Compress old files ?

Hi ... When I perform a Disk CleanUp I notice there is a box for Compress Old Files , where exactly are these files located ?

Thanks

 

They can be nearly anywhere on your drive, depending on how you set the criteria for compressing them. When you highlight that option, you will get a button that allows you to set how many days that are allowed without the file being used before it will be compressed.

Any files that are compressed will thereafter have their names displayed in blue so you can spot them. You may have noticed that when viewing the $Uninstall$ files for the hotfixes you have installed.

Compressing a file causes a very slight delay when opening it but nothing serious. Even so, I never choose to compress any files since disk space is never that short. I don't recommend it for most users unless there is a specific need and there is no other option.

Does that help?

 

Is it also true not to have Disk Cleanup to clear them out ? I was told never to clean that part , True or not ? Thanks

 

That's good advice, don't check that box.

 

You can stop Disk Cleanup from checking for old files to compress, which saves time and can avoid it possibly "stop responding ":
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/812248

 

For those who don't like to manually edit their Registry, Kelly Theriot has made a couple of .reg file available that will do the work for you.

Just download them and double click the appropriate one to do the job. One disables the file compression in the clean-up applet and the other one restores it.

Disable old file compression

Enable old file compression

 

Sorry to interrupt. Why is it not recommended to compress old files?
I have the option set at default 200 days and a saving of 0 KB.

 

Hi Alicia,
I have read about problems with using compress old files and I have come across the "stops responding" problem. I have some programs and utilities that I do not use frequently and I don't want them to malfunction when I go to use them.

If it works for you, that's fine. I would rather leave the files uncompressed and just ensure I have enough storage space without using it.

It's been a problem for me in the past so I avoid it.

Mmmm, I can't seem to find it in Vista.

Matt

 

Thanks for the info Matt.