Fact or Myth

black mirror · #1 September 2nd, 2006, 10:24 PM

The prefetch folder.
i have seen it recommended to empty and then i found this

What is the view of the majority???

Rainbow32 · #2 September 2nd, 2006, 10:45 PM

There's a reason for the prefetch, to load XP faster. Read this, scroll down to prefetch for the explanation.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/is...l/default.aspx
Here I picked out the reason for the prefetch and the benefit derived.
From the MSDN-

Quote:

How does this scheme provide a performance benefit? The answer lies in the fact that during typical system boot or application startup, the order of faults is such that some pages are brought in from one part of a file, then from another part of the same file, then pages are read from a different file, then perhaps from a directory, and so on. This jumping around results in moving the heads around on the disk. Microsoft has learned through analysis that this slows boot and application startup times. By prefetching data from a file or directory all at once before accessing another one, this scattered seeking for data on the disk is greatly reduced or eliminated, thus improving the overall time for system and application startup.

I use to flush the prefetch folder based on ill advised info going around the internet. Haven't touched the thing in 2 years now and have no "prefetch issues".

**Snurfen** · #3 September 2nd, 2006, 11:38 PM

Try your pc for one week with the prefetch constantly flushed (every time you log on) - performance will go to the dogs. Rainbow32 has hit the nail on the head with that snippet.

Also defrag with a decent utility regularly.
Floss daily.

dammit · #4 September 3rd, 2006, 12:03 AM

If you use Ccleaner don't forget to uncheck old prefetch data.

black mirror · #5 September 3rd, 2006, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dammit

If you use Ccleaner don't forget to uncheck old prefetch data.

I never use the advanced features of ANY program.. just to be on the safe side

**zipulrich** · #6 September 3rd, 2006, 12:33 AM

I dump the prefetch file about every few weeks or so, whenever I remember to. Haven't noticed any slowdowns/etc. in a few years of doing so.

Rainbow32 · #7 September 3rd, 2006, 01:20 AM

Myth
http://www.edbott.com/weblog/archives/000743.html
http://blogs.msdn.com/ryanmy/archive...25/421882.aspx

dammit · #8 September 3rd, 2006, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rainbow32

Myth
http://www.edbott.com/weblog/archives/000743.html
http://blogs.msdn.com/ryanmy/archive...25/421882.aspx

Rock on buddy... found similar stuff a while back.

**zipulrich** · #9 September 3rd, 2006, 02:50 AM

Thanks! Now I know what not to do

Rainbow32 · #10 September 3rd, 2006, 08:35 PM

The prefetch saves up to 128 programs then starts deleting the prefetech for the rarely used programs once that limit is reached. I have noticed that programs I very rarely use takes a few seconds more to start than the one's I use frequently.
Vista's prefetch is suppose to be much more robust.