CCleaner for Windows’ Duplicate File Finder has a blue star next to a duplicate file what does that mean.
In CCleaner Duplicate File Finder, a blue star next to a duplicate file indicates that it is a protected system file. CCleaner flags these files to prevent users from accidentally deleting them, as doing so could cause Windows or other applications to malfunction.
Staff Answer:
Where are you getting that information from?
(I have never seen that said anywhere before).
Could you give us a link where you got it from?
(Was it an answer ‘Made up’ by an AI?)
Found it on a google search AI Overview
In CCleaner, a blue star next to a file in the Duplicate File Finder indicates a protected system file. This is a safety feature to prevent users from accidentally deleting important files that are necessary for Windows or other applications to function correctly.
Meaning: The blue star serves as a warning that the file is critical for your system’s stability.
Action: You should not delete files marked with a blue star.
Thanks, I can see the blue stars in the new v7 duplicate finder, and the files do indeed appear to be system files.
However I still can’t find that explanation anywhere but in the AI overview
However the AI is getting it from (and linking to) your original post here,
That’s one reason why you should be very careful with any AI reply.
What it has clearly done is to find your first post question on here and is now presenting it as being the answer to that question.
It’s just sending you (and now everyone else) round in a circle.
Without clarification from the developers of what the blue star is meant to denote then it’s too new for me to say for sure one way or the other.
(I’ve added it to my list of things to test in v7, but it’s growing into a big list).
I read the file deletion warning.
My mistake, now I’m blue starred out, maybe I should of waited, even read more of the instructions before deleting files.
No more dependent on the blue star for duplicate files deletion, there is no recovery for those lost files.
Now that I lost MS Word it looks like I have to purchase one when I was grandfathered years ago, “my loss of access to Microsoft Word may be due to an older, one-time purchase license conflict.
MS anything isnt helping me with the key recovery, its a mess again.
When I rebooted after each deletion ran the programs the system was running faster and responsive.
I thought to keep going thats when the egg hits the floor and inevitable failure that follows it.
Hi @Mix,
If you hover over the blue star, the tool tip shows that the files indicated with a blue star are the original file.
So the blues star does not indicate a system file.
A good example of why you shouldn’t trust what a browser AI tells you.
Laurence_CCleaner Thats why I deleted the double (streamlined for speed), why would I need both to run a program.
Figured the blue is the original keep it then rid the double, if it needed an update CCleaner or Windows would see it and updated if necessary.
nukecad - AI been pretty wrong on a lot of things this one of them.
Be careful with deleting System File duplicates, often they are needed and if you delete them things can stop working properly.
That’s why the ‘old’ CCleaner has an option to ignore system files altogether.
