[lotuseclat79]

This tip is for WinNT/2k/2003/XP. Essentially, the capability to scan multiple folders/drives was added to release 2.8.0 in Feb 2005.

Search for: index.dat
Specify the Search in: block as follows:
Search in: [Custom] C:\Documents and Settings\;C:\Windows

This will ignore scanning all of the folders in a C:\ specified scan, particularly C:\Program Files which can take quite a while, and never results in finding any index.dat files relevant to the Windows system and IE.

Multiple drives can also be specified by the syntax:
[Custom] Drive1:\;Drive2:\

For example:
[Custom] C:\;D:\

Make sure it is prepended with [Custom] or it will be ignored.

-- Tom

[hewee]

More easy to clean the index.dat files and don't use IE but for MS updates. Turn off the history too.

[lotuseclat79]

Hi hewee,

The reason I posted this thread was merely informational, as everytime I ran it, it would take a long time to run by searching the C:\ drive. I have the Java JDK kit installed and the scan time increases way too much. I sent a comment to the authors of Index.dat Suite and they replied with the information in my first post that didn't seem to be well documented.

One good reason to run this tool vs say using DOS with a delete command to remove all of the index.dat files from you system is that the delete command will also remove a required index.dat file in WinXP in the C:\WINDOWS\pchealth\helpctr\OfflineCache folder path which if missing will cause both System Information and Help and Support Center to malfunction.

Index.dat Suite highlights that particular index.dat file in red and does not automatically check it for deletion.

The folks that created Index.dat Suite probably understand index.dat files better than anyone writing a tool to delete them out there.

Your advice is sound, but this tool happens to be what I consider the best at dealing with index.dat files.

For a good article, read * The truth about the index.dat files: What, why and where? by Steven Burn http://mysteryfcm.co.uk/?mode=Articles&date=01-11-2005

-- Tom

[hewee]

I understand and lots of people use that program. Those darn index.dat files we all hate and they can be a pain in the rear to delete.

Hey you know a trick I found out. Some index.dat files will not show up if you look in the folders they are in or can you even see the sub folders they are in but I can see the sub folders and files if I use ACDsee image viewer and file all file types.
But then you can not just delete the index.dat file as you know but I learned you can delete the folder. The a new ones gets made again on it's own. Then I delete the folder after I use move on boot to delete the index.dat. Don't know why but the histiry index.dat I can not delete it and it should get deleted on bootup so by moving the history folder to the disktop I can delete the index.dat on bootup.