Thanks Bagginsbill. As for me, I am cooperating with SM as far any questions they are asking me, but we left off at how large my swap file was. Haven't been any communication since then.

I'm certainly happy to answer any questions though. I don't have anything crazy running on my machine.

Nightfall, the files are not visible per se, but if you right click on the folder it DOES say how many files are in there total. ... even if you cannot navigate to them directly.

So what apps might I have in common with others? Apps that >might< have kicked started this annoying process the OS is now doing writing out these XML files? 

I can think of two that communicate with virtual "servers" on the local machine. Two that are common among 3D users and users in general:

1) Itunes / Bonjour

2. Vue 8 Infinite

I also run several other packages that do similar things but they don't jump out at me as being common factors either between 3D users or users in general:

1. Logmein

And well.. that's about all I have that jumps out at me.

I know Vue Infinite creates similar (empty) XML files on occasion as it's rendering but it creates them in it's own temp folder. It would also write out s**tloads of *.mem files in this same folder if one didn't have enough RAM while rendering a dynamic ecosystem.

Vue 7 Infinite also did this. In fact, it's was the first app I noticed writing out essentially garbage XML files into a folder and bitched to e-on about this because it was driving me nuts. 10,000 or more in some cases.

However it seems with Vue 8, this problem as mostly gone away... for Vue.