Windows temporary files - every user should know this. What is a folder

Some of the basic computer concepts are things like file, shortcut, and folder.

Each of these digital units interacts with each other in one way or another, and any user needs to understand the differences between one and the other.

This article will help you figure out what packages, folders and shortcuts are for, as well as what is generally meant by these names.

What is a file

It is worth starting the analysis of this concept with an explanation of how the computer file system is generally arranged.

So, each hard drive has its own volume, calculated in computer terms - bytes.

Relatively speaking, these bytes are cells, each of which is occupied by information.

The number of these cells, which is needed to install the program or transfer any data to the media, is also indicated as a number - volume.

However, the whole point is that the PC does not perceive interconnected cells as different data. It compiles them into packages.

In other words, a file is a group of interconnected cells of information that take up space on a hard disk.

It is very important that in order for the computer to perceive the occupied area as a whole, it must be named the same - and that is why we cannot create two documents with the same name.

Each file has its own format, which determines its content, as well as the application in which it will open.

Here are examples of the most common ones:

.exe is the so-called executable file. Its task is to simultaneously launch the work processes specified in the program.
.doc is a text document format of the Microsoft Word application. For versions older than 2010, the format has been modified to .docx.
.mp3 is an audio format.
.avi is a video format.
.dll is a format of operating system functions that cannot be opened by the user.
.jpg is a format for images and drawings.
.pdf is an image format for the Adobe Acrobat Reader application.

These are the most common formats, but in fact there are many more.

It is worth making a note that the user can create files with the same name, but different formats.

In addition, it is worthwhile to understand that the shortcut and folders, which will be discussed further, are also files, but they are private options that differ from others.

What is a folder

In fact, this is the same program, only in its functions it is very different from the rest of the features of ordinary information packages.

They were created specifically to make it easier for users to structure information on their hard drive.

A folder is a special type of file that serves as a container for larger layers of information.

It is displayed in any operating system as an image of a stationery package, and also has its own names.

Also, like regular packages, folders cannot have the same name, but here the restriction is softer - two identical names cannot exist only within the same creation place.

If, say, you create one on disk C, and the other on D, then you can name them whatever you like.

The entire folder system is divided into levels. The very first one that needs to be opened to access the files is indicated first.

If there are more similar containers in it, then they are indicated by the second level, and so on.

Although most often these packages are created by the user himself, go at his request, there are applications that create folders without the knowledge of the user.

The following are examples of such folders:

Spacekace is a place that is created by a special driver update program. Most often, it appears in the root directory of the system drive. The software is called DriverDoc, and if it is not already installed, then you can safely delete this container.
NNU is another file that appears after installing third-party software without the knowledge of the user. This is also the place where updates are stored, but for another program - the Navigator.

In addition, there are system folders that are created by the OS itself. These include winevt, which stores the information needed to run Windows.

It is highly not recommended to remove or carry out any manipulations with them, since this can cause malfunctions and the subsequent need to reinstall the system.

What is a label

A shortcut is also a special type of package that was made to make it easier to launch software or open containers of information.

Also, its task is to remove the need to constantly delve into the contents of the hard drive, and instead keep the buttons to launch the application in one place.

In fact, a shortcut is a pointer through which the computer understands which program in this case should be launched.

In the properties of each such package, there is a clearly defined path to the place and a specific indication of what needs to be launched.

This way you can quickly open folders and programs. Usually, shortcuts are created immediately when new software is installed, or they are formed by the user on their own as needed.

In general, this is all that can be said about the differences between files, shortcuts and folders.

You need to understand that the first is a collective concept that refers to all the information stored on a PC, while the second and third are special cases that facilitate and structure work with a computer.

Therefore, if you need to quickly launch your favorite game, then you should create a shortcut, and if you want to structure the document repository, then in this case you cannot do without containers.

SYS File Extension There are 2 types of SYS formats, each of which is opened by different programs. To open the desired format type, study the file descriptions and download one of the suggested programs.

How to open SYS file

The SYS extension can be represented by two main versions:

SYS file (full. Windows System File) belonging to the category of system files of MS Windows or DOS operating systems. It is one of the most significant files of the OS, which records and stores a wide variety of data, including settings, variables, entries and processes necessary to start the operating system. More often than not, the SYS format is used to store drivers (a file used for hardware interaction) of various devices.

The most common types of SYS files include:

IO.SYS- used to record and store the drivers needed to initialize and start the MS Windows or DOS operating system;
MSDOS.SYS- includes the main OS-DOS code (used to support the operating system kernel);
CONFIG.SYS- contains all the information about the configuration of the operating system.

The main location for system SYS files is the Windows installation directory (“ winsxs”).

It is strongly not recommended to open, edit, and even more so delete any files with the SYS extension. Making changes can lead to a malfunction of the operating system and will prevent it from loading correctly.

You should also refrain from downloading the SYS file from third-party resources. Firstly, there is a high probability that the system file will be infected with a virus program, and secondly, writing such a file to the hard drive can lead to the replacement of the original SYS files, which will inevitably lead to the collapse of the entire operating system.

Despite the fact that formatting a SYS file is undesirable, you can open the format for viewing using the integrated applications of the operating system or a regular text editor. It is quite noteworthy that when trying to open a SYS file, the OS will ask the user for permission to use the same program by default that played the format for the first time in the future.

SYS format (full. Motorola Driver File) is a driver for any Motorola mobile device (most often a mobile phone). The main practical purpose of the SYS file is to support data exchange between mobile and connected devices (for example, a mobile phone - a computer). In other words, the SYS driver provides the ability to read and write files from the device. Usually the SYS file is supplied with the installation package of the mobile phone on a CD.

"m56pci" And " p2k" - the names of the most common files with the SYS extension, which are used to communicate between a Motorola mobile phone and another device.

Software to open SYS files

Based on the category and area of its practical application, the SYS format can be opened and formatted using the following software applications:

using special programs integrated into the Windows operating system or a conventional text editor, for example, NotePad (ASI format is a system file of the operating system). It is noteworthy that Mac OS has its own implementation of the SYS file, which can be opened using Parallels Desktop 7 for Mac with Windows installed;
NotePad or a software utility built into the OS (ASI file - a driver for any Motorola mobile device).

If an error occurs when playing the format: either the source file is damaged or infected with a virus, or the SYS file is opened using an incorrect software utility.

Convert SYS to other formats

SYS extension is an operating system system file that is used to record and store drivers and fundamental parameters necessary for the correct launch and operation of the OS. Any conversion or formatting of a SYS file is fraught with the most disastrous consequences.

Attempts to convert the extension to another format may not only give no practical results, but also damage the original file. This can lead to a malfunction of the entire operating system. In this regard, the broadcast of this format is practically not practiced.

Why SYS and what are its advantages?

The main practical purpose of SYS files is the smooth and uninterrupted operation of all components of the operating system. Support for drivers of various devices, setting up system modules, storing records of running processes - this is the smallest set of functions that are assigned to system files with SYS.

In addition, the SYS file can be used as a driver to support communication between the Motorola mobile phone and the connected device.

Device driver used in Motorola mobile phones. Allows the phone to connect to a computer and transfer files to and from the device. Usually installed using the installation CD supplied with the mobile phone.

Examples of Motorola driver files are the "m56pci.sys" device controller and the "p2k.sys" file, which allow P2Kman to transfer and download files from Motorola Vxxx mobile phones.

Recommended Software Programs to open SYS (Motorola Driver File) files

Computers now occupy a serious part of our lives. That is why, now everyone needs to know at least the most basic concepts and terms. One of the most basic concepts that every user should know is a file.

What are files? Any information that is stored on a computer is stored in the form of files. A file is the smallest, roughly speaking, digital “thing”. Every time you save a picture, song, movie, text, you create a file. Every computer contains a huge number of files. Even on a new computer, where the operating system has just been installed, there are about a hundred thousand of them.

How to deal with so many files? Firstly, each file has an individual name, and, in addition, indicates which file is intended for what. Secondly, the files are not dumped into one heap, but arranged in special places called folders. Each group of files, united by a common function, theme, or something else, lies in its own folder. Thus, thanks to the individual name, extension, and the fact that each file is in a strictly defined place, you can easily understand the whole variety of files on your computer.

How to decrypt files? What does this or that extension mean? Conventionally, all files can be divided into several groups:

documents - files containing mainly text information, these files are created by the users themselves in programs specially created for this;
library files - these files contain various algorithms that programs use;
executable files - files, the launch of which causes this or that program to work.

To immediately understand which of these groups a particular file belongs to, you need to know the most common extensions and file types. Then, at a glance at the file, its purpose becomes obvious. An extension is the last three or four letters of a filename, always preceded by a dot. Unlike the file name, which can contain both Russian and English letters, the extension is always written in Latin only.

exe - colloquially, these files are often called executables. What are exe files? They belong to the group of executable files. When they are launched, the program starts, for example, a game or
com - these files are not used today, they can only be found in very old programs. In fact, these are analogues of executable files for the MS DOS operating system.
bat - files with this extension run several other files at once in a given sequence. The most commonly used file of this type is autoexec.bat, which is executed during computer startup and launches all the programs that are needed immediately after the download is complete.
cfg - these files contain the parameters of a particular program.
dll - library files.
hlp - files with this extension contain help files for programs.
dat - files containing data about the work of programs.

All of the following extensions are specific to executable files. They themselves are not part of a particular program, unlike the first three extensions, but they are each tied to their own program, in which the opened files are launched. For example, when you open a text file, you automatically launch a text editor, and a player starts with an audio or video file. Therefore, in order to run such files, it is necessary that the necessary programs are installed on your computer.

txt, doc, docx are used by various text editors.
htm, html - documents with hyperlinks. What are hyperlinked files? They differ from the rest in that navigation through them is carried out using special cross-references.
mp3, mid, wav - common
avi, mpeg4, dvix, mkv, mov - video recordings are hidden under such extensions.
jpg, bmp, png, gif are the most commonly used extensions for pictures, photos and other images.
rar, zip - archive files. What are archive files? Such files are created using files so that they take up less space on your hard drive.

Another concept is inextricably linked with the concept of a file - the file system. For a flash drive and a hard drive, it is imperative to choose the appropriate file system.

Many Windows users have heard the term "temporary files", but not everyone fully understands the essence of these elements and why they are created by the system and applications. Someone believes that they should be removed and they are superfluous, while others try not to touch them and carefully bypass them. Let's look at this issue in more detail from all sides.

Windows temporary files

What it is?

Temporary files in Windows are created in the system by various applications and by the operating system itself in order to store data that is required for the current task.

Why are temporary files created?

Temporary files are most often created to transfer large amounts of information that are not profitable to store in RAM, or their volume is larger than the amount of RAM. Therefore, program developers temporarily store this data in a folder with temporary files, so that after some time their program or a separate module can use this information.

Temporary files are also created as a backup of the data you are currently working with. For example, programs in the Microsoft Office package create temporary files with backup copies of the documents you work on. This is in case the office program crashes or the PC suddenly restarts. The next time you start it, you can continue working from the same place without losing data in the document.

As a general rule, temporary files should be deleted automatically after the application terminates gracefully. But in reality this does not always happen. As a result, we observe the accumulation of a large number of temporary files that are dead weight and take up useful disk space on the system drive.

Where are Windows temporary files located?

There are two places in the operating system itself where it is customary to store temporary files. You can go to them from Explorer at the following addresses:

%systemdrive%\Windows\Temp
%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Temp

You can paste one of these lines into the Explorer address bar to navigate to them.

The Windows temporary folder is usually used by the operating system itself. The temporary folder in your user profile is usually used by the programs you use. If you have multiple user accounts on your computer, there are several folders with temporary files, one for each user profile.

Some programs use their own temporary folder to store such data and often place them inside their own folders - a folder with the name of the program may have a temp subfolder.

There are also cases when individual programs create a Temp folder in the root of the system drive C.

How to change the storage location for temporary files

The operating system provides a way to change the variable folder in the user profile. To do this, in the environment variables ( Control Panel → Properties of the system → Additionally → Environment Variables) you need to change the folders for storing temporary files.

If there are several user profiles on your computer, then you should not move the folder with temporary files for all users to one folder. First of all, this is not recommended for security and stability reasons, since it is not known how this or that application will behave if it sees temporary files from another user in the folder. It's best to leave them where they are.

How to delete temporary files?

To remove unnecessary temporary files, you can use specialized utilities like Reg Organizer or .

The standard disk cleanup tool of the operating system is also suitable for this, but third-party applications usually have more options for cleaning the system of unnecessary data, which makes them more efficient.