I am a software tech.
Ver 1.20, win XP home SP2. Fresh operating system installation.- It took hours of testing to come up with why ALL of my cookies & cookies/index.dat file- They would disappear after running "Window folder" "Run Cleaner". I then removed just a few cookies (5 of 40) with Norton Systemworks (2003 & 2004 both) CleanSweep/Cookie Cleanup.
"Issues" run cleaner only, did not effect cookies adversely!
After testing/restore... over and over (reinstalling complete system..., no other pgms installed.)- I finally determined that CCleaner was the culprit!
Run CCleaner V1.20 (tested "several" configurations..., all had the same bug!)-
1. I removed the check from "cookies" and "Delete Index.dat files".
2. Restart/ Run Windows folder "Run Cleaner" only.
3. Run Norton CleanSweep "Cookie Cleanup".
a. Showed all 40 cookies.
b. Removed 5 junk cookies.
1. Confirmed 5, and saved. Everthiing "normal". Done this many times- No problem with old CCcleaner version.
c. Showed it removed only 5, but when done- they ALL deleted but one?!
d. Went to restore but only the 5 I deleted were in the backup file. Luckily I have a full cookies backup file to restore!
I will just do "Issues" until they fix this bug!