disk clean-up -- compress old files

[floydman80]

Helping some friends improve on their pc's - when we run Disk Cleanup we get an item called Comress old files. Its 28 meg.

What are they and can I safely delete these? What is the affect.

thanks
Floyd

 

[bcastner]

XP tracks usage of files. When it finds that files have not be used or accessed, it offers the option to compress them to save disk space.

In most cases it is unwise to delete them, but safe to allow the Disk Cleanup tool to compress them.

 

[floydman80]

thanks - got it.

 

[linney]

Compressing old files refers to current files that you may not have accessed for a while, Disk Cleanup offers you the opportunity to compress these files in order to save space.

Just because you have not accessed them for some time does not mean you want to delete them. Disk Cleanup will NOT delete any of the files that it compresses. Its only purpose is to save you space. See for yourself by highlighting "Compress Old Files" in the Disk Cleanup window and reading the description in the window of the action to be performed.

Disk Cleanup Tool Stops Responding While Compressing Old Files

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=812248