Compressed old files!

[Guest]

How do I gain access to compressed old files? Within Windows clean up? And
can I
permanantly delete them without causing any harm to the running of my pc?

 

[POP]

Assuming you mean XP-compressed files:

How do I gain access to compressed old files?

Same as you do with uncompressed files.

Within

Windows clean up?

No. See above

And can I

permanantly delete them without causing any harm to the
running of my pc?

Hard to say. Maybe. If you never need them or add anything to
your computer that might need them or use a program you haven't
used in quite awhile.
No, do not delete them; it's asking for trouble.

HTH
Pop

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

How do I gain access to compressed old files?

Just as you would any other files. They can be identified by their blue
color. They will automatically be uncompressed when you access them.

Within Windows clean
up?

They are not "within" Windows Cleanup. Windows Cleanup is a program, not a
place. They can be anywhere on your drive.

And can I
permanantly delete them without causing any harm to the running of my
pc?

Sure. It's no different than with any other file, and depends on what they
are. If an old file is a photograph of your ex-wife that you no longer want
to look at, feel free to delete it. If the old file is your résumé that you
haven't used since you last looked for a job, you may want to keep it for
next time.

 

[Ted Zieglar]

The names of files and folders compressed with NTFS compression -- for
example, when you choose to "compress old files" in the Disk Cleanup
Wizard -- are in blue. The names of archives compressed with the
Compressed Folders feature of XP have the file extension .zip.

Whether compressed or not, only you can decide whether a folder or file
should be deleted. A rule of thumb: If you're not sure what something
is, don't delete it.

Ted Zieglar
"Backup is a computer user's best friend."