Cleaning Up Orphan Files

nt4dx5.zip is almost 5MB worth of DLLs from NT 5 that enable you to play the newer DirectX 5 games on NT 4. Dave's Games Under Windows NT directs you to an FTP Search site to look for the file (nt4dx5.zip, about a 2MB download).

You get 30 DLLs, 2 EXEs, the Control Panel Direct X applet, a REG file (to register the files if you don't have SP3 installed), and a short README.

Since you have to copy these files over some pre-existing files in \system32, and there is no install (and thus uninstall) routine, you might want to take the time to back up the files you're going to be replacing (ie, copy them to a new directory)... in case things don't work out.

Commercial Uninstallers

I've recently tried the latest versions of Symantec's Norton Uninstall Deluxe and Quarterdeck's Clean Sweep Deluxe. They're both pretty "safe", in that they both let you back up any files you remove and Registry entries you delete while using the programs.

I preferred CleanSweep Deluxe because it handles "orphan DLLs", whereas Uninstaller doesn't. Not that the feature always works well, mind you, but at least it tries! I would definitely use the backup option when playing with the "Orphan DLLs" module, though.

Neither program really "cleaned" out the Registry... I had dummy broken entries that neither program caught and tried to remove. Old news, though! So I guess the best way to "clean" the Registry is still manually (cf an earlier article, Cleaning the Registry).

The best use for either of these programs would be logging new installations (for full uninstalls later). Then there'd be no "orphan DLL" issue to contend with.

Unfortunately, that doesn't help much for whatever is already on your system when these programs are installed.

Manual Orphan Detection
A File's Datestamps

There are [more "manual"] ways to find out if particular files in your system are no longer used, however.

You can use a file's datestamps to garner information about:

• when it was first written to your disk (helpful for determining if a file was installed with a particular program you'd now like to remove), and

• when it was last accessed by a program on your system (helpful especially for finding unused files).

The three date properties (timefields) for each file in Windows NT (and 95) are:

• Created [On] - the date a file is first written to your disk

• [Last] Modified

• [Last] Accessed

Unfortunately, the only one you can sort by in Explorer is the Last Modified Date.

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