Is it possible to clear the prefetch folder. What is the Prefetch and Temp folder for in Windows XP? Is it possible to remove virus-infected files from them? Myths about deleting the contents of the Prefetch folder

Removing unnecessary files

You know, I never understood the purpose of the Temp folder in Windows. I mean, I don't know why it is needed and what it does. For example, if the installation of the program failed, then some files are copied to this folder that are not needed later, you can simply delete them without causing any harm to the system. If a failure occurs, be sure to check the Temp folder, you will probably find a lot of files in it that take up precious space on your disk.

The Temp folders are located in two locations: C:\Windows\Temp and C:\Documents and Settings\Username\LocalSettings\Temp. Default folder Local Settings is hidden, so to see this folder, you will have to enable the corresponding option. Now go to these folders and delete all content.

If you have not opened these folders before, you will probably be shocked by what is going on in them.

What is Prefetch Folder

Prefetch folder is in system folder Windows, it contains information about frequently opened programs for quick access to them. Used to speed up downloads operating system and launch programs.
At startup Windows computer monitors the download process. After that, the received information is stored on HDD in the Prefetch folder. The next time you start, this information is used to speed up the loading of the operating system. The same thing happens when you start any program.

Clearing the Prefetch Folder

The Microsoft developers decided that the Temp folders take up too little of your disk space, so why not create another folder that does similar actions? Thanks a lot! No, really, thanks.

We probably have very few folders that just eat up free space. disk space. Now, in addition to the Temp folder, we have a wonderful Prefetch folder. The functions of this folder are different from the functions performed by the Temp folder, however, as in Temp folder, it can store garbage for centuries if you do not manually remove it. Therefore, I advise you to periodically clear this folder (C:\Windows\Prefetch). And do not worry, the system will not suffer from this. Any deleted files, which are needed by Windows, will be automatically recreated.

Answers:

Vladimir:
The Temp folder stores temporary files. You can safely remove it from there. In the Prefetch folder - I don’t remember exactly what is stored there, but you can also delete files from there, there will be no problems.

Leshiy:
The Prefetch folder contains programs that are loaded when Windows startup, with the aim of quick start these same programs. It is not only possible to delete, but also necessary, otherwise there are too many of them and this slows down the launch and operation of Windows itself. See what you really often use, and the rest - in the basket!

Markiz:
Regarding Prefetch, here's what I found. The prefetch folder (.pf extension) contains inf. about frequently opened programs. and services, for their faster subsequent loading. You can remove everything from it, the system will boot faster, and the programs (for the first time) will be slower. Then the files are generated again. Can be cleaned, even needed sometimes.

Mamluk:
The prefetch folder also contains information about downloaded viruses. Therefore, with manual cleaning, it is not surprising to re-infect. Therefore, it is necessary to clean, and even better, set the mode not to write anything to the folder.

SHiKiGAMY:
I no longer have such a folder. Made a function \"don\"t prefetch\" Use special programs to remove \"garbage\" from \"tempo\"s\" and prefetch. For example Ace Utilites or WinXP Manager.

Ivan:
Windows XP creates the %systemroot%\\prefetch folder by default. It is used to speed up the launch of recently used programs, which greatly slows down the system boot. If a speed is more important system boot, do the following. To disable this feature: HKEY_LOCAL_MASHINE\\SYSTEM\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\Session Manager\\Memory Management\\PrefetchParameters set the EnablePrefetcher parameter to 0.

Should I clear the Prefetch folder or not? Give good advice, because the data in it is used by applications when loading Windows, which means that they can directly affect the speed of starting the operating system.

Prefetch folder

In this Windows folder saves data files containing information about running applications. Naturally, life in our operating system does not stand still, many programs are removed and replaced by others, which means that the information in the Prefetch folder needs to be updated periodically, clearing it. All loading programs will immediately add their data to this folder again, at this point, Windows startup will slow down a little, but all subsequent operating system loads will be faster for some time.
Then the Prefetch folder will be full again unnecessary information. Personally, I delete data from the Prefetch folder once a month, it’s not worth visiting this folder more often, if you can win here in startup speed, then very little, ...

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Questions and arguments about the Prefetch folder are not uncommon. Many people ask why the Prefetch folder is needed, and whether its contents can be deleted. In this article, we will try to figure out how the Windows operating system uses the Prefetch folder.

What is Prefetch Folder

There is a myth that in the Prefetch folder...

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The Prefetch folder can be found in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 at the following path: C:\Windows\Prefetch - it is a component of the operating system and speeds up the process bootstrap OS and frequently used programs. First this technology was applied in Windows XP, and since Vista it has been supplemented with SuperFetch and ReadyBoost technologies. Starting an OS or an application is accompanied by reading data from memory, often the same file has to be accessed several times, which is very irrational and takes a lot of time. Windows optimizes code loading by storing trace files in the Prefetch folder, which it handles in its own way.

To configure the Prefetcher folder, we need a registry editor. I would immediately like to duplicate the warning from the Microsoft website: "Incorrect use of the registry editor can lead to serious problems that require reinstalling the operating system. You use the registry editor at your own peril and risk."

Press Start...

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Removing unnecessary files

The Temp folders are located in two locations: C:\Windows\Temp and C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\LocalSettings\Temp. By default, the Local Settings folder is hidden, so to see this folder, you will have to enable the corresponding option. Now go to these folders and delete all content.

If you have not opened these folders before, you will probably be shocked by what is going on in them.

What is Prefetch Folder

The Prefetch folder is in the system...

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Mad Cat@k Sage (15885) 3 years ago

The task of Prefetcher Service is to reduce application startup time and system boot time. The files used by this service are located in the %systemroot%\prefetch folder.
Management is carried out using the following registry key, which is also used by various tweakers:
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters
DWORD EnablePrefetcher, the parameter can take the following values:
0 - disable service
1 - prefetch applications
2 - prefetching applications launched at system boot time (used Windows Server 2003 by default)
3 - both prefetches are enabled (points 1 and 2) Windows XP is used by default
Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Much depends on the tasks for which the system is used. If you turn on the computer and immediately start the counter or ...

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I found an interesting folder that many saw, but were afraid to delete something in it. This folder is called "Prefetch" and is located inside the Windows folder. What kind of folder and why you need it, you will find out below.

What is prefetch?

Prefetcher - operating system component Microsoft Windows, speeding up the process of its initial loading, as well as reducing the time it takes to launch programs. Prefetcher first appeared in the Windows XP operating system. Beginning with Windows Vista, it has been enhanced with SuperFetch and ReadyBoost technologies.
It turns out that this system monitors which programs you use most often and writes them down. special folder: C:\Windows\Prefetch

All sorts of different files are stored there with incomprehensible extensions like this.

Well, in general Windows bootloader analyzing these records, drives the software into RAM in order to expedite the response to your request.

By default, entries in the prefetch folder are made not only by system ones, but also by secondary ones ...

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Checking the Windows XP SP3 system after cleaning it from viruses, I searched for files according to certain parameters and came across the C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch folder.

This is roughly the same as the Applog folder in Win98. In general terms, the files store the order in which fragments of the corresponding programs are loaded, which allows Windam to extract from disk to the cache a fragment that is needed in the near future, before it is actually requested (while the processor is busy with other things). Thus, at the next real request for this fragment, it will no longer be taken from the disk, but from the cache, which speeds up the launch of programs, including the loading of XP.

It's all possible...

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Attention: this is an archive, i.e. this section is no longer updated. A new version The Computer FAQ is here. All new questions and answers are now there.
However, nevertheless, here, in this archive, there is a mass useful information- please view.

What is the Prefetch and Temp folder for in Windows XP? Is it possible to remove virus-infected files from them?

Vladimir answers:
The Temp folder stores temporary files. You can safely remove it from there. In the Prefetch folder - I don’t remember exactly what is stored there, but you can also delete files from there, there will be no problems.

Leshiy answers:
The Prefetch folder contains programs that are loaded when Windows starts, in order to quickly launch these same programs. It is not only possible to delete, but also necessary, otherwise there are too many of them and this slows down the launch and operation of Windows itself. See what you really often use, and the rest - in the basket!

Markis says:
As for Prefetch...

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what is the Prefetch folder

The Prefetch folder is located in the Windows system folder and is used to speed up the loading of the operating system and the launch of programs. When you start your computer, Windows monitors the boot process. After that, the received information is saved to the hard drive in the Prefetch folder. The next time you start this information is used to speed up the loading of the operating system. The same thing happens when you start any program.

This folder is a folder with temporary files and deleting its contents will not lead to any consequences. At next boot Windows computer will fill the folder with new, up-to-date information about the loading of the operating system and programs.

There is a myth that the Prefetch folder accumulates outdated and not actual information. Therefore, to speed up Windows boot it is recommended to clean from time to time this folder prefetch. In fact, clearing the Prefetch folder does not speed up the loading of the operating system. More...

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Disable Superfetch and Prefetch for SSD in Windows 7.

In this article, we will look at how you can disable Prefetch and SuperFetch in Windows 8 and Windows 7 on SSDs. In this article, we have seen how Windows 8 relates to Defragmentation on SSDs. Before we start, let me make it clear that this is not very a good idea to disable SuperFetch or Prefetch in regular HDD mode, but for solid state drives, that's a completely different matter!

SuperFetch, Prefech and SSD in Windows 8

Every time you run an application on your computer, a Prefetch file is created that contains information about the files, it is loaded by the application and specially created by the Windows operating system. All the information that the Prefetch file contains is mainly used to optimize the application's load time the next time you are running this application. SuperFetch tries to predict which applications you will run in...

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Brief terminology

Prefetch (English) - prefetch (from memory); preselect, select (from memory) preemptively.

Fetch (English) - fetch (for example, commands or data from memory); select (command or data from memory); fetching (an element of the swapping strategy that determines when a page is moved from disk to memory, for example, prefetching used in Windows NT, moves not only the selected page into memory, but also several subsequent ones).

How to Reduce App Load Time

To reduce the loading time of applications, select program shortcuts one by one (on the Quick Launch and on the Desktop, as well as in the Start menu –> Programs);

- click right button mouse call context menu–> Properties;

– in the Properties dialog box: open the Shortcut tab;

- click at the end text field Object, make one space and type /prefetch:1;

- click...

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It is difficult, without being a specialist, to follow the development of the operating room. Windows systems. But there are elementary concepts that every user should understand. Knowing which folders and what they are responsible for in Windows will make it easier to navigate the system. An example of files unknown to us is the contents of C:/Windows/Prefetch.

Purpose of the folder

Let's answer the question: why do we need the Prefetch folder? At startup, Windows analyzes programs that we often use (open on our own or using startup). The system then creates information about these programs, which it stores in special temporary files in the Prefetch folder. At the subsequent turning on Windows these files make the OS boot faster.

The OS component is responsible for doing this work. If they are removed, no changes will occur. At the next start, Windows will again collect up-to-date data about programs and place it in the Prefetch folder. In this case, loading the OS may take a little longer than usual.

Prefetch was first used on Windows XP. With the advent of Windows Vista, the folder was supplemented with SuperFetch technologies (responsible for analyzing frequently launched applications) and ReadyBoost (responsible for increasing performance). You can find it along this path: C: / Windows / Prefetch.

Managing the Prefetcher Service

manage work Service Prefetcher you can in the registry editor:

This parameter operates with values from 0 to 3, which mean:

0x00000000 - disable the component;
0x00000001 - acceleration of application loading;
0x00000002 - speed up Windows startup;
0x00000003 - Speed up OS and application loading.

The default value is 3. In order to disable the service, enter the value 0 and restart the PC.

Important! The developers made sure that the Prefetch folder does not accumulate files (and gigabytes of disk space), creating a limit of 128 trace files.

Answers on questions

Is it possible to delete the Prefetch folder and the data that it stores?

No. This doesn't make sense, for three reasons:

It is difficult, without being a specialist, to follow the development of the Windows operating system. But there are elementary concepts that every user should understand. Knowing which folders and what they are responsible for in Windows will make it easier to navigate the system. An example of files unknown to us is the contents of C:/Windows/Prefetch.

Purpose of the folder

Let's answer the question: why do we need the Prefetch folder? At startup, Windows analyzes programs that we often use (open on our own or using startup). The system then creates information about these programs, which it stores in special temporary files in the Prefetch folder. The next time you turn on Windows, these files speed up the loading of the OS.

Managing the Prefetcher Service

You can manage the operation of the Prefetcher service in the registry editor:

This parameter operates with values from 0 to 3, which mean:

0x00000000 - disable the component;
0x00000001 - acceleration of application loading;
0x00000002 - speed up Windows startup;
0x00000003 - Speed up OS and application loading.

The default value is 3. In order to disable the service, enter the value 0 and restart the PC.

Important! The developers made sure that the Prefetch folder does not accumulate files (and gigabytes of disk space), creating a limit of 128 trace files.

Answers on questions

Is it possible to delete the Prefetch folder and the data that it stores?

No. This doesn't make sense, for three reasons: