BAK FILES

John Hawkins · Post by **John Hawkins** » 17 Dec 2006 8:58 pm

I noticed that my Recycle Bin showed that it had items in it that I had not put there !
When I opened the Bin , there were about 6 items --some large -some small, that were titled BAK files . I empted the Bin of these files with the hopes that I had not done something wrong .

What are these type files ? How did they automatically get into the Recycle Bin ?
Could someone give some info. on this subject to an old computer dummy ?
I ran a scan with both Defender and AVG and neither showed a problem .

First time this has ever happened to me so I need to know what to do now that it has !
I run WindowsXP home o/s , by the way !
Many thanks !
John
[This message was edited by John Hawkins on 17 December 2006 at 09:03 PM.]

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 18 Dec 2006 4:03 pm

.BAK is usually used to designate a backup of a file that has been edited, or changed. All files in the recycle bin are sent there from their original folder location. You can find that location by opening the Recycle Bin, right-clicking on a file in question and selecting Properties. The Properties will show the "Origin" of the deleted file. Go to that folder (directory) to see what else is in it.

John Hawkins · Post by **John Hawkins** » 18 Dec 2006 6:44 pm

Wiz,
Many thanks for your advise ! Since it has never occured before I will do as you instructed if and when it happens again !

Thanks very much for your reply !

John

Mike Baxter · Post by **Mike Baxter** » 19 Dec 2006 10:58 am

One of the recent Windows updates seems to have revised the manner in which Outlook Express performs the 'File/Folders/Compact All Folders' process - which OE periodically 'suggests' that you do. The process now displays Copying of folders and creates BAK files in the Recycle bin.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 19 Dec 2006 3:51 pm

It sure does create backups of your Outlook Express databases. I compacted all folders and when I looked in the Recycle Bin there were 191 Mb of new .bak files! Mystery solved.

If you are wondering why Microsoft has created this behaviour, my guess is that it allows you to recover your email databases, in the event they are corrupted by compacting them.

Otherwise, the only reasonable explanation is that "All your email are belong to us!"

------------------
Bob "Wiz" Feinberg
Moderator of the SGF Computers Forum
Visit my Wiztunes Steel Guitar website at: http://www.wiztunes.com/
or my computer troubleshooting website: Wizcrafts Computer Services,
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Learn about current computer virus and security threats here.
Read Wiz's Blog for security news and update notices. Learn about using a Limited User account to protect your PC. Read my FAQs.

John Hawkins · Post by **John Hawkins** » 19 Dec 2006 3:59 pm

Mike,

Thanks ! That sounds like exactly what may have happened . I run OE and since this was the first time it has happened it sounds like you may have "pegged" the occurence !

I have recently, started to get a popup after closing OE stating in effect, that OE can compact to save disk space ! I have recently ok'ed that on the popup !

Thanks for your input !!!
John

John Hawkins · Post by **John Hawkins** » 19 Dec 2006 4:14 pm

Wiz,
Sorry -- I did not get your post until I submitted a thanks to Mike !

Would you think I should delete some of the very old dated files and/or discontinue ok'n OE to compact ? I found some that are dated back to 2003 in Internet Explorer ! I was scared to start deleting stuff since I "know not what I do" and cause some screwup worse than the original question .

Could you possibly give me a proceedure to delete some of these old BAK files that are taking up unneccesary space ? Maybe it would help speed up this old 56K dialup I have which is a pain . Nothing I can do about that until I can get cable or DSL in this small town where I live !

Thanks again for all your help !

Here is a "quote" you may some day want to use . It refers to me exactly !!

" You Can't Fix Computer Dummies "

Thanks Wiz,
John

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 19 Dec 2006 9:43 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Here is a "quote" you may some day want to use . It refers to me exactly !!

" You Can't Fix Computer Dummies "

Thanks Wiz,
John
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
John;
I can indeed fix Computer Dummies. I do it all the time by helping people get up to speed on the skinny of computer security and general operating procedures. Just think of it like I am teaching you a new lick that you have heard but never tried to play before.

My recommendations for cleaning up unneeded files is to empty your recycle bin everytime something goes into it, to delete temporary and temporary Internet files and defragment your hard drives every other week, or at least once a month.

Windows itself ships with a disk cleanup utility that will locate and remove temporary and deleted files for you. To access it open My Computer (icon on Start Menu, or Desktop), right-click on the icon for the C drive, move the mouse pointer over the bottom entry in the list - Properties and left click on Properties. The Properties of the Local Disk (C:) will open to the General tab. In the middle area there is a button labeled Cleanup. Use it to see how much disk space you can save by eliminating unneeded files. Allow it to remove temporary and deleled files, but do not allow it to compress old files, unless you are low on disk space.

After you run the tool you should defrag drive C. Go back to Properties > Tools tab for drive C and click on Defragment Now. Close all open browsers and folders, your email client, and any other running applications, then run the defragmenter. Do this for any additional hard drives you may have installed, whether internal or external.

I believe this will speed things up and reduce clutter on your hard drives.

------------------
Bob "Wiz" Feinberg
Moderator of the SGF Computers Forum
Visit my Wiztunes Steel Guitar website at: http://www.wiztunes.com/
or my computer troubleshooting website: Wizcrafts Computer Services,
or my Webmaster Services webpage. Get Firefox Here.
Learn about current computer virus and security threats here.
Read Wiz's Blog for security news and update notices. Learn about using a Limited User account to protect your PC. Read my FAQs.

[This message was edited by Wiz Feinberg on 19 December 2006 at 09:44 PM.]

John Hawkins · Post by **John Hawkins** » 20 Dec 2006 6:00 am

Wiz,
Thanks once more for your help ! I do like to find those new licks on my Zum ! If I had hands like B.E., John Hughey and some other super players, maybe it would not take me as long playing Steel (age 16 to current age 74 yrs)to learn them.ha-ha

I'll print out your always good advise and refer to it often .

Have a great Holiday Season.
John