Global.sw Mystery file

[realjd]

Using WinMe. A friend was cleaning it up for me and found a file global.sw, it's 4 GB in size. I don't know what this is for, but I wondering if it's specific to windowsME? What is it? Can I delete it?

 

[mattjurado]

Never heard of that file (especially since the file extension has only 2 characters, not 3). Where is it located? If you look at its properties, what does it say (any version or manufacturer name?)?

Has this system ever had a different operating system loaded? Might be some leftovers.

Matt J.

 

[realjd]

I figured it out. It's the file store for the Automatic restore for windows ME.
What tipped me off was checking the properties for a hidden folder called "_restore". There are only 4 files in them each less than half MB. but doing a property check on the folder gave me the 4GB size!. So one of the files in "_restore" references global.sw the actual system restore file.

What's dumb it that I searched the microsoft knowledge base and there was no mention of if. (At least not what i could find). I disabled system restore and rebooted and was able to delete it. I don't need a system restore function. I rely on disk images to recover a system.

 

[mattjurado]

I was going to suggest it might be the system restore checkpoints in that hidden folder, but I don't recall that specific file. Oh well, there is my learned thing of the day.

Matt J.