[purplepirate]

How do I view my browsing history on the hard drive?

[Blackmirror]

What browser are you usuing ??

[purplepirate]

IE7.0...But I don't really know if I've asked the question correctly...I'm told that even though you delete the browsing history from the "toolbar, or internet options area", it is still not deleted completely. That the browsing information is stored elsewhere on the hard drive. This is the area I would like to view?

[Blackmirror]

Clear cookies, temporary Website files and browser history.

Three kinds of information stored on your computer from your Internet activities are cookies, temporary Website files and your browser history. Cookies are information that a Website leaves on your hard drive about your visit to that Website. A temporary Website file is left on your computer each time you visit a Website. One of its pages, usually the home page, is stored “temporarily” on your hard drive. Usually Internet browser software retains a list, or History, of all the Websites you visit.

[purplepirate]

How do I get to it on the hard drive and view these "cookies"?

[TOGG]

You may be thinking about 'index.dat' files; http://www.acesoft.net/delete_index.dat_files.htm

If you 'Google' 'index.dat viewer' you should find lots of free tools that will allow you to read older files (the current one is always 'in use' by Windows). Alternatively, you can scroll down to the foot of the page I linked to and d/l a free viewer from there (it's in small print, if you hit the wrong link you'll get the program that page is trying to sell!)

These things don't seem to serve any useful purpose but can be cleaned/deleted by a number of free tools, including CCleaner. The file itself is recreated at every bootup.