What's C:\Windows\prefetch ?

[Latem]

What's that folder all about? It holds a bunch of .pf files, and Layou.ini. It sounds like it could be some kind of cache, with a name like "prefetch". And probably more memory related, than disk related, since lots of files are named EXECUTABLE.EXE-<random numbers>.pf. But this is just speculation. I tried google, but couldn't find anything useful or relevant, at least not in English. Anyway, if anyone has any insight, let me know please.

Thanks,

Latem

[ovidiucucu]

See THIS (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1683520,00.asp).
Also you can find many others with a gooooooooooooooogle search. ;)

[Latem]

Thanks Ovidiu.

I was searching "C:\Windows\prefetch", but searching "prefetch folder" yielded much better resutls.

http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-6270-5165773.html
http://www.jsifaq.com/SUBL/tip5800/rh5826.htm

So, as I understand it, it's basically a cache for booting and application startup. Is it just to improve speed of boot and app start? I guess, I am not sure should prefetch have any influence on actual application performance? I am asking because I had deleted some stuff from prefetch, and now a game I play seems to be running a little slower than before. So does that make sense?

Thanks,
Latem

[Kalamat]

Prefetch are basically things that a store in windows cache such as searchs u make.

I often erase all prefetch files, and the computer boots a little faster.
I saw this tip in an article on optimizing the computer.

I often erase the TEMP folder in documents and settings.

Try it and see.