Not a joke post. I can't find the Prefetch folder in my XP Home installation.

[Jumbo]

I just read an article in PCW April 2007 about the prefetcher and advising
that the Prefetch folder can be found in the Windows folder but it is
nowhere to be found.

I have searched and searched using Windows XP Search tool and tried to find
*.pf files but only found a few in the Java folder.

It must be somewhere but where?

XP Home + SP2 and all the updates.

Maybe it doesn't matter as a Google search reveals conflicting opinions
about the advisability of cleaning out the contents once in a while.

Jumbo
Silver Surfer

 

[Alias]

I just read an article in PCW April 2007 about the prefetcher and advising
that the Prefetch folder can be found in the Windows folder but it is
nowhere to be found.

I have searched and searched using Windows XP Search tool and tried to
find *.pf files but only found a few in the Java folder.

It must be somewhere but where?

XP Home + SP2 and all the updates.

Maybe it doesn't matter as a Google search reveals conflicting opinions
about the advisability of cleaning out the contents once in a while.

Jumbo
Silver Surfer

Download Crap Cleaner, www.ccleaner.com and it will empty it along with a
lot of other temp. files. It's an excellent program and it's free.

Alias

 

[Jumbo]

Download Crap Cleaner, www.ccleaner.com and it will empty it along with a
lot of other temp. files. It's an excellent program and it's free.

Alias

Thanks Alias

I would still like to know where the folder is located.

Jumbo

 

[Malke]

I just read an article in PCW April 2007 about the prefetcher and advising
that the Prefetch folder can be found in the Windows folder but it is
nowhere to be found.

I have searched and searched using Windows XP Search tool and tried to find
*.pf files but only found a few in the Java folder.

It must be somewhere but where?

XP Home + SP2 and all the updates.

Maybe it doesn't matter as a Google search reveals conflicting opinions
about the advisability of cleaning out the contents once in a while.

Jumbo
Silver Surfer

You need to enable the ability to view all hidden files/folders (View
tab in Folder Options). In XP, there are four checkboxes to deal with:

a. Check "Display the contents of system folders".
b. Check "Show hidden files and folders".
c. Uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types".
d. Uncheck "Hide protected operating system files" and click "OK" to the
dialog box.

Then when you search, you also need to change the search options to
Advanced to include searching for hidden files/folders.

That said, there is no reason to worry about the Prefetch folder or to
clear it out on a clean machine. Here is the explanation of Prefetch:

The files in the Prefetch folder are data files related to enhancing the
speed at which applications start. Windows XP Professional monitors the
files that are used when the computer starts and when you start
applications. By monitoring these files, Windows XP Professional can
prefetch them. Prefetching data is the process whereby data that is
expected to be requested is read ahead into the cache. Prefetching boot
files and applications decreases the time needed to start Windows XP
Professional and start applications.


Malke

 

[Bob I]

C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch on a default install. There is nothing in there you
need to erase or change, and it is self cleaning, so leave it alone.

 

[Jumbo]

C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch on a default install. There is nothing in there you
need to erase or change, and it is self cleaning, so leave it alone.

Thank you to all responses.

I know where it is and will leave it alone.

Jumbo
Silver Surfer