Unmasking orphaned system files
Unmasking orphaned system files
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Tip Think you might have, oh, just a few outdated files lingering on your system? When you're trying to drop this extra baggage, the most confusing files to deal with are system files that some applications install in your Windows or Windows\System folder. They blend into the crowd of other impossible-to-identify files and hog up hard disk space forever. The only foolproof way to catch all these orphaned files is if your software comes with documentation or an uninstaller feature to remove them. Even commercial uninstalling software isn't entirely foolproof unless you used it to keep a record of the program when you first installed it. The other solution is to create batch files that log all installation changes for you. But if you lack these resources, what do you do? Divining the parentage of system files is largely guesswork, but here are a couple of tips to make it a little easier. In Windows 95, you'll need the Quick View utility provided with that operating system. If you didn't install it before, choose Start--Settings--Control Panel and double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon. Click the Windows Setup tab, select Accessories, and click Details. Check the Quick View option and click OK. Click OK again in the Add/Remove Programs dialogue box and insert the necessary disk when you are prompted. Now, whenever you are trying to learn where a system file came from, right-click the file name in Explorer and choose Quick View. If you're lucky, the summary or view of the contents will give you some important clues, such as the manufacturer's name. Although Windows 3.x doesn't come with a file viewer, you can open just about any file with the Windows Write word processor. Start Write and minimise it on your desktop. Then drag a system file from File Manager and drop it on the Write icon. Click No Conversion. Then restore Write and skim through all the gobbledygook until you find some plain English. If luck prevails, you'll see exactly what you need. Since the information you're likely to find won't always be crystal clear, don't delete these (possibly) orphaned files just yet. Instead, move them to a temporary directory for a few days or weeks until you're sure everything on your system runs well without them. You can then delete the files or, to be extra cautious, archive them to a floppy disk. - Scott Dunn
Unmask perplexing system files using Quick View in Windows 95 or Windows Write in Window 3.x
| Category: Win95, Windows 3.x Issue: Jun 1997 Pages: 173 |
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