Clean Windows prefetch files to improve system performance
This is a new technique for Windows XP. We know that it is necessary to scrub registry and TEMP files for Win9X/ME/2000 periodically. Prefetch is a new and useful technique in Windows XP. Windows XP can prefetch portions of data and applications that are used frequently in which the OS gathers information about each program launched, then stores that information in the \Windows\Prefetch folder. This makes processes appear to load faster when called upon by the user. The information stored in the Prefetch folder is used to preload parts of those programs at boot time.
However, after using XP time to time, the prefetch directory can get full of junk and obsolete links in the Prefetch catalog and the prefetch folder may become overloaded with references to files and applications no longer in use, which slows down your computer performance noticeably. Following these steps to clean up the Prefetch folder:
Method 1
- Access the Run.. dialog box by clicking Start, then Run...
- Type: Prefetch in the Open text box. Then click OK.
- Press Control A to select all the files.
- Press Delete, then reboot.
Method 2
- Open C(system drive):/windows/prefetch, delete those junk and obsolete files, then reboot.
It is not reccomended to clean up Prefetch folder to ofen (e.g. each week) because Windows will rebuild the contents of the Prefetch folder each time and this would decrease the system performance if you do it too often.
See also this Windows XP trick: Disable Windows Prefetch files on low RAM systems.
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