Some Opera-centric questions

[neomarvelbunny]

i was rooting through Opera's AppData folder trying to find where the various "Trashes" resided (more on this later), when i ran across a few things i have questions about:

 

1) Every favicon Opera* encounters (whether the site is bookmarked or not) is saved in the directory (under Vista):

 

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Opera\Opera\profile\images

 

(or the equivalent directories on previous Windows versions). If fact, for every username.livejournal.com or title.blogger.com site, you visit, the same favicon is downloaded again. While size isn't necessarily an issue (currently this folder is 10.6MB on my system, which is fine for my hard drive size), the files have names like 162eri.deviantart.com.idx and http%3A%2F%2Fbrasslantern.org%2Ffavicon.ico, so this directory becomes another browsing history. This file is not cleaned up with a typical CC Opera cleanup.

 

If you're paranoid or have reason to be, it's probably best not to let Opera download favicons at all. i'm just cautious, and depending on the type of sites you visit favicons can be ... well, not something you want snoopy people to see. My question is simple: is it safe to add this directory to the includes, or at very least include every ICO, IDX, or image file in this directory? i can't think of any reason it wouldn't be, but i don't want Opera to crash because it's looking for something i deleted.

 

* Currently using v9.52, but this true of earlier versions as well.

 

2) Using Opera 9.52, in the directory:

 

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Opera\Opera\profile\vps

 

there are a number of four digit numbered directories. In each of these is a file named md.dat. i opened one of these in Notepad and dispersed among all the machine language goobledygook were URLs of sites that i've visited. i ran CC but these files remained unchanged. These aren't sites that require logins, and individual Wikipedia entries should require cookies (i don't delete my Opera cookies since there's no way to exclude the login cookies). So again, this comprises another browsing history.

 

a. Does anyone know what these files are?

b. Is there a safe way to clean these files? With all the machine language in them, i don't have much confidence that they can just be deleted.

 

3) Back to the trash: within Opera are a lot of "Trash" folders, for when you delete a bookmark or something. There's one for bookmarks, one for notes, one for feeds, one for "Widgets," and probably one for mail (i don't use Opera's mail client). Is there a way to get CC to empty these? i always forget that they're there and that i need to empty them. i never did figure out where they're stored on the hard drive.

[neomarvelbunny]

So i guess there is such a thing a bad question?

 

Can someone at least show me where any of these questions have been asked and answered? Even patently ridiculous questions have gotten at least one reply, and i somehow doubt i've stumped the experts.

[hazelnut]

Okay I went in and deleted all the ico images. I am using xp and opera 9.25. I did it this morning after reading your post and despite surfing all day and rebooting inbetween I have suffered no ill effects that I can tell and no slowdowns..

 

I do use sandboxie though so I don't know if that affects how many I would get there anyway.

 

I don't have a vps file listed. However.....

 

Although I use Opera 99.9% of the time and have for months, I still leave IE as my default. This could explain why no vps file?

 

There is an opera user Anthony who posts here, if he sees this he should be able to offer some insight perhaps.

[Anthony A]

To respond to your first question. The images folder in the profile folder is perfectly safe to delete. In fact in the Opera Clear Private Data dialog there is an option that will clean that folder it's called "Clear Bookmark Visited Time". I run it rarely because doing so dumps that folder and you lose all your bookmarks favicons every time you do it. Of course they come back as you visit the sites again. Here is a shot of the dialog.

 

 

For your second question. I don't have the VPS files or I can't find them looking through my profile folder. I am using a single user install and I use the "Classic Installer". As a result my Profile folder is not located where yours is. My profile folder is in the install directory in C\Program Files. I don't know if this has anything to do with it.

 

Your third question about the Trash Bins in Opera. I don't know where they are located on the hard drive but so can't help there. I just clean them within Opera so I never had a need to look for them on the HD.

 

I will suggest that you go the the Opera Forums and search or post a question. You will get your answers very quickly.

[neomarvelbunny]

Thank you both!