IE7 Beta...where are the Index.dat fiiles...?

[Sharky2006]

This may be old news but I just read the following:

http://news.softpedia.com/news/The-index-dat-Windows-File-Builds-Controversy-32163.shtml

"PandaLabs has identified the controversy following the surfacing of several reports concerning the

[php]

It's probably just hiding somewhere else with a new name...

[Sharky2006]

Actually, I think you are right because I just used Super Winspy 3.02 and it pulled it up under

C:Documents and Settings(USER NAME)Local SettingsTemporary Internet FilesContent.IE5index.dat

The crazy part about it is that this when I go to this path the Content.IE5index.dat is not found in the Temporary Internet Files folder.  This is so weird and I am determined to find it....any suggestions?

[mudmanc4]

You should be able to delete these files, in safe mode,while its not running. sign in as admin and  type,

              del index.dat  I cant remember the switch  try  / -l , or -i  then shutdown through dos command

[Sharky2006]

Isn't there a way to delete the index.dat files and then create a dummy index.dat file so that windows doesn't create it any longer.....?

[php]

No... and it really wouldn't be a good idea either.  Without a cache your browsing speed will slow down greatly and memory usage will go up.  Now if they had an option to clear the cache on exit like FF does...

[Sharky2006]

I found this on a site:

go here to get unlocker.exe http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/

install unlocker.exe

1. find index.dat and right click on it then select unlocker->unlock all, right click it again then select

unlocker->delete

2. make a dummy index.dat (create a text file and add some text), copy and paste it there

repeat 1 and 2 for all instance of index.dat

index.dat wont be recreate if you use a dummy file and you can test it by restarting window then

use some index.dat viewer to test them, go on internet and internet explorer wont write to index.dat

ever again

[php]

interesting... I can't test it myself, but it shouldn't work I don't think.

[Sharky2006]

By the way, it actually worked and my speed increased dramatically.  I posted it twice.  It's really quite amazing!!!!

[Swimmer]

index.dat was discarded in IE7..  so it wont be there..

Microsoft has announced that it has assessed this situation in its latest browser, and that the feature was discarded from the upcoming Internet Explorer 7, although prior versions are vulnerable to an attack via

[Sharky2006]

Actually in the IE7 beta version it has NOT been discarded and it is actually hidden even if you do show all hidden folders.  The key difference is the ability to delete the index.dat file without having to reboot and this is done through the TOOLS section while in an active IE7 browser (see attached item so that you can view what it looks like).

What I find interesting and disturbing is that microsoft is stating they "...did away with" this when the fact of the matter is that it is actually more hidden than before and luckily unlocker is still able to work in this version....

[Sharky2006]

Here are my latest results now...

:::.. Download Stats ..:::

Download Connection is:: 15589 Kbps about 15.59 Mbps (tested with 12160 kB)

Download Speed is:: 1903 kB/s

Tested From:: https://testmy.net/ (Server 1)

Test Time:: 2006/09/07 - 7:18pm

Bottom Line:: 272X faster than 56K 1MB Download in 0.54 sec

Tested from a 12160 kB file and took 6.39 seconds to complete

Download Diagnosis:: Awesome! 20% + : 62.52 % faster than the average for host (optonline.net)

D-Validation Link:: https://testmy.net/stats/id-Q6YBIMZCF

User Agent:: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727) [!]

[tommie gorman]

Here are my latest results now...

:::.. Download Stats ..:::

Download Connection is:: 15589 Kbps about 15.59 Mbps (tested with 12160 kB)

With a 15 Meg connection, that looks pretty decent. 

[Swimmer]

Actually in the IE7 beta version it has NOT been discarded and it is actually hidden even if you do show all hidden folders.  The key difference is the ability to delete the index.dat file without having to reboot and this is done through the TOOLS section while in an active IE7 browser (see attached item so that you can view what it looks like).

What I find interesting and disturbing is that microsoft is stating they "...did away with" this when the fact of the matter is that it is actually more hidden than before and luckily unlocker is still able to work in this version....

Did some more research into it and you are right.. looks like they just made it deleteable at run time.. Interesting

http://blogs.msdn.com/wndp/archive/2006/08/04/WinInet_Index_dat.aspx

[cholla]

Actually, I think you are right because I just used Super Winspy 3.02 and it pulled it up under

C:Documents and Settings(USER NAME)Local SettingsTemporary Internet FilesContent.IE5index.dat

The crazy part about it is that this when I go to this path the Content.IE5index.dat is not found in the Temporary Internet Files folder.  This is so weird and I am determined to find it....any suggestions?

The trouble is you have XP.In WindowsME where I can use real DOS I can see it & it's size.It is not the same one that's in cookies.So there are at least 2.

The locotion of mine in DOS is C:windowstempor~1content.ie5 then I use the dir command to see the files.

C:WINDOWS>cdwindowstempor~1content.ie5

C:WINDOWSTemporary Internet FilesContent.IE5>dir

Volume in drive C has no label

Volume Serial Number is 0951-18E4

Directory of C:WINDOWSTemporary Internet FilesContent.IE

.              <DIR>        09-08-06  5:19p .

..            <DIR>        09-08-06  5:19p ..

INDEX    DAT      147,456  09-09-06  2:06a index.dat

        1 file(s)        147,456 bytes

        2 dir(s)        5,560.57 MB free

[cholla]

Hi all;I know double post but I wanted this how to separate.

Sharky2006 ;

I'm not sure if unlocker.exe will work the same for these index.dat files .If this unhides

them for you.I couldn't test it because it is not for WindowsME.If not you will have to find a software

that will.I can delete them in DOS.I actually use a wiper program from DOS instead but delete would

work.It's just deleted information can still be recovered with the right software like the government

would use if the seized your HD.A wiper makes this much harder.

If you find some index.dat in other areas it would probably work for them too.Since I don't know the

effect of doing this to other areas you should do it one at a time .So if you have a functionality problem

you will know where it is.You might also enable your "system restore" if you have it disabled & make

sure it has a new restore point. Just in case.

First do this: search  *index.dat

Just to start out with this warning.Save the  CLSID & UICLSID deleted from all the desktop.ini

They should be as below but in case their not you need to save them to notepad then as a .txt file

If you want to return your OS to the way it was you will need to put them back.

From temporary Internet files desktop.ini.

UICLSID={7BD29E00-76C1-11CF-9DD0-00A0C9034933}

type in run: C:WindowsTemporary Internet Filesdesktop.ini

History removed:C:WindowsHistorydesktop.ini

UICLSID={7BD29E00-76C1-11CF-9DD0-00A0C9034933}

CLSID={FF393560-C2A7-11CF-BFF4-444553540000}

The index.dat file is conveniently hidden on many versions of windows, even when you have

hidden files set to be shown.

Below I have written about two methods you may use to discover this file - the second method is

more useful, in my case, but you may find the first method easier to perform.

You can, however, locate these files if you know the DIRECT path to them.

Example for History folder: C:windowsHistoryHistory.IE5index.dat

Browse to that location in Windows Explorer, and you will get a box asking if you want to open or

save that file.

The Temporary Internet Files index.dat file can also be found under:

(ex.) C:windowsTemporary Internet FilesContent.IE5index.dat

NOTE: The following method is only recommended if you know what you are doing.

TWEAK:

There is an even easier method to making the directory structure of your Temporary Internet Files

folder visible

(and, thus, you will now be able to see the index.dat file too!)

1.) Browse to your temporary internet files folder.

2.) Look at the path in Windows explorer...add a "desktop.ini" to the path name to open a special

hidden file.1

3.) Make sure to open this file in Notepad.

4.) Save a backup copy to a folder on your desktop (or anywhere else for that matter) but make sure

to change the ending to .txt.

5.) Close Notepad, and follow the steps above to open the file again.

6.) Now, delete the line that says the following:

UICLSID={7BD29E00-76C1-11CF-9DD0-00A0C9034933} 

It may be slightly different, but there should be only one UICLSID.

7.) Save the file and close all Windows Explorer windows.

8.) Browse to your Temporary Internet Files folder again, and voila! You now can see your index.dat

file, and all the weird folders that Internet Explorer actually stores file in.

You can follow the same method for your History folder, but instead delete the line that looks like

this:

CLSID={FF393560-C2A7-11CF-BFF4-444553540000} 

WARNING: Using this method for the History folder will remove its functionality from within

Internet Explorer. (You will see all of the folders, etc.) Saving a backup of the desktop.ini file is

HIGHLY recommended. (Remember to rename the extension)

[Sharky2006]

WOW  thanks!  I will experiment carefully. 

[cholla]

Sharky2006 ;I found some more information that you might want.This is for XP so I couldn't test it.What I think it does is deletes the Index.dat files on reboot so Windows hat to start new ones so this clears most of the data from them.Since your using a dummy for I think your cookies index.dat you might not wany that one in the list.

Heres a link to the site with the info.

http://www.markusjansson.net/eienbid.html

read:Solution for Index.dat files dilemma

I DLed the program there that was for Windows ME.It works a lot different.I didn't like the way it worked but with it I modified the .bat file it installed. So instead of deleting the index.dat files in Cookies,Temporary internet files ,& history it wipes & overwrites them with usless data.I did this by combining the .bat with my Eraser version 5.8 which can run from DOS. This actually overwrites them 3 times & If I wanted to let it I think it would overwrite up to 35 times.That would slow my boot a bit though.

I wasn't able to use unlocker because it is for windows 2000 & up.So far I haven't found one for windows ME or 98 .If I did I would give the dummy index.dat a try.Me won't take a dummy name .If you try from DOS it will let me rename but on reboot it still installs a new index.dat.That's why I thought the overwritten one would be better.If they build in size I can always go into DOS a delete them.