Not removing prefetch datat

[Ache]

I have added the prefetch folder to be cleaned.

Since the last 5(?) updates CCleaner is not removing the files in it anymore although it use to do so with a older version.

I removed the "rule" and set it again, changed remove folder+files to files only etc, but it refuses to delete them.

 

Windows XP, SP3.

 

Anyone knows a (possible) solution for this?

[1Princess]

I was having problems with some files remaining after I clicked Run Cleaner. I would click Analyze again, then click Run Cleaner and the same file or files were still on the list.

 

I finally figured out through Trial & Error, that if I clicked Run Cleaner again it deleted more files. I clicked Run Cleaner again and more files appeared on the list showing which files I deleted that time.

 

Now I click Analyze once and Run Cleaner until it shows "0 bytes removed".

 

[Ache]

Tried that with no luck.

It does say (example) 106Mb to be removed.

It removes 79Mb.

Clicking analyze again shows 0Mb to be removed.

[Augeas]

You have a rule for Prefetch? I use the standard checkbox (remove entries older than 14 days) and it works fine. If you have a rule for Prefetch perhaps it's conflicting with files in use or some other restriction.

[Ache]

I've tried several things, but nothing makes it work.

I disable the "Old Prefetch Data" went to tools > include > added the prefetch folder > files and subfolders...

And guess what? It still doesn't remove the prefetch files.

I checked the attributes on the folder and none is set.

[Augeas]

Perhaps CC applies the same rules to the included prefetch folder as it does to the prefetch entry in Cleaner/Advanced. After all prefectch is supposed to be a boot and program load speedup tool.

 

When I added the prefetch folder to my Include entries all prefetch files were listed on an Analyse. I'm not going to run it but I would bet that it removes the same amount of files that the Cleaner/Advanced option does.

 

If you're so worried about prefetch just change the registry option so that no application, or even no boot time application, are created. How to do it is Googlable.

[login123]

I disable the "Old Prefetch Data" went to tools > include > added the prefetch folder > files and subfolders...

 

Running xp sp3 here. 

Did the same things as you, analyze showed nothing to remove regardless of the "old" check box. 

Only 2 of these .pf files are older than 14 days anyway. 

Then added the prefetch folder, "delete all files", analyze showed nothing to remove. 

Then I tried to edit the file type to specifically include ".pf" file extension.

When I did that CCleaner popped a warning saying "For system safety reasons you cannot select this specific location."

 

So I guess CCleaner doesn't want to mess with those .pf files.  Most of what I've read reinforces that, don't mess with them. 

[Andavari]

So I guess CCleaner doesn't want to mess with those .pf files.  Most of what I've read reinforces that, don't mess with them. 

 

That and Windows will automatically clean them out by itself.

[Ache]

Andavari,

No, Windows does not remove them by itself.

 

ISO-later,

I have tried the same thing with the same results.

Kinda weird that CCleaner did remove the files without a problem until  5(?) versions ago.

 

Augeas,

Indeed, it is supposed to load applications faster. I've tested it with a batch file.

- register current time

- load the application

- register time as soon as the application was loaded and returned a "0" code when is was loaded

With or without prefetch file... No difference.

 

Anyway, it should not be up to CCleaner to decide if the prefetch files will be removed or not.

[login123]

Long time ago I deleted them manually, as an experiment.

Didn't make much difference, maybe slowed down some apps loading until they were rebuilt.

There were warnings not to delete Layout.ini and NTOSBOOT***.pf.  Don't think I deleted them. 

Point is, not much difference in performance, why mess with them.

 

And I do remember that windows somehow "manages" them, don't know if that means delete them. 

[hazelnut]

This prefetch thing will be argued about til the end of time . As far as I am aware Windows has a limit of 128 entries  (1024 entries on Win 8 and 8.1) and then after adding a new entry, drops the last one. I guess it was important for XP but newer operating systems use them more but in a different way.

 

If you want to look at it forensically jump in here

 

http://www.invoke-ir.com/2013/09/whats-new-in-prefetch-for-windows-8.html

[login123]

Yep, thats eggzaktly what i thought, Hazelnut.  

 

On a serious note thanks for that link, will watch that site. 

 

That old experiment was to see if I could reduce the "snoopiness" of windows xp. 

It worked, but wasn't worth the trouble.

I suppose the accepted reason for prefetching was to make things work faster, but I don't believe it. 

 

Anyway, fiddling with the prefetcher didn't make much difference on this win xp desktop.

[mta]

if you were cleaning the prefetch area to improve speed, it never worked.

in fact, for the next few reboots, it would slow Windows down as it re-prefetched the files it needed.

and it was never much of a space issue due to XP only having an average of about 119 files listed anyway.

 

the only reason I ever had to touch that area was when an infected file got prefetched, then I would blow away the entire folder for good measure.

 

it's one of those topics that generally polarises people and basically has no real pro's or cons on however you want to deal with it.

so on that level, without hard data on any benefits, I leave them alone.