Application in "Prefetch" in Win XP cannot be deleted?

Question

After additional add-in name, i.e. "Prefetch-CanSafeDeleted" to the Prefetch folder; and later deleted the folder and reuse back the orginial system name "Prefetch". Why this particular renamed shortcut cannot be deleted or reversed back at all !?

Answer 1

Prefetching is a Windows XP performance feature that analyzes disk usage and then reads into memory the data that you (or your system) access most frequently. The prefetcher can be used to speed up booting, application launching, or both. You can configure the prefetcher using the following registry setting:

HKLM\SYSTEM\
CurrentControlSet\
Control\SessionManager\
Memory Management\
PrefetchParameters\
EnablePrefetcher

Set this value to 1 for application only prefetching, 2 for boot only prefetching, or 3 for both application and boot prefetching. You might also be able to locate your additional add-in name within this tree and delete it from the Registry. However, I strongly recommend backing up the Registry before deleting anything.

As far as setting the value above, I've found that setting it to 2 for boot only prefetching improves performance on most systems and has little to no effect on application performance. (Since commonly used application launch files are probably in the RAM cache anyway.)

Answer 2

"prefetch" is a folder used by Windows XP during boot up to help it optimize the location of files on your computer for a faster bootup. If the file is deleted, XP will recreate it on the next boot up.

Because the file is loaded during bootup, it is "in use" by XP and can not be easily deleted. So appears your virus scanner marked the file for deletion on the next boot up (standard way virus scanners handle "in use" files - just delete them next boot up before they are "in use"). XP then created a new prefetch folder which does not have the virus.

If the "Prefetch-CanSafeDeleted" is till there, just delete it.

But you should have a "prefetch" folder, and if deleted XP will remake it.