Deleting windows files

Discussion in 'Windows XP Help and Support' started by olrob, Mar 13, 2014.

  1. olrob

    olrob

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    C:\Windows\INF has some 1,600 files of *.pnf, *.inf and *.adm types. Can I safely delete them or at least the old files?

    c:\windows\prefetch has 10 files located there of *.pf type. Can I safely delete them or at least the old files?

    Thanks
     
    olrob, Mar 13, 2014
    #1
  2. olrob

    Elizabeth23

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    What is an INF file?
    Microsoft Windows drivers must have an information (INF) file in order to be installed. An INF file is a text file that contains all the information that the Setup components must have in order to install a driver. This information includes the following:

    Driver name and location
    Driver version information
    Registry information
    Windows INF files do not contain installation scripts. The installation procedures are part of a Microsoft Win32 installer application, such as the New Device Wizard and the Add Hardware Wizard, with each INF file acting as a resource.

    Deleting these files may cause issues with some of your hardware or cause problems installing new hardware.
    Source:
    http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms790220.aspx

    ==============


    Having been concerned about disk space Windows takes for a long time, I'll throw in my share.

    Scour through each user's home folder and My Documents folder and remove unneeded files
    Run cleanmgr. On its Advanced tab, also clear System restore checkpoints (if you have them enabled at all)
    Remove the hibernation file (hiberfil.sys) and/or relocate the swap file (pagefile.sys)
    Delete everything in C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download, which contains Windows Update download cache
    Delete everything in C:\Windows\Temp
    Delete everything in C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Temp
    Delete the hidden C:\Windows\$Nt*Uninstall* folders, which allow you to uninstall updates you installed over time (not that you need it, right?). Be careful to not to delete the folder $hf_mig$
    Search the partition for *.log files and delete them
    Using CCleaner may also help (or may not)

    =================

    Advice from Shenan Stanley:

    Probably will want to clean up that machine...

    Check for malware:
    Download, install, run, update and perform full system scans with the following two applications:

    Malwarebytes (MBAM): http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free
    SUPERAntiSpyware: (SAS): http://www.superantispyware.com/


    Removing everything they find. Rebooting when needed. (You can uninstall one or both when done.)
    Then perform an online scan with the eSet Online Scanner.

    The less you have running all the time, the better the things you want to run will perform:

    Use Autoruns to figure out what all is starting up when your computer does/when you log on. Look up anything you do not know about usingGoogle (and/or ask here.) You can hopefully figure out if there are things starting when you computer does (or you logon) that you do not need and then configure them (via their own built-in mechanisms is the preferred method) so they do not start up - using your resources without reason.
    You can download and utilize Process Explorer to see exactly what is taking up your processor/CPU time and memory. This can help you recognize applications you might want to look into alternatives for and/or get rid of all together.

    Do some house cleaning and dust off that hard drive:

    You may wish to free up some disk space (will also aid in getting rid of things you do not utilize) by going through these steps:

    Windows XP should take between 4.5 and 9GB *with* an Office suite, Photo Editing software, alternative Internet browser(s), various Internet plugins and a host of other things installed.

    If you are comfortable with the stability of your system, you can delete the uninstall files for the patches that Windows XP has installed...

    http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spack.htm

    ( Particularly of interest here - #4 )

    ( Alternative: http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_hotfix_backup.htm )

    You can run Disk Cleanup - built into Windows XP - to erase all but your latest restore point and cleanup even more "loose files"..

    How to use Disk Cleanup
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310312

    You can turn off hibernation if it is on and you don't use it..

    When you hibernate your computer, Windows saves the contents of the system's memory to the hiberfil.sys file. As a result, the size of the hiberfil.sys file will always equal the amount of physical memory in your system. If you don't use the hibernate feature and want to recapture the space that Windows uses for the hiberfil.sys file, perform the following steps:

    - Start the Control Panel Power Options applet (go to Start, Settings, Control Panel, and click Power Options).
    -
    - Select the Hibernate tab, clear the "Enable hibernation" check box, then click OK; although you might think otherwise, selecting Never under the "System hibernates" option on the Power Schemes tab doesn't delete the hiberfil.sys file.
    -
    - Windows will remove the "System hibernates" option from the Power Schemes tab and delete the hiberfil.sys file.

    You can control how much space your System Restore can use...

    1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.

    2. Click the System Restore tab.

    3. Highlight one of your drives (or C: if you only have one) and click on the "Settings" button.

    4. Change the percentage of disk space you wish to allow.. I suggest moving the slider until you have just about 1GB (1024MB or close to that...)

    5. Click OK.. Then Click OK again.

    You can control how much space your Temporary Internet Files can utilize...

    Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to a size between 64MB and 128MB..

    - Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer.
    - Select TOOLS - Internet Options.
    - Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section, do the following:
    - Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK)
    - Click on "Settings" and change the "Amount of disk space to use:" to something between 64MB and 128MB. (It may be MUCH larger right now.)
    - Click OK.
    - Click on "Delete Files" and select to "Delete all offline contents" (the checkbox) and click OK. (If you had a LOT, this could take 2-10 minutes or more.)
    - Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer, re-open Internet Explorer.
    -
    You can use an application that scans your system for log files and temporary files and use that to get rid of those:

    Ccleaner (Free!)
    http://www.ccleaner.com/

    ( just the disk cleanup - don't play with the registry part for now )
    Other ways to free up space..

    SequoiaView
    http://www.win.tue.nl/sequoiaview/

    JDiskReport
    http://www.jgoodies.com/freeware/jdiskreport/

    Those can help you visually discover where all the space is being used. Then you can determine what to do.
    After that - you will want to check for any physical errors and arrange everything for efficient access"

    CHKDSK

    How to scan your disks for errors
    * will take time and a reboot.
    Defragment
    How to Defragment your hard drives
    * will take time
     
    Elizabeth23, Mar 13, 2014
    #2
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