Blue files and folders? 3

The files are encrypted or compressed on an NTFS volume. This is controlled with Control Panel, Folder Options, View, Show encrypted or compressed files in a different color.

Same thing happened to me when I purchased a new hard drive. All that I needed to do was a 'Full' format of the drive and not a quick format which resolved it.
This may not be your situation, but just adding my two cents

The Blue and Green explained:
Remember that when you use the Windows Disk Cleanup feature and it asks if you want to compress rarely used files to save space, the files that appear in blue haven't been used in a user-specified period of time and have automatically been compressed.

Thanks for the replies, I thought they meant compressed but couldnt work out how. I do run disk cleanup which probably explains it. Since I ran defrag i have some now showing as blue too - can defrag compress files?

Defrag compressing files like the Disk Cleanup option? Geez, not that I know of.

Are you using the /sageset:xx feature? (a truely hidden gem of XP):

No, what is the benefit of /sageset:xx feature?

It allows granularity in your cleanup, and you can create some very usefull shortcuts.

The process is to first create a sageset. It is trivial to do:

Start, Run, cleanmgr /sageset:xxx
(where xxx is any unique 1-3 digit number

Then, pick the options to assign to that sagest:xxx

The options for the files that you can specify for Disk Cleanup by using /sageset and /sagerun include:

•Temporary Setup Files - These are files that were created by a Setup program that is no longer running.
• Downloaded Program Files - Downloaded program files are ActiveX controls and Java programs that are downloaded automatically from the Internet when you view certain pages. These files are temporarily stored in the Downloaded Program Files folder on the hard disk. This option includes a View Files button so that you can see the files before Disk Cleanup removes them. The button opens the C:\Winnt\Downloaded Program Files folder.
• Temporary Internet Files - The Temporary Internet Files folder contains Web pages that are stored on your hard disk for quick viewing. Disk Cleanup removes these page but leaves your personalized settings for Web pages intact. This option also includes a View Files button, which opens the C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5 folder.
• Old Chkdsk Files - When Chkdsk checks a disk for errors, Chkdsk might save lost file fragments as files in the root folder on the disk. These files are unnecessary.
• Recycle Bin - The Recycle Bin contains files that you have deleted from the computer. These files are not permanently removed until you empty the Recycle Bin. This option includes a View Files button that opens the Recycle Bin.
• Temporary Files - Programs sometimes store temporary information in a Temp folder. Before a program quits, the program usually deletes this information. You can safely delete temporary files that have not been modified within the last week.
• Temporary Offline Files - Temporary offline files are local copies of recently used network files. These files are automatically cached so that you can use them after you disconnect from the network. A View Files button opens the Offline Files folder.
• Offline Files - Offline files are local copies of network files that you specifically want to have available offline so that you can use them after you disconnect from the network. A View Files button opens the Offline Files folder.
• Compress Old Files - Windows can compress files that you have not used recently. Compressing files saves disk space, but you can still use the files. No files are deleted. Because files are compressed at different rates, the displayed amount of disk space that you will gain is approximate. An Options button permits you to specify the number of days to wait before Disk Cleanup compresses an unused file.
• Catalog Files for the Content Indexer - The Indexing service speeds up and improves file searches by maintaining an index of the files that are on the disk. These Catalog files remain from a previous indexing operation and can be deleted safely.

You can now create shortcuts or Scheduled Tasks using the xxx number to indicate the options you selected.

For example, I cleanup my Temporary Internet Files nightly with a scheduled task that reads:

cleanmgr /sagerun:110

(As when I setup with sageset I specified 110 as the xxx in my discussion above). You can create up to 999 unique cleanup options.

You can also use this in shortcuts. I have a shortcut on my desktop to do an immediate cleanup of Temporary Internet Files. The "target" of the shortcut reads the same as the scheduled task example above.

I really think this is a hidden gem in XP.

Crikey bcastner, have another star. You really should create a web site that collates all of your various tips and tricks, otherwise all this knowledge will only be retreivable from forum archives, and then only if one happens to enter the right search criteria.

I'd love to know how you a) find all your knowledge in the first place and b) remember it all!

Regards

Nelviticus

Thank you Nelviticus.

The answer to your question(s) are that I read a lot, both print and Web; have a semi-organized and searchable database to links of web resources and MS KBs I have found useful in the past, including Tek-Tips; am a darned good user of Google; a lot of experience in answering about 800+ questions per month in various forums and newsgroups (I learn more than the poster of the question); and I used to tape record linney posts and play them while I slept until my wife and my daughter's cat complained.

While I keep a window open on one machine for Tek-Tips, three other web-based Forums, and a lot of newsgroups, I rarely manage more than an hour a day in little bits and pieces to spend on what I view as pro bono efforts to share with the user community. I believe strongly in users helping other users of these boxes. I am not always right, far from it, but I have always cared. See my comments here, under Windows Networking:
(if you look, there are many regular Forum members in this listing under various catagories).

Best wishes,
Bill Castner