Index.dat cleaners seem to miss file

I am a Windows XP user, and I have just used an index.dat cleaner to remove file tracks from my PC, but when I re-open my PC I notice that the index.dat file under c:\...\userdata\ has not been touched - it's 'File Created' date is over a year ago still!

Is this file safe to delete? And is it worth deleting to protect privacy?

 

Two points:

The system will not allow index.dat files to be deleted w/o heroic effort and if you do delete it, the system will re-create it.

I've never looked at the creation dates after using cleaners but know they have been cleaned out by seeing they are smaller and second using a program Index.datQV that looks at their contents: https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=48827

Regards - Charles

 

Hi The_UserNamless_H

As czv said, you just cannot go and delete index.dat files, however, they *can* be deleted by programs only usually upon a reboot, then Windows recreates them back to default sizes. 32Kb for TIFs and others 16Kb are the default.

The one you are concerned about I suppose is the index.dat file in your TIFS.

One of the best TIFs/Index.dat cleaners I have come across is Crap Cleaner.

It's also a Registry Cleaner, but don't worry, that's done separate only if you want.

CRAP CLEANER

A good thread on it is IN HERE ~ DISREGARD THE TITLE RE REG MECHANIC

Try it, first, check the index.dat file size, open CC, check off what you want, Clean, it cleans out lots of stuff and then reboot, and check your index.dat file size in TIFS. Should be back to 32Kb

HTH,
Cheers, TAS

 

There are usually lots of index.dat files spread over the system.

Here are some of mine... It had been a while since I did a clean of them, one had got to over 400Kb, I just used CC and all back to default 16/32Kb size. [After a reboot ]

Ignore the 12Kb one in there, that belongs to Adobe.

A lot of the ones I have also were 'backed up' from a registry clean that's why you see I have 33 files found on mine.

Cheers, TAS

 

Hi Tas

I have just checked the Index.dat on Ccleaner and for the first time clean them out.

But since you use Ccleaner could you tell me if it is safe to delete those found by Ccleaner here:

Issues Tab
1) Active X and Class Issues (plenty found here)
2) Applications Path (found about 10 here)
3) Installer (only one found - it says Invalid Uninstaller Ref, Ad-aware 6 personal)

Under Windows Tab:

Internet Explorer
1) Last Download Location (still unchecked)
2) Autocomple Form History (still unchecked)
3) Advance Cache Delete (still unchecked)

Windows Explorer
1) Menu Order Cache (still unchecked)
2) Tray Notification Cache (still unchecked)
3) Windows Size/Location Cache (still unchecked)
4) User Assist History (still unchecked)

System
IIS Log Files (still unchecked)

Cheers

Chew

 

You can completly disable index.dat file and cookies folder. Note that cookies still work, since they are stored in temporary internet files folder anyway.
Goto registry and change CachePrefix from Cookie: to NoCookie:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\5.0\Cache\Cookies]
"CacheLimit"=dword:00000200
"CachePrefix"="NoCookie:"

You can completly disable history folder (doesn't kill last 25-typed url list in registry)
Goto registry and change CachePrefix from Visited: to NoVisited:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\5.0\Cache\History]
"CacheLimit"=dword:00000200
"CachePrefix"="NoVisited:"

Now Windows creates default 16kb index.dat files but doesn't log anything to them.

 

Hi Chew...

First, I am very loathe to tell you about fixing 'Issues' [Registry]. Just to say that I do mine, the lot that is, and haven't had a problem. But.... ball's in your court.

Now, as to the Windows Section, see my first screenie up top, apart from Temporary Internet Files and Cookies, which I left off deliberately as did not want to delete those this time round, I just use the rest as is.

For the Applications section, mine may look differently, as CC detects different programs on your system, so up to you, but I have everything checked on it, see screenie.

HTH, TAS

 

Tassie

If you wouldn't mind a question from a real newbie to security measures....

Does CC do something different than MRU-Blaster and if so, would you mind to explain this to me? Thank you

 

Hi Sweetie.

Well, to be perfectly honest, CCleaner cleans a lot more simply because of what it looks for.

A lot of people have complained that MRU is missing Index.dat files by not cleaning, which I have never found to be the case personally. [Maybe not all are rebooting, like they should].

But, in a nutshell, CC finds a lot of old logs, prefetch data, etc, files that were not intended to be found by MRU's settings.

For eg: When I found CCleaner and installed, the first thing I tried was a clean by MRU, a reboot, then I scanned using CC. To my amazement, it found over 50mb of further useless files.

For some results with CCleaner go to that thread link I posted above and read some of the things it found on some PCs. Read my post #7. Then Post #43 by CloseHauled = Run Cleaner: 137.003 sec, 731.1MB! LOL.

Cheers, TAS

 

Tassie

Thank you very much for answering my questions. I have downloaded CC but notice that the Delete Index.files is grayed out, should I not be able to check this box also? Thank you for your help.

 

At first I too thought it was "greyed" out.. but click on the box, it will put a check in there, no worries... .

You will even get an alert about when it cleans it... see pic.. I unchecked and rechecked it to show you.

TAS

 

Tassie

Just want to thank you so much for your knowledge and help. I am simply amazed at all the stuff it found....I have only had this computer for 4 months and wonder how I managed to get all that junk on it! I am so glad I came here and read your posts...you are a true sweetie!!

 

Cheers Daiki and Tassie Devil.

I've finally checked everything in Ccleaner's Issues Tab except one under Installer.

Under Installer I found one entry saying that "Invalid Uninstaller Ref" "Ad-aware Personal 6" "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Management\ARPCache\Ad-aware 6 Personal".
So can I delete / fix this entry?

Otherwise, so far so good everything is running smoothly. But I did backup all that were cleaned in the Registry ... just in case.

As for running Ccleaner and MRU Blaster. I got both and I just use both to clean whenever I can and depending on me mood .

I always clean with MRU Blaster first and Ccleaner a bit later. Or one after another.

So there you go.

Cheerio

Chew

 

LOL, thanks Sweetie.
Found a bit of stuff hey? Good it did it's job then.

Cheers, TAS