[carlwit]

Is there a way to undo the compress old files after doing a disk cleanup? I have plenty of disk space and don't want the performance hit.

I compressed old files with Windows XP driver cleanup. Right click drive icon, Properties, Drive Cleanup. Compress old files was selected.

How do I uncompress old files without going to each compressed file, right clicking on the file icon, selecting Properties, Advanced, uncheck the compress option. Is there a mass uncompress utility available?

[Lance1]

What did you compress the files with, the Windows utility, zip rar? If its windows, just uncheck the box under properties \ advanced in the folder of choice. If it’s whatever other use that to uncompress.

[carlwit]

I compressed old files with Windows XP driver cleanup. Right click drive icon, Properties, Drive Cleanup. Compress old files was selected.

How do I uncompress old files without going to each compressed file, right clicking on the file icon, selecting Properties, Advanced, uncheck the compress option. Is there a mass uncompress utility available?

[Lance1]

If they are all in a central location, you just need to highlight them all, go to properties \ advanced and deselect that box and it will uncompress all selected folders.

[MMJ]

Don't worry, you will never notice the difference if they are compressed or not.

[carlwit]

Disk Cleanup compressed old files, not folders.

I came up with a way to decompress all compressed files. Not a very elegant way, but it worked and saved me much mouse mileage and clicking, and personal time.

1) From the top level directory (double click the hard drive icon), select all folders and files.

2) Right click on a folder and select Properties.

3) Click advanced and check Compress contents to save disk space.

4) Click OK, OK. Select Apply changes to folders, files and subfolders. This compresses everything.

5) Repeat steps 1 and 2.

6) Click advanced and uncheck Compress contents to save disk space.

7) Click OK, OK. Select Apply changes to folders, files and subfolders. This uncompresses everything.


Someone should write a utility to search for compressed files and uncompress. Or maybe Microsoft should have an undo for Disk Cleanup. Probably other people have accidently compressed old files.

[MMJ]

Its no big deal if the files are compressed