~$ Files

[Allison Orange]

We are finding some sort of Word temp files on our network which begin with
a ~$ followed by the name of a document minus the first two letters and
which have a file size of 1K. I see that when I open a Word document, one
of these gets created and that they are supposed to be removed once the
document is closed, but we are seeing quite a few "orphan" ones out there.

Exactly what are these files and why do they get left? I read the
knowledgebase article on temp files but do not see that type mentioned.

Thanks in advance,
Allison Orange
Systems Project Consultant
Florida Public Service Commission
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

If you read the KB article “WD: How Word for Windows Uses Temporary Files”
at http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=211632, you should have learned that
these are "owner" files. Ordinarily they are deleted when you close a
document, but they get "orphaned" when Word hangs or the system crashes. In
some other instances they are not deleted; this is usually do to
insufficient file permissions or a complication of SMB packet signing on a
network.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

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[Allison Orange]

I found it. Thanks. I must have missed that on the first reading and I
tried searching the document yesterday for ~$, expecting it to be in one of
the charts.

I wonder why we have so many orphaned ones. Surely, I can't have this many
users hanging/crashing and it wouldn't be insufficient file permissions. I
will ask one of the other analysts about the SMB packet signing.

Thanks again.