Blue file listings in Windows Explorer

[Virginia]

Why do some files listed in the Windows Explorer appear
to be blue, while others remain black?

 

[Bob M.]

If they show up in blue, they are "compressed" to
save some space.
To see this, right click - properties - advanced
and you will see the "compressed" check box
checked off. If you wish to de-compress, simply
uncheck this.

Bob M.

 

[Guest]

Thanks! That the files are compressed do explain why they
appear in blue. The logical question to follow is why do
Windows select these particular files to compress? It
does not seem to be picking the oldest ones? Nor does it
seem to be selecting the largest files either. Any
thoughts?

 

[Phil]

Files get compressed when you run the disk cleanup utility. It finds rarely
used files and compresses them to save space.

 

[JAX]

That is not necessarily true. Old files are only compressed if you elect to
in disk clean-up. For the larger part, unless you are short of disk space,
you are best off to de-select compress old files in clean-up. Reason being,
it slows the computer down when those files need to be accessed and, there
is "some" chance of corruption when they are compressed and expanded.

Most likely the files in blue, compressed, are the backup files from Windows
Updates. If they are something like, $NtUinnstallKB839643-DirectX9$, that is
what they are. In that case, it is safe to delete them if you are not having
problems with that update. Also, if you elect to compress folders manually,
they will show in blue, unless you choose another color.

FWIW, JAX

 

[Virginia]

It is true that the the compress option is checked in my
disk clean-up utility (which I didn't notice till just
now). It also has an advanced option that let you decide
how many days to wait till an unaccessed file (whatever
that means) is compressed. In my case, it is 30 days
(again, I know nothing of this setting till just now).

So I'm just checking out a bunch of regular office
documents (Excel, Word, etc...), some of them appear
blue/ compressed. It is the part that bothers me the
most: Windows seems to insist on compressing certain
files that have recently been accessed (e.g. today) and
skip over some that have not been accessed for several
months!! It is the inconsistency that really puzzles and
at times bothersome to me. Any ideas?

P.S. Jax, I was not even looking at the backup files.
Thanks for your suggestion on unchecking the compress
option.

-----Original Message-----
That is not necessarily true. Old files are only compressed if you elect to
in disk clean-up. For the larger part, unless you are short of disk space,
you are best off to de-select compress old files in clean-up. Reason being,
it slows the computer down when those files need to be accessed and, there
is "some" chance of corruption when they are compressed and expanded.

Most likely the files in blue, compressed, are the backup files from Windows
Updates. If they are something like,

$NtUinnstallKB839643-DirectX9$, that is

what they are. In that case, it is safe to delete them if you are not having
problems with that update. Also, if you elect to compress folders manually,
they will show in blue, unless you choose another color.

FWIW, JAX

utility. It finds
rarely

-----Original Message-----
That is not necessarily true. Old files are only compressed if you elect to
in disk clean-up. For the larger part, unless you are short of disk space,
you are best off to de-select compress old files in clean-up. Reason being,
it slows the computer down when those files need to be accessed and, there
is "some" chance of corruption when they are compressed and expanded.

Most likely the files in blue, compressed, are the backup files from Windows
Updates. If they are something like,

$NtUinnstallKB839643-DirectX9$, that is

 

[Phil]

Isn't that what I said...............
quote: "Files get compressed when you run the disk cleanup utility"
And as we all know the compress files option is turned on by default. So
when you run the utility for the first time it compresses old/rarely used
files. I don't see what the problem is. Did you want me to say, it
compresses then only if you don't turn that option off? That's just foolish,
and not needed.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

By design, WinXP automatically compresses files that do not get
used frequently, and, if you've left the default settings intact,
displays those files in blue.

If you wish to change this behavior, in Windows Explorer, click
Tools > Folder Options > View > Advanced settings: Show encrypted or
compressed NTFS files in color.


Bruce Chambers
--
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[Alex Nichol]

Thanks! That the files are compressed do explain why they
appear in blue. The logical question to follow is why do
Windows select these particular files to compress? It
does not seem to be picking the oldest ones? Nor does it
seem to be selecting the largest files either. Any
thoughts?

The ones it compresses of itself are ones expected not to be needed -
notably the $NTUninstall folders of files that will only be needed if
you uninstall the Hot Fix concerned. Also 'snapshot' folders in "System
Volume Information" containing Restore Points

Ones worth compressing manually are Windows\ServicePackFiles and
Windows\system32\dllcache

Never compress the windows or windows system32 folders as a whole, or
the files in the root of C used in bootup, or the boot may not work