Cleaning of Index.DAT files

[karl snooks]

How does CCleaner handle index.dat files?

Does it zero fill?

Does it truly delete the files?

Does it treat all index.dat files in the same manner?

 

karl

 

 

As a sideline, I've never seen a place that makes things so difficult to post a msg. Your forum software needs a major redesign. Do you have anything that functions like a newsgroup?

 

I realize that should be a separate post but once is enough.

[Augeas]

As far as I know...

 

How does CCleaner handle index.dat files?

Includes code in one of the pc boot initialisation files to run an op sys delete command on the index.dat files. As the files are locked by Windows the delete has to run at pc boot time, before Windows has loaded. Windows then creates new index.dat files when it discovers they are missing.

 

Does it zero fill?

No, as the delete is not run by CC.

 

Does it truly delete the files?

It depends. Search the c drive and you will see the create date on some as CC run time, on others not. I would like to say that the important files are truly deleted, but I don't really know for sure.

 

Does it treat all index.dat files in the same manner?

No, see above.

 

As a sideline, I've never seen a place that makes things so difficult to post a msg.

Well, it's not perfect but it's not too bad, really.

 

Rgds.

[karl snooks]

Hi rgds,

Your answer prompted me to do a complete search for index.dat files 1) immediately after a restart, 2) after running CCleaner.

 

I'm logged in as an administrator, all files, including system files are "unhidden". In other words, my search as full access to the computer.

 

Try it sometime. You will be surprised at how little CCleaner actually does in this area. This is probably for the best since a wrong step here can have serious consequences.

 

Since I am security conscious, then I do use Tracks Eraser which uses a zero fill approach. This leaves XP Pro happy, since not all index.dat files are automatically replaced/restored upon a reboot. If anyone doubts the accuracy of that statement then just delete all of your index.dat files and be prepared to have some very unusual performance untill you have replaced the missing files with ones from a friend's computer.

 

I did notice in the list of bug fixes this last time then a problem related to a Vista index.dat file was fixed.

 

Overall, I rate CCleaner as excellent and the best in his field.

 

Thanks,

Karl Snooks

 

 

 

 

 

As far as I know...

 

 

Includes code in one of the pc boot initialisation files to run an op sys delete command on the index.dat files. As the files are locked by Windows the delete has to run at pc boot time, before Windows has loaded. Windows then creates new index.dat files when it discovers they are missing.

 

 

No, as the delete is not run by CC.

 

 

It depends. Search the c drive and you will see the create date on some as CC run time, on others not. I would like to say that the important files are truly deleted, but I don't really know for sure.

 

 

No, see above.

 

 

Well, it's not perfect but it's not too bad, really.

 

Rgds.

[Keithuk]

How does CCleaner handle index.dat files?

Does it zero fill?

Does it truly delete the files?

Does it treat all index.dat files in the same manner?

Well in Win98SE there is a file in the Windows folder that CCleaner makes WinInit.ini. In that file there are instructions to rename/delete these files on startup. I presume its similar on WinXP.

 

[rename]

NUL=C:\WINDOWS\TEMPOR~1\CONTENT.IE5\INDEX.DAT

NUL=C:\WINDOWS\COOKIES\INDEX.DAT

NUL=C:\WINDOWS\HISTORY\HISTORY.IE5\INDEX.DAT

NUL=C:\WINDOWS\HISTORY\HISTORY.IE5\MSHIST~7\INDEX.DAT

NUL=C:\WINDOWS\TEMPOR~1\CONTENT.IE5\INDEX.DAT

NUL=C:\WINDOWS\COOKIES\INDEX.DAT

NUL=C:\WINDOWS\HISTORY\HISTORY.IE5\INDEX.DAT

 

As a sideline, I've never seen a place that makes things so difficult to post a msg. Your forum software needs a major redesign. Do you have anything that functions like a newsgroup?

No there is nothing wrong with this forum. Posting a message isn't a problem.

[Augeas]

On XP I find anything from 17 to 20 index.dat files (one userid only). Why Windows wants so many, or any at all, and all over the place, is beyond me. I found the code to delete the files when I ran ME, I had a look some time ago when I progressed (?) to XP and couldn't find it.

 

What actually happens if all the index files are deleted, Karl?

[YoKenny]

On XP I find anything from 17 to 20 index.dat files (one userid only).

I find that Index.dat Suite removes the extra index.dat files that are created on a Windows install.

 

Windows always recreates the needed index.dat files at every reboot.

 

Overall, I rate CCleaner as excellent and the best in his field.

[burtman]

Over the years there has been many discussions about deleting index.dat files

In my experience there has been NO software applications that can truely delete / zero-fill / erase these files whilst Windows has a lock on them.

 

Programs like Tracks Eraser and such like do not actually zero-fill the index.dat - they trick the system into thinking a zero-filled file exists, which Windows will overwrite when restarted; effectively doing the same as CCleaner (and others do) at restart.

 

As far as I know, unless it belongs to Windows and ordered by Windows these files cannot and will not be touched during normal operating times.

 

With regards to other index.dat files (which I know many do exist) I don't know - I assume the same applies; although some may be able to be deleted 'live'

 

Take the example of editing a C++ program whilst it is running in real-time ... this will never be allowed to happen, nor could it happen as it could potentially & irrevocially crash the system - so it won't happen.

If someone can prove that a software application can categorically delete the 'required' file for browsing in real-time, then I think they will be very rich.

 

The simple fact is that index.dat files (on the most part) cannot be erased whilst Windows is running - no matter what claims an application makes - by any 'software' based tool.