cleaning index.dat 2

[cyberspace]

I remember a while back someone posted a very useful script called "ie spy" - i no longer have the script, just the htm output.

Anway, i am leaving my post this week and i have used the web for various sites (such as this) which require logins etc.

I am wanting to clean everything up - i have ran a tool called Mil Shield which apparently cleans index.dat files - but then Window Washer also claims this and yet i remember the files still being there when i last used the ie spy tool.

Does anybody have a link to this? or any other advice?

Before anybody jumps on the bandwagon, this is absolutely not a case of "having something to hide" - i am entitled to my privacy. All web sites are monitored etc, i just want rid of details on my own machine.

thanks!

'When all else fails.......read the manual'

 

[kowderoi]

Hi cyberspace,

If you have administrator rights on your pc, you can do it manually. I've done this at home, works perfectly. At work I'm on a network and don't have the access necessary.

Privacy is a right! Too bad that has to be a political statement in some developed countries.

Anyway, I quote this from the Internet (hope it helps):

"How to Clear index.dat files manually in Windows XP

Even if you regularly clear your Internet History, Temp files, and cookies to keep ordinary snoops at bay, you're overlooking a very important detail: index.dat files. These hidden files contain information about your IE surfing history and your Outlook activity. On tonight's 'Savers, I'll tell you a simple way to uncover and clear 'em out manually.

Microsoft claims index.dat files cache webpages you visit to help speed up the loading time in Internet Explorer. A lot of folks disagree, and there are a few conspiracy theories floating around about what index.dat files are really for. I'm not really worried because I know an easy way to get rid of them.

Come out, come out wherever you are!

Index.dat files aren't only hidden, they're system files. Even if you select to show hidden files in your folder options, they remain unseen. To track down index.dat files, you need to know where to look.

File names and locations depend on which version of Internet Explorer you have. Assuming you run IE 4.0 or above, the file names will be “index.dat.”

In WinXP, here's where you'll usually find them.
• C:\Documents and Settings\username\cookies
• C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\History
• C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files

Clean house

I like to think we all learn more about Windows each time we get our hands dirty, and you'll have an easier time clearing out index.dat files manually than downloading a third-party program to do it for you.

1. Restart your computer in Safe Mode with Command Prompt. (Press F8 on startup and choose Safe Mode With Command Prompt.)

2. Log on as administrator. Enter your password.

3. Once you reach the command prompt, type “CD\” (no quotes) and hit Enter to get to your root directory.

4. Type “del index.dat /s” (no quotes) and hit Enter to erase all files named index.dat on your computer.

5. Type “shutdown -r” (no quotes) to restart your computer normally.


----------------------------------
kowderoi

 

[bcastner]

Index.dat files are binary files and a little difficult to view even with a hex editor.

If you have Windows XP or Windows 2000 then index.dat files are in these locations (note that on your PC they can be on other drive instead of drive C):

C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Cookies\index.dat
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\History\History.IE5\index.dat
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\LocalSettings\History\History.IE5\MSHistXXXXXXXXXXX\index.dat
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\LocalSettings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\index.dat
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\UserData\index.dat

If you have only one user account on Windows XP or Windows 2000 then replace <username> with Administrator to get the paths of all index.dat files.

See if there is a problem:

http://www.stevengould.org/software/indexdatspy/

-or-

http://www.acesoft.net/index.dat viewer/index.dat_viewer.htm

Clean or erase the index.dat files:

Logon as a different administrator user and delete them. (If necessary create a new user with administrative priviliges for temporary use).

Navigate to the folder locations using Windows Explorer and simply delete them. Since you are not logged into those accounts, Windows is not using them and they can be deleted normally. The next time you log on, Windows will try to open the index.dat files, find they are missing and recreate them and their folders from a default template.

 

[cyberspace]

Thanks to you both, most appreciated!

'When all else fails.......read the manual'

 

[tfg13]

cyberspace,
You are probably looking for this:

faq779-6302

 

[cyberspace]

yes that's the one!

do i save that as a vbs or an htm file to create the "spy.htm" page?

'When all else fails.......read the manual'

 

[cyberspace]

All sorted, although i had some bother with a directory called "AntiPhishing" which i needed to take ownership of...

my pc was behaving strangely aswell, rebooting a few times for no apparent reason but never mind.

I ended going down the safe mode route...one command seemed sufficient enough!

So all that will be there now is from this moment until friday...none of which i am partiuclarly bothered about since ive wiped everything else.

Thanks for the help.

'When all else fails.......read the manual'

 

[tfg13]

For future reference, save the first one as .html, and the second as .vbs....

 

[eyec]

another program i have found useful and quite flexible can be found here

http://support.it-mate.co.uk/?mode=Products&p=index.datsuite

 

[linney]

Index.dat viewer

http://www.totalshareware.com/Asp/detail_view.asp?application=31300

For more information about Index.dat, you might want to research the whole story at this site. The article is Windows 9x related but the story of Desktop.ini and Index.dat files is pretty much applicable to XP.

http://sillydog.org/mshidden.html

Paragraph 4 and 5 are worth reading.

Pesky IE history item that won't go away
thread779-761814

Safely Delete the Temporary Internet Files

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/delcache.htm