XP's prefetch and its layout.ini files.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ant
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A

Ant

I was poking around in my c:\windows\prefetch\ folder/directory and I
noticed some really old files/references like (mozilla.exe, ATI files,
etc.). Layout.ini showed even older stuff like ATI drivers which I don't
have for years.

I read that it it safe to delete everything in prefetch
folder/directory, but I can't delete/modify layouts.ini to rebuild (yes,
I know this will make my system slower at first).

Isn't Windows supposed to remove these super old references/datas? Or do
I need to remove them manually and how?

Thank you in advance. :)
--
"The evaluator counts the ants at the picnic of progress." --Mohan Singh
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.
 
Prefetch Cleanup. One of Microsoft's big selling points for Windows X

is that it loads applications much faster than its predecessors. To
accomplish

this feat, Windows XP uses what is called the "Prefetch technique," in which

the operating system gathers information about each program that you

launch and stores that information in the \Windows\Prefetch folder. Then on

subsequent restarts, Windows XP uses the information in the Prefetch folder

to essentially preload parts of those programs at boot time. Thus, when you

launch your application, it appears to load really fast. However, the
Prefetch

folder can accumulate too much information over time. This makes the

operating system so busy loading bits and pieces of lots of applications
into

memory that it ends up slowing down the boot process. Fortunately, you can

clean out the Prefetch folder at any time. Follow these easy steps:

1. Click on the Start Menu (lower left corner of your Desktop).

2. Access the Run dialog box.

3. Type Prefetch in the Open text box and click OK.

4. Click on any of the items in the right column to set your insertion bar.

5. Press [Ctrl]+A to select all the files.

6. Press [Delete].

Page 4 of 14

7. Close the folder.

As you use your system, Windows XP will rebuild the contents of the

Prefetch folder.

Repeat every couple of weeks.
 
prefetch files will simply rebuild
again when you subsequently
initiate any software.

i don't think there is
a formula on whether or
not you should or could
clean out your prefech's.

but i suppose it is no
different than deciding
whether or not to clean
ones ears.

if some cleaning helps,
then apparently it wasn't
such a bad idea.

there is more info at
Microsoft.com, e.g. prefetch
file.

For more on ear cleaning,
complex data can be extrapolated
from the use of a qtip or a twig
or other tool of complex design.

to my knowledge windows
does not regularly clear these out.
but there is third party cleaners
that do.

- db
I was poking around in my c:\windows\prefetch\ folder/directory and I
noticed some really old files/references like (mozilla.exe, ATI files,
etc.). Layout.ini showed even older stuff like ATI drivers which I don't
have for years.

I read that it it safe to delete everything in prefetch
folder/directory, but I can't delete/modify layouts.ini to rebuild (yes,
I know this will make my system slower at first).

Isn't Windows supposed to remove these super old references/datas? Or do
I need to remove them manually and how?

Thank you in advance. :)
--
"The evaluator counts the ants at the picnic of progress." --Mohan Singh
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.
 
Odd. I thought Windows XP does delete old entries. Wasn'ty there a limit
(maximum) on how many it remembers? I will go nuke all of them. Uh, how
about layouts.ini file? I can't delete/modify that one.


prefetch files will simply rebuild
again when you subsequently
initiate any software.

i don't think there is
a formula on whether or
not you should or could
clean out your prefech's.

but i suppose it is no
different than deciding
whether or not to clean
ones ears.

if some cleaning helps,
then apparently it wasn't
such a bad idea.

there is more info at
Microsoft.com, e.g. prefetch
file.

For more on ear cleaning,
complex data can be extrapolated
from the use of a qtip or a twig
or other tool of complex design.

to my knowledge windows
does not regularly clear these out.
but there is third party cleaners
that do.

- db
I was poking around in my c:\windows\prefetch\ folder/directory and I
noticed some really old files/references like (mozilla.exe, ATI files,
etc.). Layout.ini showed even older stuff like ATI drivers which I don't
have for years.

I read that it it safe to delete everything in prefetch
folder/directory, but I can't delete/modify layouts.ini to rebuild (yes,
I know this will make my system slower at first).

Isn't Windows supposed to remove these super old references/datas? Or do
I need to remove them manually and how?

Thank you in advance. :)
Click to expand...
--
Allah's Apostle said, "Once while a prophet amongst the prophets was
taking a rest underneath a tree, an ant bit him. He, therefore, ordered
that his luggage be taken away from underneath that tree and then
ordered that the dwelling place of the ants should be set on fire. Allah
sent him a revelation: 'Wouldn't it have been sufficient to burn a
single ant (that bit you)?'" --Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 54,
Number 536
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.
 
the ini file can be
spared from erradication.

if i'm not mistaken you
can look inside with notepad
and see it's contents.

again, more info at the source
of their creator - Microsoft.com

- db
Odd. I thought Windows XP does delete old entries. Wasn'ty there a limit
(maximum) on how many it remembers? I will go nuke all of them. Uh, how
about layouts.ini file? I can't delete/modify that one.


prefetch files will simply rebuild
again when you subsequently
initiate any software.

i don't think there is
a formula on whether or
not you should or could
clean out your prefech's.

but i suppose it is no
different than deciding
whether or not to clean
ones ears.

if some cleaning helps,
then apparently it wasn't
such a bad idea.

there is more info at
Microsoft.com, e.g. prefetch
file.

For more on ear cleaning,
complex data can be extrapolated
from the use of a qtip or a twig
or other tool of complex design.

to my knowledge windows
does not regularly clear these out.
but there is third party cleaners
that do.

- db
I was poking around in my c:\windows\prefetch\ folder/directory and I
noticed some really old files/references like (mozilla.exe, ATI files,
etc.). Layout.ini showed even older stuff like ATI drivers which I don't
have for years.

I read that it it safe to delete everything in prefetch
folder/directory, but I can't delete/modify layouts.ini to rebuild (yes,
I know this will make my system slower at first).

Isn't Windows supposed to remove these super old references/datas? Or do
I need to remove them manually and how?

Thank you in advance. :)
Click to expand...
--
Allah's Apostle said, "Once while a prophet amongst the prophets was
taking a rest underneath a tree, an ant bit him. He, therefore, ordered
that his luggage be taken away from underneath that tree and then
ordered that the dwelling place of the ants should be set on fire. Allah
sent him a revelation: 'Wouldn't it have been sufficient to burn a
single ant (that bit you)?'" --Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 54,
Number 536
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.
 
the ini file can be
spared from erradication.

if i'm not mistaken you
can look inside with notepad
and see it's contents.
Click to expand...

That is what I said earlier about layout.ini file. Please reread it.
There are TONS of outdated references/datas in it. ATI drivers? Huh? I
don't even have ATI card for years.
--
"It's kind of an insane case ... 6,000 ants dressed up as rice and
robbed a Chinese restaurant." --Steven Wright
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.
 
i launched my trusty tune-up program
and initiated the clear prefetch
feature which in turn cleared the whole
folder out including that ini file.

i tracked the feature down and it was
simply a >c:\windows\prefetch: del *.*
via a cmd window.

rebooted and everything is running
fine or better as it usually does with
this little tuner.

apparently, the programmers of the
tune up program discovered that the
ini was expendable.

windows will recreate it
when it needs to. And in your
case, it's likely to exclude
all those extinct folders when
it does.


- db
the ini file can be
spared from erradication.

if i'm not mistaken you
can look inside with notepad
and see it's contents.
Click to expand...

That is what I said earlier about layout.ini file. Please reread it.
There are TONS of outdated references/datas in it. ATI drivers? Huh? I
don't even have ATI card for years.
--
"It's kind of an insane case ... 6,000 ants dressed up as rice and
robbed a Chinese restaurant." --Steven Wright
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.
 
Awesome. Thanks. I hope I see layout.ini comes back soon. It's nice to
be clean! :)


i launched my trusty tune-up program
and initiated the clear prefetch
feature which in turn cleared the whole
folder out including that ini file.

i tracked the feature down and it was
simply a >c:\windows\prefetch: del *.*
via a cmd window.

rebooted and everything is running
fine or better as it usually does with
this little tuner.

apparently, the programmers of the
tune up program discovered that the
ini was expendable.

windows will recreate it
when it needs to. And in your
case, it's likely to exclude
all those extinct folders when
it does.


- db


That is what I said earlier about layout.ini file. Please reread it.
There are TONS of outdated references/datas in it. ATI drivers? Huh? I
don't even have ATI card for years.
--
"It's kind of an insane case ... 6,000 ants dressed up as rice and
robbed a Chinese restaurant." --Steven Wright
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.
Click to expand...


--
"When many work together for a goal, great things may be accomplished.
It is said a lion cub was killed by a single colony of ants." --Saskya
Pandita
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.
 
yeh, i know the feeling too...!


Awesome. Thanks. I hope I see layout.ini comes back soon. It's nice to
be clean! :)


i launched my trusty tune-up program
and initiated the clear prefetch
feature which in turn cleared the whole
folder out including that ini file.

i tracked the feature down and it was
simply a >c:\windows\prefetch: del *.*
via a cmd window.

rebooted and everything is running
fine or better as it usually does with
this little tuner.

apparently, the programmers of the
tune up program discovered that the
ini was expendable.

windows will recreate it
when it needs to. And in your
case, it's likely to exclude
all those extinct folders when
it does.


- db


That is what I said earlier about layout.ini file. Please reread it.
There are TONS of outdated references/datas in it. ATI drivers? Huh? I
don't even have ATI card for years.
--
"It's kind of an insane case ... 6,000 ants dressed up as rice and
robbed a Chinese restaurant." --Steven Wright
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.
Click to expand...


--
"When many work together for a goal, great things may be accomplished.
It is said a lion cub was killed by a single colony of ants." --Saskya
Pandita
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip (Ant) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
| |o o| | Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL): http://aqfl.net
\ _ / Remove ANT from e-mail address: (e-mail address removed)
( ) or (e-mail address removed)
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on his home computer.
 
Anything over 128 entries is flushed.
Odd. I thought Windows XP does delete old entries. Wasn'ty there a limit
(maximum) on how many it remembers? I will go nuke all of them. Uh, how
about layouts.ini file? I can't delete/modify that one.
Click to expand...
 
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