microsoft *secret files* ???

  • Thread starter Thread starter KB
  • Start date Start date
K

KB

Hi,

I was reading on a couple websites about "super secret hidden files" (index.dat)that
supposedly Microsoft hides on XP and uses for some unknown purpose. Not sure I believe
that, but I am curious about something:

I used a program to find all index.dat files and view the contents. It said there was no
contents in the files (this after having cleared my IE history). The file size the program
showed was 560 kb. Soooo, I generated a batch file that deleted all the index.dat files
and when I ran the program again, the file size had shrunk to about 16 kb.

Does anyone here know how you can really view the contents of the index.dat, or that can
further expound on this?

Thx,

KB
 
Just do a Google on index.dat and read about them. They do exist. There are
many programs out there that will erase these files and other traces if you
are concerned. I use Cyberscrub.
Jim
 
They contain an index of files so windows can quickly find the file. When it is emptied it is not made smaller (as it will just have to be made bigger again) but entries are maked unused, just like a hard disk. They aren't secret either.
 
Does anyone here know how you can really view the contents of the
index.dat, or that can further expound on this?
Click to expand...


just copy the file to a .txt extension
then open in wordpad
 
Hi,

I've encountered that as well, and have not been able to resolve it. As a
workaround, I set the primary-use remote acccount to an autologon with a
short time-out. This way if the machine is rebooted, the account always logs
on immediately, thus making it available for remote sessions.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
Sorry, this response was meant for another thread.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
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