When CHK files proliferate
When CHK files proliferate
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Tip My computer was generating an enormous number of CHK files.They were all 16K or multiples thereof (I have 16Mb RAM). I was getting an error message "Can't access part of drive" when I tried to run Defrag. When I ran Scandisk, these CHK files appeared in the root directory of Drive C:. My Iomega Ditto tape backup ran without any problems. My computer shut down properly and all programs seemed to run normally. I didn't know what could be causing this problem. It turned out that there were three possible causes of the CHK files: 1. Clipmate. I read on a BBS that if you check "Log Errors" this can cause CHK files. I did have mine checked, so I unchecked it. 2. My Briefcase. I could not open it. Microsoft Support detected that the problem was that I had too many files in it, and the data files had become too large. The only solution was to delete My Briefcase and do a "verify" reinstall of Windows 95 (to preserve my current settings). 3. Temporary Internet Files Folder. Scandisk discovered that the hidden Cache3 folder (under Temporary Internet Files) was damaged. It repaired the directory by truncating it at the point of damage. This folder contained the original data files. The other cache data files were enlarged by my not clearing the folders. This was repaired by a program called IEFix which shuts down Windows 95, deletes the data files in DOS, then re-registers the new ones created by Windows 95 on reboot. The result is no more CHK files! I can also run Defrag. Neville Clarkson adds: Several readers have written to the Help Screen asking for information about the files mm256.dat and mm2048.dat. These files lurk in the Temporary Internet Files folder, and also in the hidden cache directories below it. They are noteworthy because they appear to be indestructible: try deleting the temporary files folder from Explorer and you will find that these two DAT files cling stubbornly to life. Microsoft has yet to respond to my request for information, so I'm still unsure about the function of these files. However, it?s certainly safe to delete them, and you don?t need IEFix to do this. If Win95 is started in MS-DOS mode, all cache and .DAT files can be deleted. - Rodger Box | Category: Win95 Issue: Sep 1997 Pages: 155-156 |
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