Black and blue colored file names

[Robert]

I have Windows XP Home (OEM) and Microsoft Office 2003 (Student Ed). When I
open My Documents or other folders I find some file names appear in black
type and some in blue type. Why aren’t the file names all the same color of
type? And how do I make them all show in black type? Thank you.
--

 

[nass]

I have Windows XP Home (OEM) and Microsoft Office 2003 (Student Ed). When I
open My Documents or other folders I find some file names appear in black
type and some in blue type. Why aren’t the file names all the same color of
type? And how do I make them all show in black type? Thank you.
--

Hi Robert,
The One in Blue Color, these are the Compressed Files.
You can chnage this if you would like by unchecking this option:
[ ]Show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in colour
Blue Colored Filenames
http://xona.com/2006/07/11.html
HTH,
nass

 

[JS]

Windows compresses files and folders (NTFS partition) that are not accessed
very often, explorer shows these files/folders in blue.

Compression can be turned on or off on a folder by folder basis.
Just select a folder, right click and select Properties, General Tab,
Advanced Button.
In the Advanced Attributes window you will find the Compress options near
the bottom.
Check or Un-check the Compress contents option.

Also when in Explorer select: Tools, Folder Options, View, Advanced settings
to see options related to colors.

How To Use File Compression in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307987

JS
http://www.pagestart.com

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I have Windows XP Home (OEM) and Microsoft Office 2003 (Student Ed). When I
open My Documents or other folders I find some file names appear in black
type and some in blue type. Why aren’t the file names all the same color of
type? And how do I make them all show in black type? Thank you.

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

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

 

[~Laughingstar~]

found it - it's "ON" - news to me

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.

 

[Swifty]

Windows compresses files and folders (NTFS partition) that are not accessed
very often, explorer shows these files/folders in blue.

I'm just curious. I assume this automatic compression is a one-way
journey, unless you decompress files manually. Does anyone know?

I don't mind things being this way. Most of my data is on a pair of
external USB drives, and by compressing the data on them, the overhead
of transferring the data via the relatively slow USB is reduced.

 

[Gerry]

It's not a one way process.

I manually compress files by right clicking on the containing folder in
Windows Explorer and selecting Properties, Advanced. and check the box
before "Compress contents to save Disk space" , then clicking on Apply
and OK. It is really only worth the effort with Archives, Windows Update
Uninstall folders and System Restore points if you hold a lot. Files /
folders need to be large, rarely accessed and capable of significant
compression.

You do the reverse to decompress. i.e. uncheck the box before "Compress
contents to save Disk space" , click on Apply and OK. Do folders one
at a time as if you decompressed your Windows folder it would take a
long time and leave you wondering whether it was working. Please note
that compressed files are displayed in Windows Explorer in a blue font
and uncompressed file in a grey / black font.

You only need to decompress files regularly accessed.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[John John (MVP)]

You only need to decompress files regularly accessed.

When you access the files they are automatically "decompressed" and
"re-compressed" by the operating system, this is done without user
intervention.

John

 

[Gerry]

True oh Wise One <G>!


--
Regards.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Swifty]

When you access the files they are automatically "decompressed" and
"re-compressed" by the operating system, this is done without user
intervention.

Perhaps I should have been more explicit in my original question, so
I'll rectify that this time around:

The system decides that one of my files is infrequently used, and
compresses it. I then use it every day for the rest of my life. Will it
ever get decompressed *back to its original state* without intervention
from me? The compression didn't require intervention, after all.

 

[John John (MVP)]

Perhaps I should have been more explicit in my original question, so
I'll rectify that this time around:

The system decides that one of my files is infrequently used, and
compresses it. I then use it every day for the rest of my life. Will it
ever get decompressed *back to its original state* without intervention
from me? The compression didn't require intervention, after all.

When you open the file the operating system will automatically
decompress it so that it can be read and used, once you are done with
the file the operating system will automatically compress it again, all
of that will happen without intervention from you. There is a bit of an
operating system overhead in doing the above, the operating system has
to take extra steps when it opens and closes the files. If you do
indeed use the file regularly then you can just do as Gerry said and
change the compression attribute on the file or on the folder holding
the file.

John

 

[~Laughingstar~]

Relieved you added that note ...

When you access the files they are automatically "decompressed" and
"re-compressed" by the operating system, this is done without user
intervention.

John

 

[C A Upsdell]

When you open the file the operating system will automatically
decompress it so that it can be read and used, once you are done with
the file the operating system will automatically compress it again, all
of that will happen without intervention from you. There is a bit of an
operating system overhead in doing the above, the operating system has
to take extra steps when it opens and closes the files. If you do
indeed use the file regularly then you can just do as Gerry said and
change the compression attribute on the file or on the folder holding
the file.

If the file is to be read only, there is no need to re-compress.

I wonder how much overhead truly exists in decompressing files. Yes,
more CPU time will be required. OTOH, if the compressed file is much
smaller than the decompressed file, the file on the disk will be shorter
and therefore disk I/O will be faster.

About 15 years ago the consensus was that there was little difference in
the time to read compressed and uncompressed files, but a significant
difference in the time needed to write them. I do not know how today's
technologies have changed this.

 

[John John (MVP)]

If the file is to be read only, there is no need to re-compress.

The operating system has to decompress the file to read it and
regardless of if the file is read-only or not, when the compress
attribute is set on the file it will be compressed again after you close it.

I wonder how much overhead truly exists in decompressing files. Yes,
more CPU time will be required. OTOH, if the compressed file is much
smaller than the decompressed file, the file on the disk will be shorter
and therefore disk I/O will be faster.

Yes, there is some overhead in the decompress/re-compress process and
this overhead is usually greater than the disk I/O differences. The
difference may be negligible on a workstation doing light work but you
certainly don't want to compress files on a busy server!

Best practices for NTFS compression in Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/251186/en-us

How To Use File Compression in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307987/en-us

John

 

[Robert]

I want to sincerely thank everyone for the answers provided to my questions.
I have rarely seen a topic so thoroughly discussed. Robert

 

[avik]

MS word problem

Dear sir,

While opening the word document file there is some error & i am unable to see data in that file.So please suggest for this problem.

Thanking you.