index.dat ?????

[nhocsung]

when I intall new Windows the index.dat < 16MB
after using it like 32 or 48, I've used other operate system to delete it and restart system but it was 32 MB, does someone know how index.dat workss?????

[Gernot]

Do you really mean MB and not KB???
In index.dat your visited URLs are listed. Purpose? Only the FBI or CIA may know...
Gernot

[report_2]

Gernot.
Good reply.
LOL

[nhocsung]

yeah I forgot is KB ok thank man

[report_2]

No normal person really knows what index.dat is for. The general concensus feels as Gernot does. Many suspect the CIA or FBI has required MS to place it there. It does maintain a record of your visited URLs.
Microsoft offers the following as part of another article about not being able to open a web page.

The following was copied as part of that article for it's explanation of the index.dat file itself and not as it pertains to the intent of the MS article itself.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=301057

NOTE: By design, Windows Explorer uses the Desktop.ini and Index.dat files to provide the functionality of the Temporary Internet Files shell extension. Index.dat is the Internet Explorer cache index file. It facilitates the browser cache mechanism that speeds access to frequently accessed web pages across different browser processes in the same user context...

HTH

[report_2]

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=301057
Description of the Mm256.dat and Mm2048.dat Files

Another interesting article that explains what the above two files do in assigning unique identfiers to cache the visited sites.

At the end of the article it explains that index.dat performs the same function in IE 4 and up (I assume the and up part).

[nhocsung]

ok I knew it now thank you guyss
but when it was deleted and cookies, temporary files almost like eveythings from sites that I hadn't gone any URL yet !!!!!, how come it was 32 KB that I want to know ????
if index.dat was deleted,,,, the connection will be speed up right?????<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by nhocsung on 03/27/03 20:02.</FONT></P>

[nhocsung]

thank man to tell me those
you're actually smart
have a good day

[Gernot]

I don't think that your connection will speed up. Actually the index.dat files are very small. The problem for you and others may be that another person could see your visited URLs. The more you surf the bigger becomes the file. But it's not a matter of space or speed, I assume. Just Paranoia. That's all.
Gernot

[report_2]

After reading the articles I take them to understand that they will speed things up if you never delete the Temporary Internet Files.

I understand it as the index.dat is the catalog or index of the stored pages in TIF.

I empty mine every time I close my browser so the only use the index.dat has as on my machine would be to an investigator wanting to know which sites I have visited.

I am not concerned about anyone knowing what sites I have visited but when my index.dat gets over 1mb I then delete it using a batch file simply to reduce it's size.

Using Spider or QuickView to read the index.dat after having deleted it I find the file to contain those URL's that MS thinks I will visit.
So when the file is recreated by Windows it is 48kb in size on my machine.

[report_2]

Amongst all of the code the index.dat file uses, below is the complete list of URls found in my freshly deleted index.dat file of 48kb:

http://channel.web.aol.com/preview.cdfaol.cdfURL http://warnerbros.entertaindom.com/cdf/wb.cgiwbros.cdfURL http://ie4cdf.pointcast.net/ie40/cdf/ie40cdf.dllpcn.cdfURL http://www.msnbc.com/tools/channel/msnbc-cdf.aspmsnbc.cdfURL http://ie.msn.com/us/channel/msn.cdfmsn.cdfURL http://expedia.com/IEChannel/content/default.aspexped.cdfURL http://travel.epicurious.com/channel/intro.cdfepicu.cdfURL http://channel.parentsoup.com/cdf/parentsoup.cdfivill.cdfURL http://www.nationalgeographic.com/connection/join/connection.cdfngc.cdfURL http://www.discovery.com/ie/discover.cdfdscvy.cdfURL
http://www.nbc.com/ie4channel/cdf/nbc.cdfnbc.cdfURL
http://www.pathfinder.com/people/channel/channel.cdfpeopl.cdfURL http://www.hollywood.com/ie40/hollycdf.cdfhwood.cdfURL
http://www.mtv.com/push/mtv.cdfmtv.cdfURL
http://ie40.audionet.com/audionet.cdfaudio.cdfURL http://www.comicschannel.net/cgi-bin/comics_channel/comics.cdfcomic.cdfURL http://www.forbes.com/ie40/cdf/forbes.cdfforbs.cdfURL
http://www.pathfinder.com/fortune/channel/channel.cdffort.cdfURL http://investor.msn.com/channel/cdf/investor.cdfinvst.cdfURL http://channel.companiesonline.com/dnb/CompaniesOnline.cdfcmpol.cdfURL http://wsj.com/ie4/channel/wsj.cdfwsj.cdfURL http://iechannel.quicken.com/iechannel/gencdf.cgiquick.cdfURL http://cnnsi.com/ie/subscribe/cnnsi.cdfcnnsi.cdfURL http://channel-espn.sportszone.com/ad/espn.cdfespn.cdfURL http://cbs.sportsline.com/u/iechannel/standard.cdfsptln.cdfURL http://msie.cmpnet.com/CMPnet.cdfcmp.cdfURL http://www1.zdnet.com/datafeed/ie4/channels/zdnet/ZDNet.cdfzdnet.cdfURL http://channel.cnet.com/Channel/Cdf/0,1,,00.cdfcnet.cdfURL http://live.wired.com/wired.cdfwired.cdfURL
http://channel.cnn.com/channel/cnn.cdfcnn.cdfURL http://www.pathfinder.com/time/channel/channel.cdftime.cdfURL http://channel.nytimes.com/nytimes.cdfnyt.cdfURL http://home.snap.com:8005/channel/cdf/0,6,home-0,00.cdfsnap.cdfURL http://www.iechannelguide.com/guide.cdf?loc=en_uschang.cdfìl

They look like all of those that are placed in the Favorites by Windows/IE when installed.

[hawk_al_smith]

well, in the end guys, is there a way to delete the visited sites list from the index.dat??
i used a program, but wasn't useful...
So i prefer some really ausome way to do it...


|<font color=green>PEACE</font color=green>, NO MORE <font color=red>WARS...</font color=red>|

[Gernot]

Did you use "Spider"? I have my problems with it as well. I use now more a workaround.
Navigate to C:\WINDOWS\Local settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5
Cut and paste the folder "Content.IE5" to your desktop (not in the recycle bin).
Reboot. That folder and a new (empty) index.dat (32kb) will be created. Then erase the old folder "Content.IE5" from your desktop using "eraser".
As I said, just a workaround, but it works.
Gernot

[hawk_al_smith]

Spider, yes i did use it, but your way Awesome GER, really a gooood way. thanks a lot for your fast reply. always there for us...[really/images/forums/icons/cool.gif]


|<font color=green>PEACE</font color=green>, NO MORE <font color=red>WARS...</font color=red>|

[Gernot]

Your're welcome. Glad to help.
Gernot

[nhocsung]

in easy way I could open index with Note Pad, but there are some confusing with Favorites site , I didn't see any them ......

I opened Internet Options\Security\custom level and I saw this "Persistent and Per-Session Cookies"
but I can't understand them .....
are they stored in Cookies folder ?? or somewhere and which one is persident and which one is Per-session ?????????

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by nhocsung on 03/30/03 16:14.</FONT></P>

[cool_rajan]

hi

if u really want to delete all the hidden information from your computer try to get Evidence Eliminator.you will not believe how much your computer hides.

[tom_keefer]

Another way to reduce the size of index.dat is to rename it index.old. Windows will grow a new one and the CIA, NSA and KGB will never know. /images/forums/icons/laugh.gif

<font color=purple>Tom</font color=purple>

ya'aa'tey

[spygirlx]

hmmm.. i wonder if they would ever read any of the postings in this site.


na.... that would make too much sense and we all know they dont have any sense. (oppps did that come out of my mouth)

[tom_keefer]

Right! They probably don't go much beyond Dilbert. /images/forums/icons/wink.gif

<font color=purple>Tom</font color=purple>

ya'aa'tey

[spygirlx]

oh my -- yes you are right.

[nhocsung]

i got a cool program run faster than Evidence Eliminator, Acronic Privacy Expert

[stratcat250]

Hello all, after alot of searching for the correct way to delete index.dat file I found this thread. This so far is the best working method for WinMe and Win98 (especially WinMe) that I came across. I'm not sure about Win2000 or XP because I am not familiar with them. It makes sense. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Bob/images/forums/icons/smile.gif

<a target="_blank" href=http://www.computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/23462.html>http://www.computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/23462.html</a>

[lmenard]

That's an easy and efficient way.
But "deltree" is not a native command on NT based systems (NT, 2000, XP).
So you need to know where the index.dat files are located or have some 4DOS-like utility on you machine to bypass the name problem with "Temporary Internet Files" sub-dir.

Sorry I don't have an easy trick to solve it.

Anyone ?



Loïk

Breton : French With a British Attitude

[nhocsung]

i've start windows at minimal
command to access cookies folder
cd C:\windows\cookies
rename index.dat nhocsung.old

[stratcat250]

You're right Imenard, I just installed XP on a separate partion and it's time to learn all over again. I am familiar with the 98 based OS's and now I need to learn how to get around the NT based. There is no listing for temporary internet files, cookies or even history so they must be hidden somewhere. I think we can probably start a new thread for that one though LOL/images/forums/icons/laugh.gif.

Bob

[nhocsung]

with NT, 2000, xp whatever ....
make a file *.bat

deltree /y c:\documents and settings\"username"\cookies\index.dat&gt;nul
exit

[nhocsung]

the file delindex.bat couldn't work
index.dat can't be delete under windows
you can try open command prompt type your command follow delindex.bat
only way delete or rename index as before windows started (95,98,ME)
with winNT run safe mode with command prompt
if you installed XP at another partion it's should be "D" right ??? then do this
cd d:\documents and settings\"usersname"\cookies
rename index.dat index.old
cd\
restart
index.dat was created follow cookies in folder so del unwant cookies first before you you del index.dat that all

[stratcat250]

Thanks for the info, I'll check that out when I get a chance.

Bob

[Dazeagle]

hi guys,
well i didn't try other ways to delete the contains of the index.dat, but i did try the way of changing index.dat to index.old, unfortunately it didn't work up, i'm getting a message says that access is denied after trying to rename it
So guys, i have to give the other ways a chance or the mentioned way can do it in my Win98
THANKS


<font color=red>If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.</font color=red>/images/forums/icons/cool.gif

[Drwerw]

Here's a simple solution...don't use Internet Explorer!

Mozilla Firebird : Faster, Simpler, Cleaner, and best of all, has nothing to do with IE or Microsoft. Therefore, you don't have to worry about this problem of it recording your every move while surfing the web.

http://www.mozilla.org/projects/firebird/release-notes.html

[proteo]

Problems with INDEX.DAT use netscape easy to delete (NetScaPe mus been close):
Cache - ...\Netscape\Users\You\Cache\*.*
Cookies -...\ Netscape\Users\You\cookies.txt
History - ...\Netscape\Users\You\netscape.hst
Delete adrees in adrees bar - Open this file - ...\Netscape\Users\You\*.js and found this string ".url_history.URL" it`s all

But if you like use IE try to restar to Ms-Dos and use the old command DEL index.dat, it`s to easy, CYA

[Chattan]

If you go to a DOS prompt and type: A:\&gt;ATTRIB /s index.dat , and press enter, you will see five index.dat files.

Some you can delete at the prompt with: A:\&gt;DEL C:\(Path)\index.dat

The best way to keep the index.dat files empty is to use Delindex.bat which is a very nice, 32Kb, DOS program which you can run at system start-up as a scheduled task or from a Windows Startup-Disk, or from a QuickBoot Disk.

It is three times faster if run from: C:\Delindex.bat! (Use the task-scheduler command line: C:\Delindex.bat delta , as it has to run in DOS and BEFORE Windows loads up.) (You must NOT run it IN Windows!)

The QBD consists of only: command.com & io.sys from the C:\Windows\Command\EBD , folder (Emergency Boot Disk)

Just add Delindex.bat and this little autoexec.bat file which you make in a text (.txt) editor and save as a .bat file.

*****************************************

SET COMSPEC=A:\COMMAND.COM
SET PATH=A:\COMMAND;A:\Delindex.bat
A:\Delindex.bat

*****************************************

Run it on boot-up or put it in the A:\drive and re-boot, and it will bring you to: A:\&gt; in around fifteen seconds.

The Autoexec.bat file should take you directly to the first screen. Read, press any key, type R and you get a read out of just how much space you made on your drive!

Now all you have to do is to run: A:\&gt;scandisk /all , followed by A:\&gt;scanreg /fix , and, monthly, A:\&gt;scandisk /all /surface , followed by A:\&gt;scanreg /fix /opt , and then run defrag and your general disk maintenace is complete.

DELINDEX EN US http://www.burzurq.com/forum/delindex.html
DOWNLOAD ftp://burzurq.com/DELINDEX.BAT

DK LITE* http://www1.execsoft.com/dklite.exe DIRECT DOWNLOAD

I use Diskeeper Lite, because it is ten times better than defrag.exe, even from ME, and it is free.

Mac

[duwebb]

this program clears out the .dat files for cookies, history, and temp internet files. it is the easiest way i have found. i run it after i am thru and it reboots or you can shut your puter off and it works when you turn it back on. i tried spider and it says it cleans it out but when i looked after reboot it did not clean it out. just watch which files you click to clean and it works fine
System Security Suite (3S) ~freeware

http://www.geocities.com/igor_shpak/

Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP, Internet Explorer 4.0 or
higher
System Security Suite (3S) is the program to remove
internet tracks and junk
files from your computer. It allows you to delete
Cookies, clear Internet
Explorer Cache, delete index.dat Files, clear Typed
URLs, Windows Temp
Folder and much more. You can also specify custom
folder locations with file
masks, which will be cleaned in addition to the
selected items. In addition,
the program allows you to view and optionally remove
programs that launch
automatically at Windows startup

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by duwebb on 06/25/03 06:29.</FONT></P>

[kennie]

the way I delete the index.dat would be to create a *.bat then.. in that bat file you enter the location of where the index.dat is.
deltree /Y D:\DOCUME~1\%USERNAME%\COOKIES
then... type gpedit.msc in the run command. Then under the "Computer Configuration" is 'Scripts" to your right side is Startup/Shutdown take your pick. then... double click then "ADD" locate where you saved your *.bat then apply that and it's done...

[lj50]

I'm not to good at creating files. How do you create a *.bat file. I hope this isn't too basic a question for this forum. thanks for any help.

[sdhelzer]

I became concerned about the "index.dat" files some time ago. Concerned about their growing size and the possibility that someone could extract information about me (I value my privacy) from them so I developed the batch files set forth below.

They will delete the "cookies", "history", "temporary internet files" and "index.dat" files as well as the Windows "temp" files and because a file is never really "deleted" I run defrag afterwards.

I offer them for your inspection with one caveat; they have only been tested on Windows98 SE.

Would appreciate any feed back you are willing to give.


@ECHO OFF
REM -------------------------------------------------------------------------
REM Code for the batch file "Deltemp.bat"
REM -------------------------------------------------------------------------
REM Please note that this batch file has only been tested with Windows98 SE
REM (Second Edition).
REM
REM Please thoroughly read ALL remarks ("REM") before using.
REM
REM This batch file deletes all internet "cookie", "history" and "temporary"
REM files and indexes. It also deletes the Windows "temp" files. It makes
REM a call to another batch file "yes.bat" which must be present in the same
REM directory. Detail for the "yes.bat" file is found at the end of this file.
REM
REM Windows 98 SE will create fresh indexes in the "Cookies" and "Temporary
REM Internet Files" folders.
REM
REM To Install:
REM -----------
REM Copy this file into the directory of your choice. Rename it "Deltemp.bat".
REM Create the batch file "Yes.bat" with the code listed at the bottom of this
REM file.
REM
REM To Run:
REM -------
REM Select "Shut Down" from the "Start Menu", then choose "Restart in MS-DOS
REM mode". Change to the directory in which the "Deltemp.bat" and "Yes.bat"
REM batch files are located. At the MS-DOS command prompt type in "DELTEMP"
REM and press [ENTER]. After the batch file completes your computer should
REM automatically restart in the Windows mode.
REM
REM If you prefer you can create a "shortcut" to the batch file on your
REM Windows desktop. Just be sure to select under the "Properties",
REM "Program", "Advanced" tabs the "MS-DOS mode".
REM
REM The batch file will NOT complete if it is run directly under Windows or
REM with the command prompt option under Windows.
REM
REM Do NOT use if you are unsure of the results on your computer without
REM first BACKING UP your hard drive.
REM -------------------------------------------------------------------------

CLS
ECHO.
ECHO Deleting Internet cookie files:
ECHO ----------------------------------------
ATTRIB -s -h c:\windows\cookies\*.* /s
DELTREE /y c:\windows\cookies
MD c:\windows\cookies
ATTRIB +s c:\windows\cookies
ECHO.

ECHO.
ECHO Deleting Internet history files:
ECHO ----------------------------------------
ATTRIB -s -h c:\windows\history\*.* /s
DELTREE /y c:\windows\history
MD c:\windows\history
ATTRIB +s c:\windows\history
ECHO.

REM -------------------------------------------------------------------------
REM Remember: Windows sometimes creates directory names longer than 8
REM characters. MS-DOS only works with a maximum of 8 characters; therefore,
REM when MS-DOS encounters a directory name longer than 8 characters such as
REM "Temporary Internet Files" it assigns an abbreviated "short" name to
REM the directory, such as "Tempor~1".
REM
REM "Tempor~1" is the usual MS-DOS directory name where Windows places the
REM temporary internet files; however, this might not always be the case.
REM For example: If you delete this directory while in the MS-DOS mode and
REM create a new directory the first six characters of which are "tempor"
REM when you reboot Windows it will recreate the "Temporary Internet
REM Files" directory but MS-DOS will name it "tempor~2".
REM
REM If your are unsure of what the MS-DOS name is for your temporary internet
REM files folder, then with Windows from the "Start" menu select "Run" and
REM type in "COMMAND" (without quotation marks) and press [ENTER]. When you
REM see the MS-DOS command prompt type in "dir c:\windows\tempor* /ad /v"
REM (without quotation marks) and press [ENTER]. This will display both the
REM "long" Windows and "short" MS-DOS names for all folders under your Windows
REM directory beginning with "tempor" and you should be able to readily identify
REM what the MS-DOS name is for your folder.
REM
REM To return to Windows type in "EXIT" and press [ENTER].
REM
REM If it is not "tempor~1" then you must edit the lines below.
REM
REM Additionally, the subdirectory "content.ie5" specified below under
REM "c:\windows\tempor~1\" maybe named something else on your computer.
REM From Windows in the Windows Explorer find your temporary internet files
REM folder located in the Windows folder and examine the first sub folder
REM name. If it is not "content.ie5" then you must edit the line below.
REM -------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO.
ECHO Deleting Internet temporary files:
ECHO ----------------------------------------
DEL c:\windows\temp\*.* &lt; yes.bat
ATTRIB -s -h c:\windows\tempor~1\*.* /s
DEL c:\windows\tempor~1\*.* &lt; yes.bat
DELTREE /y c:\windows\tempor~1\content.ie5
ATTRIB +s c:\windows\tempor~1
ECHO.

ECHO.
ECHO Returning to Windows:
ECHO ----------------------------------------
EXIT

REM -------------------------------------------------------------------------
REM Code for the batch file "Yes.bat"
REM Note: When creating "Yes.bat" file remove the "rem" from only the line
REM below.
REM -------------------------------------------------------------------------
rem Y