Blue Fonts in Windows Explorer

[Warren]

It seems certain files in Windows Explorer are now being listed in a blue
font rather than the standard black. The only new software I have added is
PerfectDisk for defrag purposes, but I don't see how this utility could
cause this event. The files in blue are still accessible and everything
else seems normal. Just curious if anyone has an idea on why this is
occurring. Thanks in advance.

 

[MAP]

-----Original Message-----
It seems certain files in Windows Explorer are now being listed in a blue
font rather than the standard black. The only new software I have added is
PerfectDisk for defrag purposes, but I don't see how this utility could
cause this event. The files in blue are still accessible and everything
else seems normal. Just curious if anyone has an idea on why this is
occurring. Thanks in advance.



.The blue color indicates that folder is compressed.

 

[Star Fleet Admiral Q]

Normally, blue means the file/folder is compressed, green means the
file/folder is encrypted.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

By design, WinXP 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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having both at once. -- RAH

 

[Alex Nichol]

It seems certain files in Windows Explorer are now being listed in a blue
font rather than the standard black. The only new software I have added is
PerfectDisk for defrag purposes, but I don't see how this utility could
cause this event. The files in blue are still accessible and everything
else seems normal.

That indicates files (or more often complete folders) that have been
compressed to save space. Examples are the $NTUninstallQnnnnn$ folders
in Windows, and the System Restore point RPnnn ones in System Volume
Information; the presumption being that these will rarely get used, so
there is little loss in having to take slightly longer to open them

You can compress a folder manually on an NTFS disk - right click it,
Properties, click Advanced and check the 'compress. . .' box and Apply.
This can usefully be applied to windows\system32\dllcache and to
Windows\ServicePackFiles - neither of which get much actual use