.crwl and .gthr files

  • Thread starter Thread starter JohnBooth
  • Start date Start date
J

JohnBooth

8 .gthr files .. dating from today 1/26/09 back to 1/20/09.

File names are SystemIndex.ZZZ.gthr with ZZZ being consecutive numbers from
136-140. SysemIndex.chk1.gthr and chk2.gthr, and SystemIndex.Ntfy11.gthr.

Files are dispersed throughout subfolders to c:\documents and settings\all
users\application data\microsoft\search\data\applications\windows

140 .Crwl files dating from today 1/26/09 back to 8/25/08.

File sizes are from 1KB to 5KB

Filenames are SystemIndex.Z.Crwl with Z being consecutive numbers from
1-140. They are similarly dispersed to the 8 .gthr files.

Can I safely delete any of these .gthr and/or .Crwl files? Thank you.
 
Thank you for the quick answer. The article link returned: "Sorry, but we
couldn't find the page that you requested."

but I appreciate the quick support.
 
It is working now, you may wish to try again.

JohnBooth said:
Thank you for the quick answer. The article link returned: "Sorry, but we
couldn't find the page that you requested."

but I appreciate the quick support.


The files are safe to delete, but more will most likely be generated in the
future. They are generated by Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server.

Here is an article that you may find helpful:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;289653
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Thank you, Bob. Yes, it is working now. WAY over my head.

I guess this brings the question down to what is Microsoft SharePoint Portal
Server and why would it put these files on my machine?

I am running XP Home SP3 and to my knowledge do not have any such server
product on my machine.

The only MS OFFICE products I have are Outlook 2007 on PC and MS "OFFICE
MOBILE' on PDA phone running Windows Mobile 6 which syncs up to my pc.

I notice in ALL PROGRAMS is MS OFFICE TOOLS. One of the tools is MS Office
Diagnostics. I have never run it, so I tried it. Found no problems but it
does indicate if it does, use the option to 'connect to MS Servers' in order
to know what action to take. Maybe this is the connection between these
files and Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server.

Do you think these files are created with something to do with these MS
Office products? Your and Mr. Dederscheck's opinions are appreciated. I am
inclined to believe, as he said, they are OK to delete .... I hope.
 
Here is how to get your answer.
Search google for .crwl
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=.crwl&aq=f&oq=
pick this hit
http://www.fileinfo.net/extension/crwl
Excerpt:
"Log file generated after an indexing process run by Windows Search,
Microsoft Exchange, or SharePoint Portal Server; contains data about the
files that were "crawled" during the indexing process; typically saved
along with a corresponding .GTHR file."

So do you have Windows Search, Microsoft Exchange, or SharePoint Portal
Server? I'd say Windows Search has caused the files in your case.
 
So do you have Windows Search, Microsoft Exchange, or SharePoint Portal
Server? I'd say Windows Search has caused the files in your case.
Click to expand...

I have "Live Search" as one of the search 'engines' on IE7, but Google is
the default. The XP Search (Start, Search)?? I have no idea. There is no
product name or version or 'ABOUT' to tell me what it is. I assume it is the
native 'search' for XP Home SP3. I notice in Googling Windows Search, there
are about 1/2 dozen 'windows search' products ... I have no idea what this
one is (Windows Search, Instant Search, Windows Desktop Search, MSN Desktop
Search, Search Explorer, Windows Search 4.0).

I have a feeling it is Windows Search because Wikipedia.org/windows search
says "Windows Search is implemented as a Windows Service which implements the
Windows Search runtime and APIs, as well as acting as host for the index
stores and controlling the components. The most important component of
Windows Search is the Indexer, which crawls the file system periodically and
creates and maintains the index of the data. It achieves this using three
processes:[8]

SearchIndexer.exe, which hosts the indexes and the list of URIs that require
indexing, as well as exposes the external APIs that other applications use to
leverage the Windows Search features.

SearchProtocolHost.exe, which hosts the protocol handler. It runs with the
least permission required for the protocol handler. For example, when
accessing filesystem, it runs with the credentials of the system account, but
on accessing network shares, it runs with the credentials of the user.

SearchFilterHost.exe, which hosts the IFilter and property handlers to
extract metadata and textual content. It is a low integrity process, which
means that it does not have any permission to change the system settings. So,
even if it encounters files with malicious content, and by any chance if they
manage to take over the process, they will not be able to change any system
settings. The process contacts crl.microsoft.com."

SearchIndexer.exe, SearchProtocolHost.exe, and SearchFilterHost.exe all
'live' on my machine.

Well, INDEXING is and has been disabled but I have .crwl and .gthr files
dated today. I can't conclusively deduce what is creating the files. They
are sequenced oldest to newest via filenames. Deleting the oldest would
delete .001.crwl - X resulting in and without an 001 file to index from,
something may crash. I guess I will leave it all alone. I suppose I have to
dedicate disk space to Microsoft's whimsical indulgence.

Thank you immensely for your patience, time and advice. I will watch the
thread in case there is more input.
 
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