'Old Prefetch data' entry

[SMalik]

Do we really need 'Old Prefetch data' entry in CCleaner? I think removing it would be better because then we can provide the entry for all of the Windows in Winapp2.ini.

[Augeas]

I use it so I would miss it. I don't use winapp2.

[mta]

I also don't use winapp2.ini and although I have Old Prefetch data ticked, I actually don't need to as I have a SSD and have the Prefetch service deactivated since it provides no benefit.

[Andavari]

I have 'Old Prefetch Data' checked under Advanced in CCleaner, although I could do without it because whenever I make disk image backups I use a batch file of mine to delete the *.pf files - no sense in my views to back them up in the image too.

[login123]

Doesn't seem to make much difference to delete them here. 

Might be a privacy issue, but doesn't affect performance much.

I never have very many "old" ones.

[SMalik]

I think they can keep it in CCleaner, but it should work for the latest Windows OS also. I have Windows 8.1 and I have made an entry in Winapp2.ini for myself that I always use. I don't see any affects whatsoever. The only thing is that If you remove .pf files from the Prefetch folder, programs will take a little longer to open the next time.

 

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/what-is-the-prefetch-folder

 

Here is the entry that I use.

 

[Windows Prefetch*]

LangSecRef=3025

DetectFile=%WinDir%\Prefetch

Default=False

FileKey1=%WinDir%\Prefetch|*.pf

[Nergal]

Smalik I think you are backwards ccleaner intigration is the goal of the optional personal winapp2. The community winapp2 is NOT supported by Piriform and they will not even entertain the template's (you know the thread provided one you contribute to) existence.

 

If you, personally dislike the built in uncheck it and create your own and put it in your PERSONAL winapp2

[Nergal]

I think they can keep it in CCleaner, but it should work for the latest Windows OS also. I have Windows 8.1 and I have made an entry in Winapp2.ini for myself that I always use. I don't see any affects whatsoever. The only thing is that If you remove .pf files from the Prefetch folder, programs will take a little longer to open the next time.

 

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/what-is-the-prefetch-folder

 

Here is the entry that I use.

 

[Windows Prefetch*]

LangSecRef=3025

DetectFile=%WinDir%\Prefetch

Default=False

FileKey1=%WinDir%\Prefetch|*.pf

Discussed to death prefetch is NOT JUNK for the reason you yourself pointed out; it causes programs initial load to be slow.

[Andavari]

 it causes programs initial load to be slow.

 

That's usually the case when taking into account first run all on its own because of loading into memory, then of course the antivirus is going to scan it too. In my case Avira Antivirus takes longer to allow some programs to load on a first run basis rather they're already prefetched or not. Anyways like you said it's been discussed to death.

Edited January 15, 2015 by Andavari

[SMalik]

To me, Prefetch is junk! How come it is junk in Windows 7 and not junk in Windows 8? If Prefetch files are not junk then this entry should be removed from CCleaner. The Prefetch/Superfetch service work the same way in both Windows. Most of the known privacy eraser programs wipe .pf files. After removing these files, programs load with a 2 second delay.

[Nergal]

Old Prefetch are junk because "I" used "TurboTax 2014" for 3 "hours" 11 "months" ago, I don't need that software to open faster, or likely at all - delete that useless prefetch.

 

"I" use "Microsoft Word 365" 8 "hours" every "day". It opens a new instance everytime I make a new document - on my 12 year old XP pc with >a gig of memory that my government job makes me use that prefetch is GOLDEN.

 

This is why there's a difference between the "old prefetch" entry and wholesale removal/salvation of all prefetch.

If you want to use your entry go for it, but it seems more economical, to me at least, to experiment with turning prefetch off and if you don't miss it, leave it off.

 

I hope this will, once again, put this tired debate (which has been repeated often) to bed for another slumber.

 

[mta]

it's also good to wipe out PF every now and then as infected programs can get prefetched.

[Nergal]

So by "now and then" you mean "after infection cleaning". I don't get infected so I never thought of that but that's a good idea: to turn off prefetch, reboot turn on prefetch. Thanks I keep that in my hat

[mta]

and to muddy the waters a little bit more for the pro- or anti- camps, for those of us with SSD's, prefetch is simply pointless.

[Andavari]

for those of us with SSD's, prefetch is simply pointless.

 

I always have seen it as pointless, and as SMalik called it "junk." For me installed antivirus is more of a bottleneck cause of slowdown versus having some silly little prefetch file that's supposed to speed up things. Personally I don't know why Microsoft relied upon dozens of silly little files when they could've made a single file for it like Prefetch.sys - with the ability to empty the contents of course.