These prior posts are listed with the most recent first. Be sure to look at several of the posts, since some of them add to (or contradict!) prior posts. Speaking for myself (who else?), I’ve learned a lot from these posts and from experience, so I’d give more credibility to later posts, especially from the same person. URLs for some MS Knowledge Base articles are also included. For the reasons behind these posts, see http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/19923.html PRIOR POSTS ON SCAN DISK/DEFRAG: CAN’T START, WON’T FINISH, INTERRUPTIONS, HOW OFTEN, NOT RUN ON STARTUP, ETC. http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/20274.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/20252.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/19956.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/19824.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/19585.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/17856.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/18912.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/19611.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/16584.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/16363.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/14003.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/12327.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/11940.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/11781.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/11673.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/11633.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/7141.html http://computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/6249.html http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q273017

Thanks, These lists are getting progressively longer RM :) You wait till you get to format. Or, all the posts you've saved on "which firewall". ;) Seriously though - good work. I had a look at my posts and they too need root and branch surgery, 5 or 10 minutes a day wouldn't kill to sort things and get everything nice and efficient again. Viking

Thanks, Viking. Here are some upcoming RESOURCE posts: * Windows Could Not Upgrade the File %1 from %2 * Deleting Unnecessary / Unwanted / Junk/hidden / Temp / Temporary Internet / Downloaded Program / Index.dat Files and Cookies * Tweaking WinME; Includes Resources Too Low, System Too Slow, Memory [Leaks], Swap File, System.Ini, Startup, Vcache, Etc. * And I’m considering one on how to Install/Uninstall/Reinstall/Getting Rid of the Remnants of Norton NAV/System Works. * On one or two other subjects, I just might list the answer and/or website; how many threads do we have to look at to know where to find existing or new ways to display system stats? I’ve seen all the recent posts on firewalls in general, and Zone Alarm in particular, but haven’t saved too many of them. They’re not especially illuminating, the gist being “I use it and I like it” or “I used to use it and it was a problem” or “I like this one better.” Someone posted a website where these were actually tested, and I found that very helpful, but it seems that opinions and preferences count more than tests. It’s not my intention to catalog all of Computing.net’s posts; so only the ones I’ve saved and are of interest to me will I (be able to) post. Since I haven’t formatted my disk and have no intention of ever doing so as long as I have a choice, don’t hold your breath looking for a list of prior posts on format. (The thought of losing all my tweaks, downloads, drivers, updates, patches, and everything I’ve done to my system that I can’t even remember scares the crap out of me!) Sorry this list of prior posts isn’t broken down into sub-categories, but this subject, IMHO, didn’t lend itself to doing that. The one on System Resources will have sub-categories.

RM, I didn't want to post this on the tail end of #20242. You mentioned hwinfo.dat file being 500+ kb if you use the hwinfo command. When I first discovered the feature naturally I played with it - my .dat file size is 133 kb. * What should the unused file size be ? * OR, is it just created if you use the function ? *What line would you add to clean the file on the *original Delindex Floppy* (Although I use the download). * or, would you just type a Del command at the A:\prompt ? Viking

Viking-- That file CAN be deleted from within Windows. Or, in DOS: del C:\windows\hwinfo.dat I could have added lots of stuff to delindex.bat but thought I should only include the most common things that apply to most people. (e.g., I could have included the garbage files that Office often leaves behind: c:\windows\ff*.tmp). How often are you or anyone else going to run hwinfo? If more than once, why? If you DO find it useful and run it often, I would add this line to the MORE section just after the :CONTINUE label: if exist C:\windows\hwinfo.dat del c:\windows\hwinfo.dat Why didn't you want to post this on the tail end of #20242?. Afraid I was going to miss it? It might have helped others while they were on subject.

I've just cut and pasted both responses onto #20242 for others. No I only used it the once to see what it was all about. :) And yes to your last question. :) ....and yes, I do realise how disjointed this looks. :):) Thanks again. Viking

Adding this data..... Having no knowledge about what its uses were or that it even existed I played with the command ( hwinfo ) a few times. It was cool to find something new but it contains nothing particularly useful for me since i couldnt easily make heads or tails of it so ive stopped using it. I asume that the typical user (me) trys something like this and never touches it again.