Rid Xp Of A Hidden File!!!!

[Big Booger]

MSIE (e.g. Microsoft Internet Explorer) is known to store your entire history inside a HIDDEN file somewhere in your comp for unknown reasons (or should I say, Unproven reasons). OK, then we just click on "clear history" and "delete files" no? NO! it might seem like it erased the history, but it didnt.

It is stored inside a file called "Index.DAT", which is Hidden. But not hidden in the regular way, even if you enalbe the "view hidden files" option, you will still not be able to see it or even search for it.

Here is how to get that file:
GET THE GUIDE

HERE'S THE FULL ARTICLE

Microsoft's Hidden Files in WinXP Pro - IE History
By E-man / @ Astalavista Group
--------------------------------------------------


If you've read the article by "The Riddler" (which was also posted
at Astalavista) you will know what I'm talking about.
If not, then here it is...

MSIE (e.g. Microsoft Internet Explorer) is known to store your
entire history inside a HIDDEN file somewhere in your comp for
unknown reasons (or should I say, Unproven reasons).
OK, then we just click on "clear history" and "delete files" no?
NO! it might seem like it erased the history, but it didnt.

It is stored inside a file called "Index.DAT", which is Hidden.
But not hidden in the regular way, even if you enalbe the "view hidden files"
option, you will still not be able to see it or even search for it.


Here is how to get that file:
(View hidden files must be on)

Go to:

<Drive where you installed WinXP>/Documents and Settings/<Your user folder>/Local Settings/

See that "Temporary Internet Files" ?
Right click on it. Notice anything missing?
That's right! no "Search" option! Very strange.

Go to MSIE and clean ALL your history / temporary internet files.
(this is done by going to the "Tools" menu and clicking on "Delete Files" and "Clean history")

Now enter that folder again.
Nothing but cookies right?
Wrong again!
Go up one level and right click the "Temporary Internet Files" folder and then on "Send to".
Now choose "My documents" (easiest choice). and go to the "My documents" folder.

There popped the "Temporary Internet Files" folder, get inside that folder...
Suprise! No cookies no nothing!
Just 2 folder and a "Desktop.ini" file.
Get inside the "Content.IE5" folder, and there's that "Index.dat"!
You will probably find some more folders there, they will have your temporary (?) internet files in them.

Open the "Index.dat" in any text editor (notepad is good) and be amazed.
its a list of files that your MSIE downloaded from the websites you've visited, now pull the scroll bar
to the right, and there you have it, the list of websites you've visited!

You can see that windows also stores the name of the user who visited these website near the name of the file
that was downloaded from them.

Want to erase the files? nah, MS probably have them by now.
I sugest this will be the last time you use MSIE.

Best Regards.

You may distribute this article only if you keep its original form.
This article is under my copyrights.

- E-man. (ICQ: 12993862 Contact me if you have more of this kind please.)

ENJOY
BB
SOURCE XPERIENCE.org

UPDATE
WANNA GET RID OF THAT hidden URLS stored on your machine for who knows what purpose?
USE THIS PROGRAM Spider 1.6

E-man's article "Microsoft's Hidden Files in Windows XP" you published, begs for a solution .... a freeware program called - Spider 1.6 that can read and cleanup all the index.dat files on a Windows box. This program allows you to exploit the 'bug' and scan your PCsto find all the URLs stored in these hidden files.

Works great on all flavors including XP. Did I mention it was free?
GET SPIDER 1.6

[Conan]

I use this File Cleaner that permanently deletes stuff from your hard drive using the Command Prompt. I think that there is nothing left after using this small Batch File Program. Read the instructions very well though as it is very powerful and may erase certain portions of your Hard Drive if not properly configured. Check it out it's Free too:


http://www.langa.com/cleanup_bat.htm

[piaqt]

Thanks for the link, Conan. I've used Fred Langa's stuff before, but I didn't know he'd updated to XP.

[FastGame]

Thanks Guy's

I used the one BB linked to & I guess Windows Washer wasn't doing as good as I thought , man I had a million url's..if Conan hooked up to me through Remote Assistant could of stole my secret ? P...well not no more.

Conan I just got the one you suggest & it looks very nice but scary for a sub-brain like myself , maybe since you have experience with it you could give a few sub-brain settings for me to follow ? I remember a long time ago I thought I understood a DOS prompt in 98se and after I hit enter.....well lets just say the one command I did understand (FDISK/FPRMT) was needed for the fix

[phishhead]

I recommend getting on langlist newsletter smart guy get good info from that geek...I use the clean up bat too works like a charm

[piaqt]

Once again, Boogs, you da man!

[Richard]

Hmm

I followed what you posted however when checking the index.dat file there was nothing in it apart from the sites that my browser currently had open.

AFAIK the huge list wasnt there

Thanks

Richard

[Conan]

Originally posted by FastGame
Thanks Guy's

I used the one BB linked to & I guess Windows Washer wasn't doing as good as I thought , man I had a million url's..if Conan hooked up to me through Remote Assistant could of stole my secret ? P...well not no more.

Conan I just got the one you suggest & it looks very nice but scary for a sub-brain like myself , maybe since you have experience with it you could give a few sub-brain settings for me to follow ? I remember a long time ago I thought I understood a DOS prompt in 98se and after I hit enter.....well lets just say the one command I did understand (FDISK/FPRMT) was needed for the fix

Is it Web Washer that you're talking about? You have to enable the Pop-up blocker in Preferences for it to work, it's not on by default. It's 100% effective for me, no pop-ups with Boog's suggested URL.

Anyway, the Clean.bat from Langa just needs the proper path to your Temp and Temporary Internet Files folders in the Documents and Settings folders. I will give more detailed instructions later if anyone still needs further clarification on this Batch file.

[FastGame]

Thank's Conan

No it's not Web Washer , it's Windows Washer 4.5 , says it cleans everything with 7 pass erase which it does except the little secret file Boog's points out. Spider got rid of it...but I think that Link you provide is very interesting also