[GoJoAGoGo]

There are a bunch of shareware programs for deleting index.dat files and a few freeware ones. You don't need a program because you can delete index.dat files from C:\> in DOS. For Windows ME I did the following:

Insert your WinMe bootdisk and restart. Select: "Minimal" from the menu
From A:\> (type and press Enter after each command)

C:
cd\windows
smartdrv
deltree tempor~1
deltree history
deltree temp

Remove the bootdisk and restart (Ctrl-Alt-Del

This article also shows how to delete the index.dat files for Windows 98/2000/XP and can be found at:
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/delcache.htm

[aarhus2004]

Originally posted by GoJoAGoGo:
There are a bunch of shareware programs for deleting index.dat files and a few freeware ones. You don't need a program because you can delete index.dat files from C:\> in DOS. For Windows ME I did the following:

Insert your WinMe bootdisk and restart. Select: "Minimal" from the menu
From A:\> (type and press Enter after each command)

C:
cd\windows
smartdrv
deltree tempor~1
deltree history
deltree temp

Remove the bootdisk and restart (Ctrl-Alt-Del
[/url]

Hi, I followed the above for the first time (today) and found that the only index.dat file I have come across in WinMe (the one in the Cookies folder) still contained cookies. I do know, from running Spider and Index DAT File Viewer that there are other index.dat files on my system.

So on finding these in Cookies | index.dat I was disappointed. I then ran DELINDEX (from the Dos prompt) and, on going back into the index.dat file in the Cookies folder, found they had been deleted. Any thoughts, GoJoAGoGo?

[sleekluxury]

Much easier way...
http://www.fsm.nl/ward/

Called Spider, cleans em out Easy to use

[GoJoAGoGo]

Hi aarhus2004:

Yes, to delete the Cookies just use the command deltree cookies. I've added this command in the below sequence. I've tried this and it will work. I noticed that too but wasn't too concerned because Spybot S&D or Ad-aware will remove those cookies that are in the Cookies Folder.

C:
cd\windows
smartdrv
deltree tempor~1
deltree history
deltree temp
deltree cookies

Concerning using DELINDEX. I use it for about 4 months and liked it but last week I did a Panda ActiveScan http://www.pandasoftware.com/actives..._principal.htm and it found Delindex to be a Trojan Horse.LC. So this is why I did a search to find another way to delete the index.dat files. I looked at the Spider program but didn't like because it looked like it hasn't been updated since 1999. I couldn't find any other freeware index.dat removing programs and stumped across the article showing how to delete the index.dat files from the C:\>. Below is a thread I started last Saturday concerning DELINDEX and the Trojan Horse.LC

http://forums.techguy.org/showthread...rojan+Horse.LC

[aarhus2004]

I swear by DELINDEX. Panda's house call scan is very long and turned in two Trojan Horses and four Exploit Bs (I think). I suppose I was impressed but am more impressed by my free A/V software.

I downloaded the most hidden of Eicar's test viruses. Here:
http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm
and it was found. By AVG (Grisoft) Free.

[Flrman1]

I edited that paragraph GoJo.

[GoJoAGoGo]

Thanks

[gingerpaul]

As someone completely new to this, what do I need to do? I’m running windows Me and am happy to do the dos stuff. I’ve downloaded the setup file for delindex but not installed it. I just have a copy of sophos as my anti virus stuff, which is updated each month. I’ve got a firewall and a router (I think this has one in too)

I’m desperate to save space on the hard drive, as my computer keeps messing about and crashing. I want to clean all the index.dat files (which are huge) and also the histories/recent files in other programs like windows media player. Its not that I’ve got anything to hide, I just want to get rid of all the rubbish on the PC. My last defragging took several hours. I don’t like the idea of all the information being collected as I do internet banking, shopping etc.

I feel that having just found out about all this stuff, I want to format my computer and maximise security software.


1)Could someone let me know what is most thorough to “clean” the disk and also if formatting computer gets rid of all the stuff and index files etc.

2)does formatting and starting again make all my details safe?

3)how can I clear all the histories in non windows programs

4) can someone recommend some software for me to use to make my PC more secure in future?

i have looked at some other posts on the site, about software and stuf, but there seem so many! i tried spider, but it didnt seem to work. also something called winspy didnt seem to do much.

Many thanks,

Paul

[aarhus2004]

Originally posted by gingerpaul:
[B]As someone completely new to this, what do I need to do? I’m running windows Me and am happy to do the dos stuff. I’ve downloaded the setup file for delindex but not installed it. I just have a copy of sophos as my anti virus stuff, which is updated each month. I’ve got a firewall and a router (I think this has one in too)

Hello Paul,

May I suggest you refer to the the post by GoJoAGoGo which begins this thread. This will get you started by clearing out the index.dat files.

[iaavagent]

Would someone please tell me about index.dat files?
Why are they created if not needed and so on.

I read an article some years ago from PC World {still have it } titled "Which files can you safely delete" and index.dat or .dat files were not included
Thanks

[aarhus2004]

Hello iaavagent,

I think the word deleted maybe confusing. Emptied is what really happens, for index.dat files are always recreated ready to receive more cookies and our search histories. If they are not emptied at all, overtime the amount of disk space they occupy can be considerable indeed. I believe, in that case, there is a slowing down of performance. I have heard 'horror' stories about the content-size found of index.dat files. I am thinking of the 1.5 GBs I read of!

This thread began as offering a way of 'deleting' their content.

It is but one way, and effective. However we have to take in on faith that the emptying has occurred. I use a small freeware tool called 'Spider' which, although it originally aspired to do the cleanup as well as identify the actual contents of these index.dat files, only does the latter. I get satisfaction from before and after checks using Spider.

Here is it's URL:http://www.fsm.nl/ward/index.html (Freeware)

Another way of doing this clean-up is a tool known as DELINDEX.
It is a batch file which once downloaded is placed on C: which is simply a right click on the file and click on 'Move to'. In the Window which opens click on C drive and it is transferred.

A boot-up floppy will (if you are running Me) take you into DOS. Choose Minimal Boot. At the A prompt type C:\ and press Enter.
At the C:\ prompt type DELINDEX RUN and press Enter. When Delindex has run you will be shown exactly what space has been recovered. Remove the floppy at the C:\Windows prompt and press Ctrl | Alt | Delete and you are on your way to full boot-up.

Delindex maybe downloaded here:

http://burzurq.com/forum/delindex.html (Freeware)

I have two boot-up floppies. One for the Delindex method and the other modified to run those DOS commands mentioned in GoJoAGoGo's posts in this thread. I prefer not to type the commands each time I wish to do the clean-up so have modified another boot-floppy to do the job with minimal effort on my part!
If you choose to do that, post back for the 'how to'.

Why are these index.dat files created and hidden (I, for example, on Win Me, can only see one, in Cookies, but know there are two more) is a question I am not qualified to answer.

Hope this helps, iaavagent.

[pgriffet]

Good info about the index.dat files here : http://www.purgeie.com
I have written a long subject about IE's cache and history but it's in French

To locate ALL the index.dat files on a disk, start a command prompt and type the following
attrib /S index.dat
the switch /S is unusual with the attrib command. Strange that this command is the only one to locate all index.dat files as a dir command can't do it.
There is a much faster way to delete an index.dat file :
as the index.dat is locked by Explorer.exe, you can't delete it while Windows (9x/Me) is running. But, there is a trick.

For the cache, just rename the folder \TIF\Content.IE5 to whatever you want. After the next reboot, a new Content.IE5 folder and 4 brand-new sub-folders are rebuild. Then you will be able to delete the entire old folder Content.IE5 with all its files. BTW, renaming a folder is a standard trick to bypass the "file in use" message.
Same for Windows\Cookies or Windows\History, just rename the folder Cookies (or History) to another name and it will be possible to delete the old index.dat in Cookies (or History) after a reboot.

[aarhus2004]

Really appreciate your input, Pierre, on that matter. Thankyou.

[GoJoAGoGo]

Yes Pierre you have added so more useful information to my deleting the index.dat files routine.

[hewee]

OK I know it has been posted here in the pass but doing a search on it would bring up 1000's of pages to go tru.

How do you make a batch file that you can have that loads at startup to clear the IE Index.Dat Files.

I would like one just for the Index.Dat Files.
I can use ZA Pro to clean up everythings else.