What is this directory?

markg2

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The following directory has zero files. What is it?

C:\2f04dd45bebca7274eda34cc24490614

Thanks,

Mark
 

My Computer

Computer type
PC/Desktop
OS
Windows 7 & Windows 10
I don't have it.

That long random name makes it look like a backup or temp file used at one time by a Windows update, upgrade, or installation.
 

My Computer

Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Ignatz Special; 4 speed manual gearbox; factory air conditioning; one of one
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
CPU
Intel Skylake i5-6600K, not overclocked
Motherboard
AsRock Z170M Extreme 4, micro ATX
Memory
8 GB HyperX DDR4-2666 (2 x 4 GB)
Graphics Card(s)
none; graphics are integrated on CPU
Sound Card
onboard: Realtek ALC1150; external: USB Behringer UF0-202
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell S2340M 23 inch IPS
Screen Resolution
1600 x 900
Hard Drives
System: Crucial MX100 series SSD, 128 GB;
Data: Samsung Spinpoint 103SJ, 1 TB;
Backup: WD Caviar Green WD30EZRX-00D8PB0, 3 TB
PSU
Rosewill SilentNight 500 watt fanless, semi-modular
Case
Antec Solo II
Cooling
Noctua NH-U12S; Noctua F12 intake, Noctua S12A exhaust
Keyboard
Microsoft 200 6JH-00001 USB
Mouse
Dell or Microsoft optical wired; USB
Antivirus
Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes Premium
Browser
Pale Moon
Other Info
All fans PWM; speeds at idle: CPU circa 500 rpm; intake circa 600 rpm; exhaust circa 600 rpm; CPU temps 27 idle and 47 C load in a warm room (27 C/81 F) when running Intel Extreme Tuning Utility stress test.
What is the timestamp on it?

If unsure if it is okay to delete a filename or folder, I simply rename it by adding -delete-2-28-2011 to the end (obviously using today's date to illustrate). If something breaks, I just remove the end and don't have to remember the original name. If nothing breaks, then next time you run into it, you can look at the date, ensure in your head everything works fine, then delete it.
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
BrightWorks Systems B4
OS
Windows 7 Profession 64-bit
CPU
Intel Core i7-860 Quad
Motherboard
Gigabyte P55-UD4P
Memory
Mushkin 4x2Gb PC12800
Graphics Card(s)
Gigabyte GTX260 896Mb
Sound Card
Integrated 7.1 HD Dolby
Monitor(s) Displays
2 Samsung 2220wm-HAS 22"
Screen Resolution
1680 x 1050 | 1680 x 1050
Hard Drives
WD HE 1Tb
PSU
Corsair TX-750W
Case
Ultra M998
Cooling
OEM
Keyboard
MS Wireless Comfort 5000
Mouse
MS Wireless 5000
Internet Speed
Cable and pretty darn fast
The following directory has zero files. What is it?

C:\2f04dd45bebca7274eda34cc24490614

Thanks,

Mark

Look inside the folder and see if you have an "spinstall.exe" file. I got one of those every day I attempted to install SP1. After succeeding, I deleted them and they are not back. If empty, I read it was created by Microsoft's "Malicious Software Removal Tool" update. I also deleted them on my machine without any consequence.

You can also follow Digerati's suggestion.

Next time you update the MSRT, monitor your directory tree before and after.
 

My Computer

Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
DIY Re-built.
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 64Bits SP1
CPU
Intel i7-920
Motherboard
ASUS P6TD Deluxe
Memory
12 Gb (6x2GB Corsair XMS TR3X3G1600C9 G) Tri Channels
Graphics Card(s)
ASUS GTX-970 Turbo
Sound Card
ASUS On Board SoundMax
Monitor(s) Displays
Samsung UN46D6500 46" TV
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
1 OCZ SSD Agility Sata III 120Gb
1 Samsung 1Tb
1 Samsung 750Gb
1 Western Digital 500Gb(Mounted in ext eSata case)
PSU
Enermax CUG-950W
Case
Full ATX (Generic)
Cooling
Fans (6) 80mm
Keyboard
Saitek Eclipse II
Mouse
Cyborg R.A.T-5
Internet Speed
Comcast 105.0 MBPS
Antivirus
AVG
Browser
Waterfox v40.02(x64)
Other Info
- Logitech X-530 5.1 Sound speakers.
- APC ES-1300.
- Arris TG862G/CT Modem/Router.
- Samsung BD-083A Blue Ray Player
- Lite On iHBS212 Blue Ray Burner
- Nippon Labs All-In-One Card Reader/Writer W/USB & eSata
MS Office creates directories like that as well to cache installation files.
 

My Computer

OS
XP / Win7 x64 Pro
CPU
Intel Quad-Core Q9450 @ 3.2GHz
Motherboard
Asus P5-E
Memory
2x2GB GSkill DDR2
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS (EVGA)
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell 2408WFP
Screen Resolution
1920x1200
MS Office creates directories like that as well to cache installation files.
Unless something changed in Office 2010, those directories were always labeled as MSOCACHE.
 

My Computer

OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
CPU
Intel Core i7-2600
Motherboard
Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD3P-B3
Memory
12 GB Patriot Extreme DDR3-1333
Graphics Card(s)
Nvidia GTX 470
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell UltraSharp 2209WA
Hard Drives
OCZ Agility3 240 GB, WD5001AALS, WD7501AALS
PSU
OCZ ModStream 700W
Case
CoolerMaster HAF 912 Advanced
Cooling
CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Plus
These hexadecimal directories are created by the Windows Installer, including Windows Update. They are only temporary directories, and should, in theory at least, be safe to delete in every situation.
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell XPS 420
OS
Vista Home Premium x86 SP2
CPU
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 2.50GHz
Motherboard
Stock Dell 0TP406
Memory
4 gb (DDR2 800) 400MHz
Graphics Card(s)
ATI Radeon HD 3870 (512 MBytes)
Monitor(s) Displays
1 x Dell 2007FP and 1 x (old) Sonic flat screen
Screen Resolution
1600 x 1200 and 1280 x 1204
Hard Drives
1 x 640Gb (SATA 300) Western Digital: WDC WD6400AAKS-75A7B0 1 x 1Tb (SATA 600) Western Digital: Caviar Black, SATA 6GB/S, 64Mb cache, 8ms Western Digital: WDC WD1002FAEX-00Z3A0 ATA Device
Case
Dell XPS 420
Cooling
Stock Fan
Keyboard
Dell Bluetooth
Mouse
Advent Optical ADE-WG01 (colour change light up)
Internet Speed
Varies from 10kb/s to 170kb/s. So unreliable it is not funny
Other Info
ASUS USB 3.0 5Gbps/SATA 6Gbps - PCI-Express Combo Controller Card (U3S6)

My Computer

OS
XP / Win7 x64 Pro
CPU
Intel Quad-Core Q9450 @ 3.2GHz
Motherboard
Asus P5-E
Memory
2x2GB GSkill DDR2
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS (EVGA)
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell 2408WFP
Screen Resolution
1920x1200
That would probably be the temp directories created during an install, that should have been removed automatically shortly thereafter. Either way, those are safe to delete. The MSOCACHE directories could cause issues down the road if they are simply deleted.
 

My Computer

OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
CPU
Intel Core i7-2600
Motherboard
Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD3P-B3
Memory
12 GB Patriot Extreme DDR3-1333
Graphics Card(s)
Nvidia GTX 470
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell UltraSharp 2209WA
Hard Drives
OCZ Agility3 240 GB, WD5001AALS, WD7501AALS
PSU
OCZ ModStream 700W
Case
CoolerMaster HAF 912 Advanced
Cooling
CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Plus
Yea, they're temp directories for cached installation files as I said in my first post. They were of no use.
 

My Computer

OS
XP / Win7 x64 Pro
CPU
Intel Quad-Core Q9450 @ 3.2GHz
Motherboard
Asus P5-E
Memory
2x2GB GSkill DDR2
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS (EVGA)
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell 2408WFP
Screen Resolution
1920x1200
Thanks--I've followed a previous suggestion to rename then then delete after a period of time.

Mark
 

My Computer

Computer type
PC/Desktop
OS
Windows 7 & Windows 10
When in doubt, I always add a .old to the end of the file or folder name. Then after a few reboots and some normal system usage, a delete is fine.
 

My Computer

OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64 SP1
CPU
Intel Core i7-2600
Motherboard
Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD3P-B3
Memory
12 GB Patriot Extreme DDR3-1333
Graphics Card(s)
Nvidia GTX 470
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell UltraSharp 2209WA
Hard Drives
OCZ Agility3 240 GB, WD5001AALS, WD7501AALS
PSU
OCZ ModStream 700W
Case
CoolerMaster HAF 912 Advanced
Cooling
CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Plus
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