Compress file clean up

[Guest]

When my parents computer is extrememly slow so I told them to start with a
disk clean up. The disk clean up show an extremely high amount of compress
files. Is it ok for them have them removed using disk clean up?

 

[JS]

No it's not OK, you need to identify the files that are compressed as they
could be anything from valuable data files to junk.

JS

 

[AJR]

As JS suggested - NO - majority of those files are thos you "use less" than
others (but still use) and are compressed transparently to save space.

 

[AJR]

Another thought - do Start>run>Type "%temp%" and delete the files -
deletionmay stop at a file (being in use) - just reselect the files
following and delete.

Reason for there being a lot of "temp' file is that XP does not immendiately
send files to the Recycle Bin - it thinks maybe you will want them back so
it sends them to a temp folder for a period of a week or so and then moves
them to the Recycle Bin.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

When my parents computer is extrememly slow so I told them to start with a
disk clean up. The disk clean up show an extremely high amount of compress
files. Is it ok for them have them removed using disk clean up?

The fact that the files are compressed is irrelevant. The issue is
whether *they* need those particular files, and nobody here can answer
the question for you.

There's nothing particularly special about files that are compressed,
other than that they may not have been used for a while. So your
question translates to something like "My parents have of a bunch of
files that they may not have used for a while. Is it OK to delete
them?"

Also realize that whether they delete them or not probably has no
bearing on the speed of the computer.

 

[AJR]

Boy - I don't know why I do not think of these things at one time - however
consider what and how many programs are being loaded and/or run at boot.
Check the right side of the task bar - how many icons?.

Also if Norton's Sysytem Works (McFees Security) is installed and running
many times the tasks are running in the background will "slow" the computer
down.

 

[Guest]

How do you remove programs from being loaded at boot?
--
Thanks,
EOW

Boy - I don't know why I do not think of these things at one time - however
consider what and how many programs are being loaded and/or run at boot.
Check the right side of the task bar - how many icons?.

Also if Norton's Sysytem Works (McFees Security) is installed and running
many times the tasks are running in the background will "slow" the computer
down.

 

[JS]

Use msconfig (Start/run/msconfig) or
Try Autoruns from the MS Windows SysInternals site:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/ProcessesAndThreads/Autoruns.mspx
This will show all apps/etc. that load/run when you first boot and
selectively allow you to stop any that you don't want.

Note: To get additional details on an item in the list you may need to
highlight the item (right click) and use the 'Search Online' option to get
the details, especially useful for the more obscure items in the list.

JS

 

[Bob I]

R-click the Icon in the notification area, and then set your preference
for that program.

 

[Steve Shattuck]

When my parents computer is extrememly slow so I told them to start with a
disk clean up. The disk clean up show an extremely high amount of
compress
files. Is it ok for them have them removed using disk clean up?

Are you sure it's showing a high amount of compressed files? My Disk
Cleanup shows the amount of space that can be saved by allowing cleanup to
compress them.

 

[Kelly]

Start/Run: msconfig - Startup Tab for starters.

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

How do you remove programs from being loaded at boot?

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Reason for there being a lot of "temp' file is that XP does not immendiately
send files to the Recycle Bin - it thinks maybe you will want them back so
it sends them to a temp folder for a period of a week or so and then moves
them to the Recycle Bin.

This is completely false. Windows XP does no such thing.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Boy - I don't know why I do not think of these things at one time - however
consider what and how many programs are being loaded and/or run at boot.

First, note that how *many* start automatically is irrelevant. The
important thing is *which*. Some of them can have a big effect on
performance, but others have no effect on it.

Check the right side of the task bar - how many icons?.

That "right side of the task bar" is called the System Notification
Area (aka "System Tray"). *Some* (but not all) programs that start
automatically manifest themselves by an icon there. However it is not
good to check only there. You'll find a much more complete list in
msconfig.

Also if Norton's Sysytem Works (McFees Security)

Sorry? Norton and McAfee are two different products/companies. They
are not the same at all.

is installed and running
many times the tasks are running in the background will "slow" the computer
down.

Yes, both Norton and McAfee are dogs and slow down the computer.

 

[Rock]

When my parents computer is extrememly slow so I told them to start with a
disk clean up. The disk clean up show an extremely high amount of
compress
files. Is it ok for them have them removed using disk clean up?

Here's a useful link with tips for dealing with a slow computer:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/slowcom.htm

It's not so much how many programs are running at startup, it's what's
running. You need to see what is starting automatically by looking in
msconfig and in task manager, then research what they all are to see what is
wanted/needed and what is not. Here are some sites for this research.

www.google.com
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm
http://castlecops.com/StartupList.html
http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/service411.htm

To stop programs from running at startup the first step should be to check
in the options for the program you don't want to start and see if there is a
setting to tell it not to run at startup. The next step is to remove any
entries you don't want from the two startup folders:

C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

For anything else uncheck their entries in the startup tab of msconfig:
Start | Run | Msconfig | Ok

Another option is to remove the reference to them from one of these keys in
the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

Make sure you have a backup of the registry using a program like ERUNT
before making any changes to the registry.

ERUNT
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/erunt.txt

Installing and Using ERUNT
http://www.silentrunners.org/sr_eruntuse.html
http://www.winxptutor.com/regback.htm

 

[Guest]

It most certantly is safe to compress them. However, I wouldn't delete
WebClient/Publisher files as last time I removed them, I had to reinstall
Windows XP, and ended up getting about 110 updates. By clicking Settings
under description, you can set the days for how long until the are compressed.

I recommend that they review all programs and uninstall the ones the don't
need or want. Run a virus scan to remove the unwanted software that comes out
of nowhere, and then defragment the hard drive.

John.

 

[Plato]

When my parents computer is extrememly slow so I told them to start with a
disk clean up. The disk clean up show an extremely high amount of compress
files. Is it ok for them have them removed using disk clean up?

http://www.bootdisk.com/xptop20.htm#2