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Cleaning I E files and index.dat ? !


exasse

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I can confirm, as reportedForum link.

The index.dat files are actually not cleaned, and not even detected by CCleaner.

Wonder if the issue could affect some not-english localized Windows versions only. :unsure:

 

Here is a screenshot of CCleaner (after run analyze for index.dat). As you can see nothing is detected.

 

post-3287-0-14121600-1294173853_thumb.jpeg

 

Here is a screenshot taken after a global search for all the index.dat files on my system, using another software.

(the most important to clean is the one highlighted in red)

 

post-3287-0-78685300-1294174423_thumb.jpg

max_sig.gif Guide in italiano per CCleaner - Recuva - Defraggler - Speccy

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OK I've finally gotten frustrated with this subject. Thus I have run a definite test

 

the index.dat in the temporary files dir ( %localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5) will empty or rather reindex itself when temporary internet files are deleted via ccleaner this occurs immediatly and no browserwindows need to be closed

 

The Same occurs with the index.dat in cookies. When ccleaner removes cookies the dat changes.

 

the Index.dat files section only relates to the dats which I have afore mentioned being removed.

 

So yes, in essisence the original poster is correct on his internet explorer 6 (which until today he does not tell anyone he is running) nothing is occuring with this checkmark. but ccleaner is not broken it is working just fine.

 

You too can run my test


  1.  
  2. download notepad++
  3. Open a windows folder Tools>Folder Options>view and uncheck hide system files
  4. navigate to the internet cache (the red circled folder in the image from the previous post)
  5. drag index.dat into notepad++
  6. open CCleaner
  7. right click temporary internet files and choose clean
  8. go back to notepad++
  9. you will see a message asking you if you want to reload the file as it has been changed
    post-21882-0-28063100-1294181784_thumb.jpg
  10. say yes
  11. now you too can see the dat is clean

 

ADVICE FOR USING CCleaner'S REGISTRY INTEGRITY SECTION

DON'T JUST CLEAN EVERYTHING THAT'S CHECKED OFF.

Do your Registry Cleaning in small bits (at the very least Check-mark by Check-mark)

ALWAYS BACKUP THE ENTRY, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'LL BREAK IF YOU DON'T.

Support at https://support.ccleaner.com/s/?language=en_US

Pro users file a PRIORITY SUPPORT via email support@ccleaner.com

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I sure hope this post helps too, there is a ton of confusion about that index.dat file on this forum. I just did an analysis similar to Nergal's. Different method, same analysis & result. Bit more info. :)

 

Perhaps exasse will share this thread on that French forum. Here it is translated

 

Index.dat files are not detected by the CCleaner "Analyze" function. But they are cleaned.

Confusing, most any non-tekkie like me would doubt the analysis.

After cleaning, they don't look different (until you open them). That is, they don't change size back to default of 16 or 32 kb.

Confusing, most any non-tekkie like me would doubt the cleaning.

 

Bit more info:

There are some index.dat files which are not contemplated in your analysis, Nergal.

Some are in C:\Documents and Settings\Computer_Owner\Local Settings\History. There may be several.

Those also are cleaned.

I know this because I just finished:

- copying every stinking one of them to a new folder.

(Thirteen times, to get every conceivable permutation. 1500 files, 40 mb. <_< )

- then opening them with Peek. Peek can be found in freeware.

- then taking a screenshot of Ccleaner's analysis (they are not visible).

- then taking a screenshot of the innards of the Winzip archives (they are visible).

 

In every case within the History folder,

- the index.dat file was not shown during "Analysis"

- the index.dat file contained information before cleaning

- the index.dat file contained no information after cleaning

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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8. you will see a message asking you if you want to reload the file as it has been changed

 

Sorry, no.

I don't get any message from Notepad++, as the index.dat file does not change at all. It is completely untouched.

 

As you can see in my previous screenshot, the Temporary Internet Files are located in a "not-default" location

and this is correctly detected by CCleaner. CCleaner does clean all other Temporary Internet Files, but index.dat!

 

:(

max_sig.gif Guide in italiano per CCleaner - Recuva - Defraggler - Speccy

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Sorry, no.

I don't get any message from Notepad++, as the index.dat file does not change at all. It is completely untouched.

 

As you can see in my previous screenshot, the Temporary Internet Files are located in a "not-default" location

and this is correctly detected by CCleaner. CCleaner does clean all other Temporary Internet Files, but index.dat!

 

:(

 

Notepad++ may have failed to detect a reason to give a message.

Did you close Notepad and then read the file again to be sure it was not altered ?

 

Perhaps Nergal has a different O.S. from yours and that may affect whether Notepad++ is given a warning that the file has been changed.

Perhaps Notepad only gets such a warning if certain Windows Services are active (I know that Distributed Link Tracking can have a powerful effect.)

 

Perhaps such warnings only happen when reading NTFS files and not FAT32

Your screenshot shows both C:\ and E:\.

I assume it is probable that C:\ is your system drive and consequently assume it is NTFS,

But we do not know the nature of your "non-default" file in E:\,

nor how you made E:\ the non-default repository (i.e a reparse point or a registry etc fix.)

 

Alan

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...

As you can see in my previous screenshot, the Temporary Internet Files are located in a "not-default" location

and this is correctly detected by CCleaner. CCleaner does clean all other Temporary Internet Files, but index.dat!

...

 

As far as free advice, mine is worth every penny you pay for it. :P Anyway:

 

Could it be this simple: Ccleaner doesn't find the index.dat file in the red box because it is on E: drive?

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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1. All the drives on my system are NTFS

 

2. I'm not that skilled but, beside the Notepad++ test, i'm skilled enough to check if a file is

unchanged (it does keep same file size, same creation, last modified and last access date/hour timestamps)

 

3. My customized "non-default" location was not causing any issue to CCleaner, until the 3.00.1310 version included.

 

Here is a screenshot taken using that version executable. As you can see this evil index.dat file is detected.

CCleaner does report a 0 kbyte file size, but this doesn't matter, as you know. The important thing is that it

was detected, and cleaned after reboot (as expected in that version).

 

post-3287-0-17312000-1294246080_thumb.jpeg

 

So this issue, at least on my system, surfaced with the "no reboot required" versions (3.01.1327 and current 3.02.1343)

 

:)

max_sig.gif Guide in italiano per CCleaner - Recuva - Defraggler - Speccy

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due to your use of ie6 you won't have those other .dat files so it will show nothing under dat files. However please remember just because you don't use IE doesn't make it safe to have the old version (it's still exploitable by viruses and malware even if you don't use it) so please for your sake and the sake of those whose computers come into contact with yours update to at least ie7

 

I have upgraded to IE 8 ( thanks for...) and now (with the last version) the IE files ( to delete) appear except index.dat !

and after reboot all index.dat are the same...( I've compared with search engine of Windows) !

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...As you can see this evil index.dat file is detected. ...

:)

 

:lol: Indeed it is an evil beast...almost as ornery as the History folder. Sorry that didn't help.

 

There is one thing I have done here, WXP home, IE7. I wrote a batch file which moves the index.dat file at restart. In its new location (my documents) it can be deleted normally.

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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LOL I didn't realize but in NotePad++ I have Settings>Preferences>Misc File-Status Auto-detection Enable this maybe why mine says boo.

 

ADVICE FOR USING CCleaner'S REGISTRY INTEGRITY SECTION

DON'T JUST CLEAN EVERYTHING THAT'S CHECKED OFF.

Do your Registry Cleaning in small bits (at the very least Check-mark by Check-mark)

ALWAYS BACKUP THE ENTRY, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'LL BREAK IF YOU DON'T.

Support at https://support.ccleaner.com/s/?language=en_US

Pro users file a PRIORITY SUPPORT via email support@ccleaner.com

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Just so everyone is aware, the developers read all threads so they will be reading this one too.

 

NdC

 

ADVICE FOR USING CCleaner'S REGISTRY INTEGRITY SECTION

DON'T JUST CLEAN EVERYTHING THAT'S CHECKED OFF.

Do your Registry Cleaning in small bits (at the very least Check-mark by Check-mark)

ALWAYS BACKUP THE ENTRY, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'LL BREAK IF YOU DON'T.

Support at https://support.ccleaner.com/s/?language=en_US

Pro users file a PRIORITY SUPPORT via email support@ccleaner.com

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