong. As someone who has manually deleted
| prefetch files before, I'm interested.
|=20
| Perhaps I should mention this, for the sake of those who don't know
| about it...the Task Scheduler must be running for prefetching to work
| properly.
|=20
| Also, the clean up only occurs when the system is idle, at which time
| the system calls the following API:
|=20
| advapi32.dll
|=20
| That API will run the following task:
|=20
| ProcessIdleTasks
|=20
| If you wish to see how it works, you can force it to run manually from
| the command line with this command:
|=20
| rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks
|=20
| Click Start, Run..., copy and paste the above line EXACTLY as it =
appears
| and hit enter (or click OK). If you have Windows Explorer open in the
| prefetch folder, you will see the folder get cleaned up (if it hasn't
| been cleaned up recently).

The "ProcessIdleTasks" command can be run from run, no need to open a =
command window. =20

You are correct, prefetch is supposed to clean (purge) itself every 3 =
days, at least in everything I have read, and that is what it does on my =
system. =20

I didn't notice if you had listed this article: =
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de.../en-us/append=
ix/hh/appendix/enhancements5_3oc3.asp it's a good overview of PF. Then =
there is this:=20
"Please note that Bootvis.exe is not a tool that will improve =
boot/resume performance for end users. Contrary to some published =
reports, Bootvis.exe cannot reduce or alter a system's boot or resume =
performance. The boot optimization routines invoked by Bootvis.exe are =
built into Windows XP. These routines run automatically at =
pre-determined times as part of the normal operation of the operating =
system."

from: =
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hwdev/...tboot/default=
..mspx.

By any chance do you have GoBack installed?

--=20
Hj=B8
"Bill" wrote in message =
...
| Bill wrote:
|=20
| Strafe wrote:
|
| Bill, can you reveal your sources for this information? So far the =
others
| seem to think you have it wrong. As someone who has manually deleted
| prefetch files before, I'm interested.
|=20
| Perhaps I should mention this, for the sake of those who don't know
| about it...the Task Scheduler must be running for prefetching to work
| properly.
|=20
| Also, the clean up only occurs when the system is idle, at which time
| the system calls the following API:
|=20
| advapi32.dll
|=20
| That API will run the following task:
|=20
| ProcessIdleTasks
|=20
| If you wish to see how it works, you can force it to run manually from
| the command line with this command:
|=20
| rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks
|=20
| Click Start, Run..., copy and paste the above line EXACTLY as it =
appears
| and hit enter (or click OK). If you have Windows Explorer open in the
| prefetch folder, you will see the folder get cleaned up (if it hasn't
| been cleaned up recently).

mrtee wrote:

You are correct, prefetch is supposed to clean (purge) itself
every 3 days, at least in everything I have read, and that is what it
does on my system.

Right, and if I don't install PerfectDisk it does exactly that - clean
up the folder every three days.

I ran without any third party defrag utilities for about a year and no
problems, until I tried PerfectDisk v6.

On another note, I find it slightly disturbing that several people here
have denied that XP is supposed to manage the prefetch folder. Makes me
wonder what other misinformation they're passing along to newbies who
don't know any better.

By any chance do you have GoBack installed?

Nope, I use System Restore if necessary. In fact, very few programs are
installed right now because of this issue.

I have about a dozen other apps that I want to install, but I'm waiting
until I resolve this issue or dump PD. :-/

mrtee wrote:

You are correct, prefetch is supposed to clean (purge) itself
every 3 days, at least in everything I have read, and that is what it
does on my system.

Right, and if I don't install PerfectDisk it does exactly that - clean
up the folder every three days.

I ran without any third party defrag utilities for about a year and no
problems, until I tried PerfectDisk v6.

On another note, I find it slightly disturbing that several people here
have denied that XP is supposed to manage the prefetch folder. Makes me
wonder what other misinformation they're passing along to newbies who
don't know any better.

By any chance do you have GoBack installed?

Nope, I use System Restore if necessary. In fact, very few programs are
installed right now because of this issue.

I have about a dozen other apps that I want to install, but I'm waiting
until I resolve this issue or dump PD. :-/