index.dat files

[Guest Viki]

Ccleaner is, by far, my favorite utility software for protecting my computer.

And though it removes a lot of internet activity by deleteing the contents of the index.dat files...it misses the most important one! the index.dat file located in:

C:\Documents and Settings\"User Name"\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\index.dat

 

Is this something that may be integrated in the near future?

If so, it would make Ccleaner PERFECT

[pwillener]

What do you mean it misses the Index.dat file? I have mine removed after each reboot; that's the only way to remove this file.

[Guest Viki]

What do you mean it misses the Index.dat file? I have mine removed after each reboot; that's the only way to remove this file.

 

 

 

Ccleaner does remove some of the index.dat file, but not all of it.

I recently found a free program that works as a viewer of the index.dat file. It is called WinSpy v3.02 and can be found here: http://www.acesoft.net/winspy/faq.htm

Look at your index.dat file with this program before you run Ccleaner. Run Ccleaner and then use WinSpy to look at the file again.... you will see what I am referring to.

Don't get me wrong...I love Ccleaner and I encourage all of my friends to use it. I would not dream of using my computer without it. It's just that my computer is on 24/7 and I do not reboot unless absolutely necessary. Tracks Eraser Pro (NOT FREE) will remove everything in the index.dat file without needing a reboot. So it can be done.

[burtman]

Tracks Eraser Pro (NOT FREE) will remove everything in the index.dat file without needing a reboot. So it can be done.

 

 

I'm afraid it cannot be done. I have seen programs like this before, and all they actually do is 'trick' the system into reading another part of the disk, so it appears the file is deleted. Try for yourslef - take a copy of your index.dat before running your program (save it somewhere else on your harddrive), run the program that 'wipes' the index file. Don't use any other cleaner stuff, and reboot the system.

Now compare your index.dat file to the one you saved earlier - very similar aren't they ?

 

Windows has exclusive access to the index.dat file at a very low level, and nothing can write to that file other than windows. There is a very small period of time during reboot that windows relinquishes its grip on it - it can then (and only then) be deleted. (Windows rebuilds the 'missing' file as it then continues to boot)

 

All CCleaner does is set a key that the OS looks for at reboot to delete (it was I believe designed for installers that require multiple reboots to delete leftover files), and it is ...

 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\SessionManager, and the key is PendingFileRenameOperations

(look at this key before and after CCleaner has ran)

 

If deleting the index.dat file was actually 'do-able' in realtime, do you not think all cleanup apps would do it ?

 

 

The end-result is you will have to reboot to erase index.dat - period.

 

B.

[saxo]

Index.dat Suite will scan for, display and remove these index files.A batch file runs at reboot to do the work.

I found it best to run it from the Administrators account.That way all the index files for all users are wiped.

It has options to get rid of history and cookies, etc.

The app. is free at:

h**p://support.it-mate.co.uk/?mode=Products&p=index.datsuite

Insert tt in place of the **.

[fredvries]

I did download and ran WinSpy.

 

When I ran CCleaner and then ran WinSpy I got the result: Total Records: 0.

[burtman]

Index.dat Suite will scan for, display and remove these index files.A batch file runs at reboot to do the work.

I found it best to run it from the Administrators account.That way all the index files for all users are wiped.

It has options to get rid of history and cookies, etc.

The app. is free at:

h**p://support.it-mate.co.uk/?mode=Products&p=index.datsuite

Insert tt in place of the **.

 

 

Yea, I think I try that once too - quite good. But again, just to point out to all others, it can only be done at reboot.

I actually use a batch file from sysinternals.com where you can add your own files to be deleted also at reboot. Useful if you've got some stubborn logfile (like SchedLgU.txt) that won't delete.

Oh, and just incase you want to try modifying the key I mentioned earlier, you might find that it isn't really 'do-able' in the normal registry editor - it complains about not allowing blanks spaces, so it may not work.

 

Anyway, it's all good as CCleaner does it as good as I need

[burtman]

Index.dat Suite will scan for, display and remove these index files.A batch file runs at reboot to do the work.

I found it best to run it from the Administrators account.That way all the index files for all users are wiped.

It has options to get rid of history and cookies, etc.

The app. is free at:

h**p://support.it-mate.co.uk/?mode=Products&p=index.datsuite

Insert tt in place of the **.

 

 

Yea, I think I try that once too - quite good. But again, just to point out to all others, it can only be done at reboot.

I actually use a batch file from sysinternals.com where you can add your own files to be deleted also at reboot. Useful if you've got some stubborn logfile (like SchedLgU.txt) that won't delete.

Oh, and just incase you want to try modifying the key I mentioned earlier, you might find that it isn't really 'do-able' in the normal registry editor - it complains about not allowing blanks spaces, so it may not work.

 

Anyway, it's all good as CCleaner does it as good as I need