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SunnyFL8
Premium Member
join:2001-02-08

SunnyFL8

Premium Member

IE 7.0 Index.dat file is gone? Does new security really work

Now that IE 7.0 is out they have a feature that is supposed to delete all history,privacy,secured data.
Does anyone know if there is still another way to clean these files like the old way "del index.dat /s" in safe mode. Or do you think that the new 7.0 does it all and nothing to worry about?

What your opinions?

Thanks

BKayrac
Premium Member
join:2001-09-29

BKayrac

Premium Member

the IE7 doing it works fine for me

SpannerITWks
Premium Member
join:2005-04-22

1 recommendation

SpannerITWks to SunnyFL8

Premium Member

to SunnyFL8
Here's one that will do that and more. CCleaner Free from - »www.ccleaner.com

Spanner
tjack
Premium Member
join:2003-10-13
Buffalo, NY

tjack to SunnyFL8

Premium Member

to SunnyFL8
I still do it the old way. Where did you read that IE7 deletes index.dat files?
SunnyFL8
Premium Member
join:2001-02-08

1 edit

SunnyFL8

Premium Member

Wikipedia.com

try deleting index.dat in IE 7.0 you cant.. it doesn't exist.

it says ie7.0 addresses the index.dat file problem that doesn't allow you to delete history ect... in ie6.0 or previous versions.

But knowing Microsoft who knows if they have another file named something else in ie7.0 that keeps your history and personal info on file.

redxii
Mod
join:2001-02-26
Michigan
Asus RT-AC3100
Buffalo WZR-HP-G300NH2

redxii to SunnyFL8

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Click for full size
It doesn't delete it but if you clear everything, you'll only see something like above.
SunnyFL8
Premium Member
join:2001-02-08

SunnyFL8

Premium Member

You realize you must have IE 7.0 and you can only do "del index.dat /s " in IE 6.0 in safe mode as administrator. You cannot do this just with the command prompt running windows.
tjack
Premium Member
join:2003-10-13
Buffalo, NY

tjack

Premium Member

Index.dat files do exist in IE7 but they are hidden. Don't know why Microsoft did that.

To view the Hidden system folders and files in Windows Explorer, do the following in the Windows Explorer Tools menu:
Folder Options | View tab | Uncheck "Hide protected operating system files

redxii
Mod
join:2001-02-26
Michigan

1 edit

redxii to SunnyFL8

Mod

to SunnyFL8
That is IE7, and index.dat does still exist, but if you clear your history you will see the file is otherwise empty and therefore pointless to delete.
SunnyFL8
Premium Member
join:2001-02-08

SunnyFL8 to tjack

Premium Member

to tjack
Why does it show that it does not exist in safe mode as administrator?
tjack
Premium Member
join:2003-10-13
Buffalo, NY

tjack

Premium Member

That's a good question for which I don't have an answer. However, if you search for them with the hide protected files checked, you either get none or one(the one is another story). If you uncheck the box and then search, you will get all of them. So they do exist.

AB57
Premium Member
join:2006-04-04
equatorial

AB57 to tjack

Premium Member

to tjack
said by tjack:

Index.dat files do exist in IE7 but they are hidden. Don't know why Microsoft did that.
I suspect I do.

EGeezer
Premium Member
join:2002-08-04
Midwest

1 recommendation

EGeezer to tjack

Premium Member

to tjack
said by tjack:

Index.dat files do exist in IE7 but they are hidden. Don't know why Microsoft did that.
It's called "security by obscurity". Microsoft also uses that for their "undocumented APIs".

hpguru
Curb Your Dogma
Premium Member
join:2002-04-12

hpguru to redxii

Premium Member

to redxii
said by redxii:

That is IE7, and index.dat does still exist, but if you clear your history you will see the file is otherwise empty and therefore pointless to delete.
Only if you manually clear them. I use the same NT logoff script (vbs) I have used since '02 or '03 to delete my IE caches. It zaps them right after they are unlocked.
SunnyFL8
Premium Member
join:2001-02-08

SunnyFL8

Premium Member

So how can you manually delete all your private info your tracts ect...???

hpguru
Curb Your Dogma
Premium Member
join:2002-04-12

hpguru

Premium Member

said by SunnyFL8:

So how can you manually delete all your private info your tracts ect...???
Tools > Delete browsing history, and take your pick. It is manual because IE7 will not do it for you.
OZO
Premium Member
join:2003-01-17

OZO to SunnyFL8

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to SunnyFL8
Simplest and automatic way is to make file @LogOff.bat and put into it this line (along with many others down the road):
:: Clean IE7 index.dat:
del "%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\index.dat"
Then open Group Policy editor (run gpedit.msc) and go to Local Computer Policy \ User Configuration \ Windows Settings \ Scripts and assign this file to Logoff script. This way you may forget about it for a while... It will be cleaned up every time you make a reboot.

hpguru
Curb Your Dogma
Premium Member
join:2002-04-12

hpguru

Premium Member

said by OZO:

Simplest and automatic way is to make file @LogOff.bat and put into it this line (along with many others down the road):
:: Clean IE7 index.dat:
del "%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\index.dat"
Then open Group Policy editor (run gpedit.msc) and go to Local Computer Policy \ User Configuration \ Windows Settings \ Scripts and assign this file to Logoff script. This way you may forget about it for a while... It will be cleaned up every time you make a reboot.

Pretty much what I alluded to above except that I use Wsh which offer a richer set of programming options. Btw your script will fail if the user has redirected any of their IE cache folders. I have all my browser caches located on the drive with the page file to hold down fragmentation on the C: drive, so my script reads the registry to get their locations. I could 'hardcode' their locations but then the script would fail for every other user of the system. After it is done with my IE history it deletes a few dozen MRUs. The script will also check *who* is logging off and for example leave my daughter's usage histories intact.
OZO
Premium Member
join:2003-01-17

1 recommendation

OZO

Premium Member

Don't you think that putting here your VBS or WSH script will serve OP much better than a lot of words how nice is it?

Second, I've never told that the line in BAT file provided will work in 100% cases. I just presume it's working in only 99%. The rest of users (who know how to redirect IE cache) know how to make it work even better than me

hpguru
Curb Your Dogma
Premium Member
join:2002-04-12

2 recommendations

hpguru

Premium Member

KillCache.zip
1,287 bytes
KillCache.zip
said by OZO:

Don't you think that putting here your VBS or WSH script will serve OP much better than a lot of words how nice is it?
Perhaps, if he is willing to delve into the world of Windows Scripting. But anyway here it is in all its unsupported glory. Unzip it, rename it to KillCache.vbs and follow OZO's instructions for installing it as a logoff script. If there is a user whose cache and MRUs you wish to retain then make the appropriate edit on line 29.

I removed most of the MRUs from this version since they belong to applications you folks may not have. Those which remain pertain to IE only. They are the location of the last download folder, Typed URLs and form data including data typed into the IE7 search box. Stored Usernames and passwords are NOT deleted. If you wish to delete those as well, change line 47 to read

MRU(2) = "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\IntelliForms\"
OZO
Premium Member
join:2003-01-17

OZO

Premium Member

Now we're talkin'...
Thanks!
SunnyFL8
Premium Member
join:2001-02-08

SunnyFL8 to hpguru

Premium Member

to hpguru
Okay let me see if I get you right. Under group policies insert the killcache there? Or if not can you explain alittle more clearly?

Thanks

hpguru
Curb Your Dogma
Premium Member
join:2002-04-12

hpguru

Premium Member

Opps! Sorry, I missed this post. Follow these instructions to add the script as a logoff script.

Click Start > Run, type gpedit.msc and hit Enter. In the Group Policy Editor Navigate to Local Computer Policy/User Configuration/Windows Settings/Scripts (Logon/Logoff). In the right pane double-click Logoff. In the Logoff Scripts for Local Computer Dialog Box click Show Files. Copy the Killcache.vbs file to C:\WINDOWS\System32\GroupPolicy\User\Scripts\Logoff in the resulting Explorer Window. In the Logoff Scripts for Local Computer Dialog click Add and then Browse, select the Killcache.vbs file you just copied over and click OK, OK and OK again to return to gpedit. Your changes should become Policy immediately but to ensure the script runs at the next logoff, open a command prompt (Start > Run, type cmd and hit Enter), type GPUpdate /force and hit enter. Close the command prompt and you're done.

Btw if you have any apps to stop VBS scripts from running you'll have to make a rule allowing this script.
SunnyFL8
Premium Member
join:2001-02-08

SunnyFL8

Premium Member

When I try this it keeps freezing up when I go to shutdown. Something is causing it I am not sure what though.

Thanks for feedback.

hpguru
Curb Your Dogma
Premium Member
join:2002-04-12

1 edit

hpguru

Premium Member

said by SunnyFL8:

When I try this it keeps freezing up when I go to shutdown. Something is causing it I am not sure what though.

Thanks for feedback.
Sorry if it didn't work for you. That script uses plain vanilla methods to delete files and registry keys and makes use of error handling at every place in the script where an error could occur. If it were errors in the script itself like attempting to delete files that don't exist or that are still locked or read reg keys that do not exist then the script will simply resume execution at the next line of code. If it were the case that it was not able to delete any of your browser cache folders and registry MRUs then the script would simply exit cleanly without having done anything. So if your are experiencing a hang at shutdown my only guess is that some other software or system setting(s) is interferring with the script, preventing it from doing what it is intended to do.

Another possibility is that you need to install the User Profile Hive Cleanup Service.
dave
Premium Member
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio

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said by SunnyFL8:

(...) you can only do "del index.dat /s " in IE 6.0 in safe mode as administrator. You cannot do this just with the command prompt running windows.
I can.