Deleting the prefetch folder. What is the Prefetch and Temp folder for in Windows XP? Is it possible to remove virus-infected files from them?

Subject Windows optimization seems to most users to be very important and, probably, that is why so many myths are associated with it. One of these myths claims that you can increase disk space, as well as speed up the system and applications, by performing certain manipulations with the folder Prefetch. Let's figure out whether this is really so and why the folder is needed at all Prefetch.

On Windows directory Prefetch plays the same role as cache in browsers. To help your system or applications start faster, Windows automatically saves some of their code in special trace files. When a user launches, for example, a resource-intensive application, the system first accesses the contents of the folder Prefetch, reads the saved and "Part" programs into memory, causing the latter to start faster.

On Windows the folder Prefetch closely related to the work of the service SuperFetch and component ReadyBoost, therefore any actions with it can affect their work, and not in better side. Yes, disabling the service SuperFetch may lead to a decrease in system performance on most PCs, with the exception of either older machines with 1 GB of RAM or less, or, on the contrary, very powerful ones - with more than 16 GB of RAM. Also SuperFetch can be disabled if as system disk used SSD .

What will deleting the contents of the Prefetch folder do for optimization? Nothing, it will only get worse. Firstly, the time required to load the system and some programs will increase, and secondly, files PF will be created anew, for which the system will again have to allocate part of the memory resources. In addition, deleting a directory Prefetch will not add any disk space, since this folder usually weighs little, and the number of files in it is always limited 128th.

If you already want to manage content Prefetch, this needs to be done correctly, namely through the registry.

Open with command regedit Registry Editor and expand this branch:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters

In the right column of the editor window, find the parameter and see its current value.

Most likely it will be 3 . It is this value that includes acceleration of application and system launch. If you want to disable them completely, change the value to 0 . To speed up only applications, install 1 , to speed up loading of the system only, install 2 . For the changes to take effect, restart your computer.

A slightly less common myth is that programs can be speeded up by adding the key to their shortcut /prefetch:1. This action supposedly adds the selected program to the folder Prefetch. In reality, adding a key /prefetch:1 to a reference to an object does not affect the operation of the application in any way; the service decides whether to create or not create trace files Prefetcher , which knows better which applications need launch optimization and which do not.

Now about one more useful function, her name is Prefetch.
This feature is designed to optimize the loading experience of the apps you download. So that they load faster the next time you boot.
If I remember it right.

It would seem, why should we touch her?
The fact is that over time, a lot of files from the applications that you launched accumulate in the Prefetch folder. And if, in addition, something was installed and deleted, then the files in Prefetch from remote programs remain. And this begins to slow down the system.
Because when the system boots, Windows tries to find all the files that are listed in Prefetch.

There is no clear opinion on what to do about this; some recommend deleting and emptying this folder at every boot, some clean it once a week; most users advise disabling it altogether.
But this function is certainly useful.
The only thing is to clear it if you have the ability to install and remove different programs maybe once every two weeks.
If you just use already installed programs, you can sometimes clear them when you remember. :)
These same files, or rather, their common denominator - the \Windows\Prefetch\layout.ini file - are then used by the defragmenter to optimize the location of files on the disk, which further reduces loading time.

If you're not yet confused, Prefetch is a built-in optimization function.
What is she doing?
This function is designed to reduce the loading time of applications, those that are loaded at system startup and those that you often use.
So Prefetch contains files from the most frequently downloaded programs, sometimes not from frequently downloaded ones. On what Windows principle I don’t know who selects them. Maybe as God will put it on your soul.
And then windows waits until you leave your computer and go smoke, drink tea, etc. I don’t remember exactly after what time, in my opinion after 20 - 30 minutes of machine inactivity.
Windows, according to the data in the Prefetch folder, begins to shuffle programs that are often used to load faster to the beginning of the disk.
Just like I mentioned, it optimizes the loading of programs, in addition to moving them.

But often, when optimizing their system, users unwittingly disable this function.
The point is for normal operation This service needs three things that are often disabled. Or rather, two of them are turned off.
1. Built-in defragmenter
2. task scheduler
3. Doctor Watson (although I don’t remember exactly).

It is advisable to remember this.

So what else can we do.

1. Delete either all files from this folder or files from those programs that are no longer on the machine.

2. find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters\
There's a key there EnablePrefetcher(REG_DWORD)
The values ​​that apply to it are (0, 1, 2, 3)
0 – disabled (Recommended for low-power computers)
1 – recommended for computers with RAM up to 256MB (Programs only)
2 – For those who have 512MB or more on board (programs and system libraries)
3 – This is already designed for super-duper powerful processors + at least 512MB of RAM, although with LargeSystemCache=1 it works great on 256MB of RAM.
I recommend EnablePrefetcher=3

"Enable"="Y"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction
"OptimizeComplete"="Yes"

There is one legend walking around the Internet.
What in Windows Vista all applications will launch and run 15% faster than in Windows XP. So you don't have to wait at all Windows release Vista, in order to experience all the delights of this cartoon, because... they are already included in WinXP SP2!!! All that remains is to enable this cartoon (Super Prefetch). This cartoon works ONLY under Windows XP SP2!

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\ Memory Management\PrefetchParameters\
1. Create a type parameter
DWORD
Value Name: EnableSuperfetch
Value: 1

2. Someone says that you need to create a separate section.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\
Create a section Prefetcher
Create a type parameter
DWORD
Value Name: EnableSuperfetch
Value: 1

Opinions are divided, there are comments about the myth of this parameter, there are those who have noticed an increase in productivity.
In any case, to check. You lose nothing and gain nothing except an extra entry in the registry.

P.S. If anyone has a beta version of Vista, please export the branch HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
And send it to me if you don’t mind.

As you continue to explore your computer for different folders and files, you may discover many interesting things. Often the same folders arouse genuine interest for the simple reason that the files in them sometimes take up a lot of space on the hard drive, which raises the question of whether these files can be deleted. Today we'll talk about the Prefetch folder.

The Prefetch folder is located in the Windows folder (usually C:\Windows\Prefetch). It is used as one of the loading components operating system Windows, thanks to which the OS loads faster and the time spent launching programs is reduced. The component itself is called Prefetcher and first appeared on Windows XP.

How does Prefetcher work? The loading of the operating system is accompanied by processing large quantity files. In this case, some files are opened many times to read different segments. This process can take a lot of time, so it is much more convenient and productive to access each of the files only once, loading the information into RAM even before it becomes necessary. Prefetcher allows you to accumulate this information in trace files to optimize the loading of code and data on subsequent launches by observing what code and data is loaded during the startup of the operating system and applications.

Prefetcher parameters are stored in system registry. You can change the Prefetcher settings.

Click on the keyboard shortcut WIN+R. The Run window will appear, enter the word regedit and click OK. This will open the .

Once the editor is open, navigate to the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters.

Select the EnablePrefetcher option.

Double-click on it. A window will appear in which you can set one of the values:

• 0x00000000 - component is disabled

• 0x00000001 - acceleration of application launch

• 0x00000002 - system boot acceleration

• 0x00000003 - acceleration of application launch and system boot

No need to enter specified parameter, but only the number at the end, for example, 0, 1, 2 or 3.

And be careful when working with the registry. If you don’t understand something, don’t change anything, because one careless move can lead to problems with the operating system!

Is it possible to delete the Prefetch folder?

There is a legend according to which files that require deletion are collected in the Prefetch folder. This is wrong. The files are temporary and the system automatically deletes them if necessary, which is why, by the way, the folder size is so small. So you shouldn’t touch the files in the specified folder.

If you do delete the files, nothing will happen, but application loading speed may drop. In this case, the files will be re-created automatically.

Hello guys Prefetch is a folder in which difficult data is stored, and those that allow you to work Windows is faster. This data is the result of the work of the service, which in turn analyzes the user’s work at the computer and tries to make sure that next time all the actions he does happen faster.

Therefore, the Prefetch folder can even be called magical, because thanks to it the computer can work much faster. But exactly how much depends on the free amount of RAM. The more RAM, the better

Here are the contents of my Prefetch folder:

If you open its properties, you will see how much space it takes up:

As you can see, it takes up very little space, so it’s better not to delete it. But what happens if you delete it anyway? Nothing bad will happen, the service will just start working again.

I deleted it myself to check. Then I rebooted, after which the system worked properly and everything was fine.

But when I looked in Windows folder, That Prefetch folder was already created, well, that is, everything is as I wrote. But when I tried to delete it again, there was a message saying ask for permission from the administrator, well, that’s a joke, I think... But then I clicked repeat and repeat again and that’s it, the folder left. So just in case you can’t remove it, here you go special utility, she knows how to delete all stubborn folders. But you, be careful with it, well, with this utility..

I thought that if I turn it off SuperFetch service, then the folder will not appear after deletion. But no, she showed up anyway. But there was nothing in it except the ReadyBoot folder. That is, the Prefetch folder in some way also relates to the ReadyBoot technology, this is also for speeding up the computer, and a flash drive is used for acceleration... But that’s a completely different story

Just in case, I’ll tell you how you can disable SuperFetch. So look, launch the dispatcher, go to the Services tab and click this button on it:

A window will open containing a list of services. Not all of them work, they are just all that are in Windows. Here you need to find SuperFetch and double-click on it.

It is difficult, without being a specialist, to follow the development of the operating room Windows systems. But there are elementary concepts that every user should understand. Knowing which folders are responsible for what in Windows will make it easier to navigate the system. An example of files unknown to us is the contents of C:/Windows/Prefetch.

Purpose of the folder

Let's answer the question: why do we need the Prefetch folder? When Windows starts, it analyzes programs that we often use (we open them ourselves or using startup). The system then creates information about these programs, which it stores in special temporary files in the Prefetch folder. Subsequently turning on Windows these files speed up loading of the OS.

The OS component is responsible for performing this work. If you remove them, no changes will occur. The next time you start it, Windows will again collect current data about programs and place it in the Prefetch folder. However, loading the OS may take a little longer than usual.

Prefetch was first used in Windows XP. WITH the advent of Windows The Vista folder was supplemented with SuperFetch technologies (responsible for analyzing frequently launched applications) and ReadyBoost (responsible for increasing performance). You can find it in this path: C:/Windows/Prefetch.

Managing the Prefetcher Service

Manage work Prefetcher services you can do this in the registry editor:

This parameter operates with values ​​from 0 to 3, which mean:

• 0x00000000 - disabling the component;
• 0x00000001 - acceleration of application loading;
• 0x00000002 - Windows startup acceleration;
• 0x00000003 - acceleration of OS and application loading.

The default value is 3. To disable the service, enter the value 0 and restart the PC.

Important! The developers made sure that the Prefetch folder did not accumulate files (and gigabytes of disk space), creating a limit of 128 trace files.

Answers on questions

Is it possible to delete the Prefetch folder and the data it stores?

No. This doesn't make sense for three reasons: