Mysterious folders

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pete
  • Start date Start date
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Pete

A folder with a name like '1d9f819a11e4cc9db86df146360f' has appeared on my
system drive. It contains two folders: amd64 and i386, each of which
contains 7 files:

msxpsdrv.inf
msxpsinc.ppd
msxpsinc.gpd
filterpipelineprintproc.dll
mxdwdrv.dll
xpssvcs.dll
msxpsdrv.cat

I don't know whether they came with WindowsXP SP3 or with NET.Framework 1.1
Hotfix or SP 3.5.

What are they? Can I delete them? Any ideas what they might be?

Thanks.

Peter
 
A folder with a name like '1d9f819a11e4cc9db86df146360f' has appeared on my
system drive.
Click to expand...

Such names are usually Windows Installer temporary folders. They
should be deleted when the installation is successful, but if you
forcefully abort it (e.g. hard reset in the middle), they stay.
It contains two folders: amd64 and i386, each of which
contains 7 files:

msxpsdrv.inf
msxpsinc.ppd
msxpsinc.gpd
filterpipelineprintproc.dll
mxdwdrv.dll
xpssvcs.dll
msxpsdrv.cat
Click to expand...

Looks like some driver. Judging by mentions of "XPS" and "printer", I
suspect this is the "XPS Document Writer".
I don't know whether they came with WindowsXP SP3 or with NET.Framework 1..1
Hotfix or SP 3.5.
Click to expand...

If I'm right in my suspicion, then they may have come with .NET 3.0+.
What are they? Can I delete them? Any ideas what they might be?
Click to expand...

You can definitely delete this folder in any case, since it was
supposed to be deleted anyway. Having it around won't do anything
useful.
 
Such names are usually Windows Installer temporary folders. They
should be deleted when the installation is successful, but if you
forcefully abort it (e.g. hard reset in the middle), they stay.
Click to expand...

I don't remember aborting but I did do a System Restore at about that
time, to try and correct a problem that appeared around then. (This
problem was that I suddenly found my computer was asking me for a name
and password whenever I rebooted, and also when resuming after a suspend.
I found out how to put these right.)
Looks like some driver. Judging by mentions of "XPS" and "printer", I
suspect this is the "XPS Document Writer".
Click to expand...

OK. I don't know what that is, but I guess Microsoft needed these files
when it installed the XPS thing, but that now it's installed they're not
needed. Is that right?
If I'm right in my suspicion, then they may have come with .NET 3.0+.
Click to expand...

Ah. Possibly. I'm not sure how quite how long ago the folder arrived but
it may well have coincided with .NET 3.0+.
You can definitely delete this folder in any case, since it was
supposed to be deleted anyway. Having it around won't do anything
useful.
Click to expand...

Great. Thank you, Pavel. That's extremely helpful and I'm grateful to you
for replying so speedily.

Peter
 
I have the same folders. However, they are placed on my external hard drive. When I try to delete them, or any file in the folders, I get an "access denied" message. I also have a folder named System Volume Information that appeared on my external drive which I cannot delete. Any help would be appreciated.
 
File on external hard drive

I had the same file on my external hard drive. It wouldn't delete, so I just used "Unlocker," and found that it had a handle connected to Word. I unlocked it and it deleted fine. No sweat. If you don't have Unlocker, you need it.
 
System Restore

I also have a folder named System Volume Information that appeared on my external drive which I cannot delete.
Click to expand...


I understand this is an old thread- but in case anyone else comes upon it:

System Volume is a protected operating system folder. It contains the System Restore points. You cannot delete this folder- you shouldn't even try. You can remove old restore points however. If you have a malware infection, the malware can get into the restore points. If your system has been cleaned of malware and malware has gotten in to the restore points, you can reinfect the system if the date chosen has the malware.

This is why the old restore points are dropped at the end of cleaning and a new, clean restore point is set.

If you are not familiar with the System Restore feature and it's value, suggest you look it up HERE.

This may very well save your bacon one day!
 
Last edited:
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