The .pf file extension has been linked to XX different file types. The Windows prefetch file is the most common use. Beginning with its XP version, Microsoft implemented a prefetch technology in its operating systems. The prefetch loads trace files of often used data into RAM on boot-up, in order to speed up the entire boot process. Files that have to be accessed more than once during the sequence use the trace file in memory rather than the actual file from the hard drive. The prefetch system is also used for individual software packages after boot-up, again to speed things up. The Windows .pf files are in effect, the trace files Windows has created. They may be complete copies of the original file or just pieces of the original. It is these .pf files that get loaded into the system memory.
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Windows .pf files pose no risk of error or potential system damage since they are merely copies of original boot-up data. A corrupted .pf file would simply be ignored and a new one created to overwrite it. A .pf file doesn't contain any executable data so it is not prone to virus attacks.
There have been several ideas floated on the internet as possible ways to speed up Windows prefetching, all of which have proven to be false. One idea was to set the loading speed value of the .pf file to a number higher than the default setting of 3. This has proven to be false as the system doesn't recognize a value higher than 3. Some internet tweaking programs set the value at 2 which does significantly reduce performance. Another idea has been to delete the prefetch folder altogether, but this simply forces Windows to re-create all the .pf files again. This will slow down the system until the task is complete. It is recommended by Microsoft that the .pf files be left alone.
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More Info Regarding File Extension Pf
A second association of the .pf extension relates to a program called Allume Systems StuffIt (a.k.a. Aladdin Systems Stuffit), a compression and archiving tool from Smith Micro Software. Unlike other compression formats such as the .zip or .rar, Stuffit's .pf file is a secure file that is encrypted and password protected. The files are similar to the .sit files used by Smith Micro before they acquired Allume. The file format is proprietary, though some archiving tools have support. Regardless of the program used to access the archive, the data is useless without the password. Programs supporting the .pf extension include Smith Micro Stuffit Expander, Smith Micro Stuffit Deluxe 12, MacLinkPlus Deluxe, and iArchiver. It is suggested that users of the archiving tools not create a file association on a Windows system, being that Widows already associates .pf extension with its prefetcher. Changing the association should do no harm to the system, but could be a nuisance if a user is trying to edit prefetch files.
A third association of this extension applies to a Windows ICC profile. These files contain data that directs how color is displayed on a monitor, or when using a printer, scanner, or other device utilizing graphical output. These .pf files can't be opened or edited manually but through the use of Adobe Gamma (Windows), the Display Calibrator Assistant (Mac OS X), or ColorSync (Mac OS 9.x) the profiles can be customized to a user's preference. Most Linux distros also have this ability within the display setting, but the application of the profile will differ among the various flavors of Linux.
Other associations of the .pf extension which have not been verified include a Progress Database application file, an archive file of an older and unidentified archiving tool, and an unknown data file found on Apple II CD ROM.