Have you ever heard of the Windows file analyzer tool? Many people haven’t, which is a shame because it has so much to offer. The program is free to download. And once you install it, you can use it to decode and analyze your operating system’s files.

File Analyzer Tool
File Analyzer Tool | Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

The program doesn’t permit you to save the reports it generates. But you can print them out. For some people, this is advantageous because they prefer to handle physical reports. For other people, this feature is restrictive because it doesn’t provide additional options.

Regardless of your opinion on this particular issue, it is difficult to deny the effectiveness of the windows file analyzer.

Why You Need the Windows File Analyzer Tool?

As was noted above, Windows Filer Analyzer decodes and analyzes files. But why is this important? Better yet, why does it matter to you? Analytical tools of this sort are perfect for people that need to look for malware on their system.

The program will also appeal to individuals that want to monitor the actions that were performed on a particular computer. You can achieve similar results by investing in active monitoring programs. However, it is difficult to use applications like ‘Event Monitor’ without revealing your intentions to your target, especially if you want your analysis to go unseen.

This is where the windows file analyzer tool comes into play. It will paint a detailed picture of a person’s computer usage. While a logging application is limited because it can only tell you what happened on a computer from the day it was installed, the windows file analyzer has far greater reach. It can tell you what happened on a computer in the last few days.

What Does the Windows File Analyzer Do?

If you still have questions regarding the effectiveness of this analyzer, this is what you need to know about its capabilities:

  1. It will read thumbnail database files; though, you must first identify the location of the thumbnail database to proceed.
  2. It will read the files in the prefetch folder but only if prefetch is enabled. For some people, prefetch is disabled. You have to remedy this issue beforehand.
  3. The tool can analyze shortcuts. Though, you have to manually review all the information it provides (which is a lot) because the tool doesn’t offer any mechanisms that you can use to perform automated searches.
  4. All your internet explorer and Microsoft Edge data is stored in the index.DAT file. The analyzer can scan this file to retrieve and display the relevant data.

The analyzer can even explore the recycle bin to locate the information you have deleted. This allows you to either restore these files or to remove them completely from the system.

The file analyzer tool can show you the last time a file was accessed, the number of times it has been opened, and its contents. It will give you all the information you need to understand the habits of the computer’s user. The program won’t benefit everyone. It is primarily useful to people that want to deploy it for forensic purposes.