Identifying files that are in use by system and/or programs

[Guest]

I had the big crash about a year ago and had to rebuild everything from
scratch. At the time, I put all old files in a 13GB file called [Old Data]. I
am afraid to delete it from my C drive due to the scary warning that some
program may need one of those files. Is there a way to find out if any of my
prorams or the system actually uses any of those old files?

 

[JS]

Assuming that you meant to say that you placed these files in a folder and
not a "file" then here are two ways:
1) Open Windows Explorer, navigate to the folder named 'Old Data' and in the
Explorer menu bar select View, Chose Details and check the box named 'Date
Accessed'. This will display the last time the file was accessed. If any of
the files have been accessed recently you know they are needed.

2) Burn the files to DVDs (to be safe use the Verify option) and then delete
the files from your hard disk. If you need them you can always copy one or
more of the files back from the DVDs you created.

JS

 

[Plato]

I had the big crash about a year ago and had to rebuild everything from
scratch. At the time, I put all old files in a 13GB file called [Old Data]. I
am afraid to delete it from my C drive due to the scary warning that some
program may need one of those files. Is there a way to find out if any of my
prorams or the system actually uses any of those old files?

Leave it be.

 

[dobey]

I had the big crash about a year ago and had to rebuild everything from
scratch. At the time, I put all old files in a 13GB file called [Old
Data]. I
am afraid to delete it from my C drive due to the scary warning that some
program may need one of those files. Is there a way to find out if any of
my
prorams or the system actually uses any of those old files?

Leave it be.

What's the exact message?

If you know it's old data, and you created it there shouldn't be a problem.
Sometimes windows gives a warning that deleting an exe file may affect
something, but usually it's because a shortcut has been created.

Is this 13GB file an archive, or a directory filled with your old files?

 

[Guest]

When I ask to display 'date accessed," it treats that request as an access
and shows [old data] directory as accedssed Today - so not much help. If I
ask to display last time modified, nothing has been modified for a year. Is
that good evidence or not? thank you for your help
--
PLF

Assuming that you meant to say that you placed these files in a folder and
not a "file" then here are two ways:
1) Open Windows Explorer, navigate to the folder named 'Old Data' and in the
Explorer menu bar select View, Chose Details and check the box named 'Date
Accessed'. This will display the last time the file was accessed. If any of
the files have been accessed recently you know they are needed.

2) Burn the files to DVDs (to be safe use the Verify option) and then delete
the files from your hard disk. If you need them you can always copy one or
more of the files back from the DVDs you created.

JS

I had the big crash about a year ago and had to rebuild everything from
scratch. At the time, I put all old files in a 13GB file called [Old
Data]. I
am afraid to delete it from my C drive due to the scary warning that some
program may need one of those files. Is there a way to find out if any of
my
prorams or the system actually uses any of those old files?

 

[Guest]

It is a directory of the files on C before I did the re-install.
--
PLF

I had the big crash about a year ago and had to rebuild everything from
scratch. At the time, I put all old files in a 13GB file called [Old
Data]. I
am afraid to delete it from my C drive due to the scary warning that some
program may need one of those files. Is there a way to find out if any of
my
prorams or the system actually uses any of those old files?

Leave it be.

What's the exact message?

If you know it's old data, and you created it there shouldn't be a problem.
Sometimes windows gives a warning that deleting an exe file may affect
something, but usually it's because a shortcut has been created.

Is this 13GB file an archive, or a directory filled with your old files?

 

[JS]

I did not mean to imply the directory but the 'date accessed' for the actual
files contained in the directory.

JS

When I ask to display 'date accessed," it treats that request as an access
and shows [old data] directory as accedssed Today - so not much help. If I
ask to display last time modified, nothing has been modified for a year.
Is
that good evidence or not? thank you for your help
--
PLF

Assuming that you meant to say that you placed these files in a folder
and
not a "file" then here are two ways:
1) Open Windows Explorer, navigate to the folder named 'Old Data' and in
the
Explorer menu bar select View, Chose Details and check the box named
'Date
Accessed'. This will display the last time the file was accessed. If any
of
the files have been accessed recently you know they are needed.

2) Burn the files to DVDs (to be safe use the Verify option) and then
delete
the files from your hard disk. If you need them you can always copy one
or
more of the files back from the DVDs you created.

JS

I had the big crash about a year ago and had to rebuild everything from
scratch. At the time, I put all old files in a 13GB file called [Old
Data]. I
am afraid to delete it from my C drive due to the scary warning that
some
program may need one of those files. Is there a way to find out if any
of
my
prorams or the system actually uses any of those old files?