Prefetch - Indexing - Faster File Search - I Thought?

I use to think that to simply not use the C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch that on the hard drive properties all you had to do was uncheck, 'Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching.'

In the past this is all I have done to stop the C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch from filling up, but now when I recently did this in XP everytime I look in C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch it is filling up with files, so I'm really at a loss here...

Then I saw online at MSDN this:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms940847(WinEmbedded.5).aspx

So do you really have to change the registry key to disable this, or is unchecking the disk, ' 'Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching', all you need to do?


THANKS

 

Prefetch and file indexing are not related AFAIK. Indexing is strictly for the search function. Prefetch has to do with boot up and the files accessed during and early in startup, a cache of sorts.

I've disabled prefetch before but never noticed a difference one way or another, so since I've done a clean install of WinXP subsequently I've never messed with prefetch from default.

Usually, I uncheck the allow indexing flag as soon as I set up a new drive. It leaves one less service, Indexing Service, running that I don't feel the need for.

 

You must've mixed up apples and oranges. Prefetching and indexing has nothing to do with each other. Indexing is related to OS "search" feature, prefetching to preloading executables.
I can see why would one want to disable indexing, I can't say the same for prefetching.
To answer your question, yes, you would need to use the registry key to disable prefetching.

 

I think that in XP prefetching is also controlled by the Task Scheduler service.

The Prefetch folder should get to about 128 entries then the least used or earliest created are purged automatically to make way for new entries.

My opinion - leave it on.

 

IMO, don't mess with Prefetch and Indexing Service, especially on Win 7.