Win2k and a file called ~ (a tilde)

[Toni Fontenele]

I noticed in our Win2K Server hard disk a file called ~ (a tilde) without
extension. It seems a text file because we can open it with a text editor
like Notepad or Edit Plus. Who is creating this file? Why it exists?

Toni Fontenele, Architect.
CAD Manager
Casaflex Ideas and Projects

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Toni.

As explained frequently here, the ~ file is simply a copy of your Address
Book. It apparently gets created, as a backup, whenever your WAB is edited,
but then the system forgets to delete the backup when the updated address
book is written to the *.WAB file.

You can ignore it - or delete it and watch as it get recreated next time
your address book is updated.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP

Updating Info:

I saw inside the ~ file references to e-mail address registered within my
outlook express address book. There is a lot of "box" characteres and
sometimes there is some alphabetical characteres (starting with the SMTP
abbreviation) between those boxes, like ([] represents a box):

Is the ~ file an Outlook Express temporary file? Is the ~ file an MSN
Messenger temporary file?or a virus sub-product file used to send messages
to my e-mail contacts?

Toni Fontenele, Architect.
CAD Manager
Casaflex Ideas and Projects

[][][]S[]M[]T[]P[][][][][][]0[][][][]e[]m[]a[]i[]l[]
[]a[]d[]d[]r[]e[]s[]s[][][][][][][][]... etc...

I noticed in our Win2K Server hard disk a file called ~ (a tilde) without
extension. It seems a text file because we can open it with a text editor
like Notepad or Edit Plus. Who is creating this file? Why it exists?

Toni Fontenele, Architect.
CAD Manager
Casaflex Ideas and Projects

 

[Toni Fontenele]

Thank you R.C.,

Your explanation was helpfull. I compared the ~ file with a file related to
Outlook Express Address Book, inside documents and settings user folder, and
they like the same. I think the problem happens whem MSN Messenger try to
put or delete contacts within OE Address Book. Now, I know that I can safety
delete the ~ file.

Thank you very much,

Toni Fontenele, Architect.
CAD Manager
Casaflex Ideas and Projects

*** CASE CLOSED ***

Hi, Toni.

As explained frequently here, the ~ file is simply a copy of your Address
Book. It apparently gets created, as a backup, whenever your WAB is edited,
but then the system forgets to delete the backup when the updated address
book is written to the *.WAB file.

You can ignore it - or delete it and watch as it get recreated next time
your address book is updated.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP

Updating Info:

I saw inside the ~ file references to e-mail address registered within my
outlook express address book. There is a lot of "box" characteres and
sometimes there is some alphabetical characteres (starting with the SMTP
abbreviation) between those boxes, like ([] represents a box):

Is the ~ file an Outlook Express temporary file? Is the ~ file an MSN
Messenger temporary file?or a virus sub-product file used to send messages
to my e-mail contacts?

Toni Fontenele, Architect.
CAD Manager
Casaflex Ideas and Projects

[][][]S[]M[]T[]P[][][][][][]0[][][][]e[]m[]a[]i[]l[]
[]a[]d[]d[]r[]e[]s[]s[][][][][][][][]... etc...

I noticed in our Win2K Server hard disk a file called ~ (a tilde) without
extension. It seems a text file because we can open it with a text editor
like Notepad or Edit Plus. Who is creating this file? Why it exists?

Toni Fontenele, Architect.
CAD Manager
Casaflex Ideas and Projects