Hi,

Doing a little exploring to pass time on this cold, snowy day and somehow I ended up in my 'Windows>Downloaded Program Files'.

(1) I have 12 objects in it and I was wondering if any are safe to delete or do they all serve some kind of purpose? I think two are connected to a program called "Weatherbug' which I used to run on the computer.

2) I tried copying them to put them in this forum but couldn't do it. Is this normal or should I have been able to copy and paste them here?

Thanks and Regards,

Phil

You can hightlight the file name text and copy/paste that.

Hi OtheHill,

I don't really understand what you mean when you say to copy the 'text' file.

I have gone to Downloaded Program Files, clicked on EDIT, then 'Select All', then EDIT, then 'copy', but when I try to post them anywhere I don't have the paste option showing when I right click.

Can you walk me through this?

Thanks and Regards,

Phil

What he means is to click on the file name and then click again (but not double-click) to highlight the file name, then rightclick & choose copy to copy the filename for posting.

You can't copy the actual file in a post (nor would you want to)

Hi Phill, OtheHill, jboy, hi everyone,

These files in "Downloaded Program Files" can be deleted (Delindex deletes them)!

Have a good day,
Gérard from Paris, France

Some can be useful but others can be spyware.

If you delete them all this is no big issue because you will get prompted to download any you ever need when on the net.

I happen to have kept some but I know exactly what they are and keep an eye out for any unwelcome additions.

If you should decide to delete them manually I would suggest you type winfile in the Run box afterwards, which produces old fashioned File Manager (virtually a picture of DOS). Follow the path c:\windows\downlo~1 and delete any files in there too - they sometimes get left behind. Don't delete the wrong thing because deletes from there do not go to the recycle bin.

Sadly Windows explorer does not quite tell the truth as far as "Downloaded Program Files" contents is concerned (similar for "Temporary Internet Files").

D

Hi y'all

Lets hear it for winfile:-) Agree with you Derek..I have been deleting all of my DPF files..So far there is no affect on performance..It is up to the user to make that decision,tho'...Since I've deleting them, Hijackthis stays pretty clean...

beansoup

Hi Frenchie, beansoup, Derek, OtheHill, jboy and all,

Thanks for all the good responses. I appreciate everyone taking the time to share there views and experiences.

Thanks and Regards,

Phil

Yep beansoup. As often as not even the ones that are not spyware are gimmicky little features that you don't need/want very often.

Err...I like winfile but I'm in contact with someone who's File Manager doesn't show some existing folders, such as Favorites & TIF's. Monkeying with View didn't help, so I'm wondering if some OEM W98SE CD's partially hide things away - very weird.

D

Hi y'all

O/T
Yes Derek..I don't know about the 98se, but the winfile in 98 shows the tff and favorites...
Fonts and Favorites are hidden folders, so you do have to go to view, and check the box for "show hidden files"...then refresh..

Winfile lover:-)

I seem to mention this quite often and don't know if anyone else has ever downloaded and used COP. Runs in real DOS or in a DOS window. Only word of caution is to avoid copying or moving files with long filenames. It only supports DOS 8.3. Can be configured to show all hidden files among several choices. Menu driven, mouse enabled, does not expire. Dual pane.

http://www.simtel.net/pub/pd/5564.html

sekirt

FYI
Just to add...
If you have HijackThis, save to txt and copy items "016" and past them in the thread.

Hope this helps.......ck

Greetings all,

I now have three items left in my 'Downloaded Programs File'.

They are:
(1) Direct Animation Java Classes
(2) Internet Explorer Classes for Java
(3) Microsoft XML Parser for Java

I have searched 'Google' and found them all, but I still don't really understand what their purpose is on my computer.

My two questions are (1) could someone tell me what each of them is used for and (2) Would it be safe to delete them?

Thanks and Regards,

Phil

I think several have given you the answer. Yes. EVERYTHING in that folder CAN be deleted. If needed, it will be put back in at that time.

An example of something a person might not want to delete: Several online virus checkers put their active-X controls there and it saves time to leave them there for any future visits to the site.

Take everything out - if you later discover it was needed for a site(s) you visit often and it saves time to not delete. Then don't delete it the NEXT time.

sekirt

Hi sekirt,

Thanks for response. Sorry about being so cautious about deleting everything in the DPF folder, but I just wanted to make sure it was okay, since I know absolutely nothing about Java.

What I am really interested in is to find out what those three Java files are used for on my Win95a computer.

Thanks and Regards,

Phil.

beansoup #9

Yep I checked that at the outset, all hidden files set to show, and file extensions too. No idea. Maybe I something would gell if I saw the machine but it's a long swim across the pond...

D

G'day Phil, those files are installed by IE5x [I think] and are internet related and will do you no harm. They have the *.osd extension and if you open them in notepad you can see what they say. They are M$ files.

The most common program that will go in the DSP will be Shockwave Flash's *.inf file if you download any updates for it. Other things such as annoying auto-dialup programs may install there as well without telling you and can be deleted. Possably trojans and other virii as well. I personally would not delete those M$ files if I were you as it could do some harm...but maybe not.

To see all files in the Active-X Cache [DSP] just copy the folder to your desktop and it should open as a normal folder showing all it contains.

You can rename and relocate the DSP in the Registry as I have done but that's a long story so I won't explain it. I believe the file Occache.dll creates this folder and maybe the *.osd files as well for those that are interested.

This is a bit of text from Occache.dll using a Hex editor that might explain the DSP a bit :

"Downloaded Program Files are ActiveX controls and Java applets downloaded automatically from the Internet when you view certain pages. They are temporarily stored in the Downloaded Program Files folder on your hard disk"

Hope this was of significant importance.

duh...DSP is Chinese for DPF...duh......

[embarrassment mode]

Bloody stupid keyboard !

My DPF remain empty at all times. I have nothing that is needed there. Since RR suggests the exact opposite regarding the "java" stuff, why not use this plan?

Instead of deleting them, create a folder called "hold" somewhere on your hard drive and simply move them there. Hold them for a few weeks, if nothing bad occurs, then you can safely delete them. This way you will have some peace of mind that you handled it correctly.

sekirt

Morning sekirt,Ronnie Ratt,CK, beansoup, Derek, jboy, Frenchie, OtheHill
and all,

Thanks for all your posts and enlightning information. I will try to absorb it all and put it to good use.

Once again thanks for replying and have a nice day..

Thanks and Regards,

Phil

beansoup

In case you come back. I unearthed the reason for files not showing in some folks winfile. It was virtually what you said.

The important thing is that you have to go into File Manager itself (not the normal Windows place) and select View/By File Type. You then tick the box "Show Hidden/System Files".

Thats what comes from not reloading Windows since 1999, I probably did it then and quite forgot about it.

Thx for the hint (face appropriately red LOL)

D

Derek
You know MS never makes it easy....you have to check everywhere, everytime you click!
:)
sekirt

Too blooming true! LOL

D