Tracks Eraser v ccCleaner

I have searched this forum and note several topics old and new on index.dat cleaners. I know it has been discussed often but I am trying to decide which one to install as the one I use (XPsmoker) was fine until recently it seems to be when I use PSP & Frontpage - preview in browser and a lot of copy/paste with photos etc Smoker cannot cope at the end of the night when I want it to clean my index.dat. My friend has exactly the same problems we both use the same software and our computers are almost the same HT with 2GB RAM which may or may not have something to do with the 'blips.'

I have put up with this as when it works it is good but when it doesn't it makes me cross. The current issue of a PC mag has Complete Internet Clean Pro but I have never read any reports on this but it has prompted me to ask about ccCleaner or Tracks Eraser Pro. I think I have narrowed my choice down to one of these and would appreciate any thoughts on which one I would be best to install.

I like to keep my browser clean and tidy plus remove any unnecessary info stored on my computer. I have absolutely nothing to hide but do feel better when I know my index.dat and TIF's etc have been throughly cleaned at the end of each day.

 

I haven't used Tracks Eraser Pro, but I do use CrapCleaner.

The default settings for CC are ambitious - it really digs deep and removes much more than history items, including even log files as removal-candidates.

First two times I used it, I imaged my OS partition before use - just in case.

I've used CC 7 or 8 times, and it's never removed a critical item.

If you want a really safe cleaner, I suggest the Ace Utilities 'Clean Up Wizard' is the safest one-button agent for registry, history and junk file removal. Ace Utilities won't clean as deeply as CC, but I consider it absolutely safe.

Hope this helps!

 

You might also try Windows Cleaner 2005 (http://www.softes.org/), it's another free one, in addition to everything else it will do automatic cleaning when you exit an application (like your browser) and it will also do some registry monitoring

 

Question is a choice of those two . To answer your question , Tracks Eraser Pro , without a doubt . If money is not an issue , that is the way to go . As a side note , I did not like the way it automatically removes unneeded registry keys . They said it was safe but , on an ME machine , OUCH . On XP , no problem that I could find




Good luck

 

I don't think this is a free app, it says pay...

 

Tracks Eraser PRO consistently does what it says and that's ERASE the tracks. Great program. Lots of wannabes that I have tried but none hold a candle. Of course, it is a pay program.

 

Hi memory dude .
I must admit . You are close enough . Actually , you are very accurate . I use AntiTracks 5 and love it . Like it better than Tracks Eraser Pro . Why ? I just do not like the fact that it will remove registry keys without the option to stop . They may have changed by now though . I talked to them about this alot . Anyway . I felt their price was a bit steep too . The Pro was as high as $ 39 at one time . I think that has dropped too . AntiTracks is cheaper and as good . I have tried them all . That is why I use what i use . But , tracks Eraser Pro is very good . And as per the original question , I absolutely would insist on using Tracks Eraser Pro . take care memory dude . I enjoyed your post

 

Thanks I might add that the free version is not very limited, the only thing I have really found to be limited is the registry defragmenter.

 

Thank you, everyone I was a little wary of the ccCleaner one as I visited their forum and discovered a few things which would cause me alarm and panic afterwards - this post has confirmed the strength of the software to me plus some of the replies to problems were a little 'casual' without much help

I will check out the other links as they certainly are new ones to me and I am also really pleased that Tracks Eraser Pro is one of the better ones to have. I know it costs a little more but if it is supported and cleans as it should then I would purchase with confidence. A little concern over the registry entries although I am using XP Pro so think I should be fine with this 'glitch'.
I did note all the plugins which are optional for various programs but know I would take my time to use with care until I knew what way it worked and more to the point had confidence in using it myself.

Windows Cleaner sounds good also so will consider this & the other software posted here.

I feel the replies do lead to Tracks Eraser being excellent bar the cost which is not the major factor for me. They do have a trial version which would let me see how it works and hope the removal of the registry keys does not affect XP (at least holywoodpc only found this with ME)

I really appreciate everyones replies and now have more confidence to at least try TE and stop the frustration of my old one being 'tempremental'

 

I use CCleaner. Never had any problems on my machine (Win98SE). I just use it to get rid of all the junk. I dont use it for the Registry. For that I use Regseeker. I use CC every day without a hitch. It is regularly updated.

 

If your specific request is for an index.dat cleaner, you really need to take a look at Index.dat Suite .

I've found it to be much more thorough and much more useful - not to mention free. Pete

 

Hi spy1 - would you say this one is more thorough than Tracks Eraser for the index.dat? I have downloaded the trial version of TE and know there is much more it can clean which may be of benefit when I start to use the software.
Does index.dat allow you to select cookies to clean or keep?

Primarily I was looking for something to clean daily my index.dat (guess what- my old one worked today ) but I will compare the two now with my mind now thinking there are other 'left overs' from applications which I may find worth cleaning with the extra tools in TE.

Thanks again for all the other opinions - I was supposed to install one today but today went along a different route than I had planned so nothing much done computerwise at all. I am going to look again at all the links this evening with a little more insight into all that I am looking for now

 

Yes, I would - especially from the standpoint of being able to actually examine the contents of each index.dat found. But also - do you see how many individual "index.dats" were found by IDS? I'm a registered owner of TEP, but I really can't find a way to check whether or not TEP also finds that many - especially on other accounts on the computer. I guess if I ever get time, I could run TEP, re-start and run IDS and see what's left, if anything.

No, it doesn't.

Then I'd try out IDS and see if you're happy with it.

And don't get me wrong - TEP is a great program - I always run it first when doing the daily clean-up (followed by CCleaner, then CleanMoCache - unfortunately, they all find things to clean - IOW, no ONE program does it all).

HTH and good luck with whichever one(s) you finally go with. Pete

 

After running TEP with the option set to clean index.dat (it was a full-bore clean with all options that apply to my set-up), I then re-started the computer and ran IDS. See screenshot.

You can compare the screenshots for yourself and determine whether you need to be able to deal with the extra's or not. Pete

*I'll go ahead and run IDS and post a final screenshot but it'll take awhile.

 

Okay, this is what it looks like after IDS does its' thing:

 

Robyn .
Tracks Eraser Pro does an excellent job on index.dat files . Do not worry . People will constantly bring things to the forum that will confuse you all over again . You should have no problem with Tracks . The big thing for me was the index.dat files being taken care of . very few do this effectively . Tracks DOES . End of my story and good luck

 

Spy 1 - Just a question. Does CCleaner also erase index.dat files? Thank you.

 

Ronjor - Thank you very much!

 

Really? Perhaps I just made up those screenshots?

I agree - the first sentence in her post was:

(Emphasis mine: Pete) .

I then proceeded to tell her about the best "index.dat cleaner" that I know of (since that's what she asked about, specifically) - one that I've had onboard here since its' inception (and actually one on which I've assisted in trouble-shooting, bug-reporting on and suggesting improvements for).

I never suggested that she would have any problems with TEP. However, given the results of my "mini-test" up above (the screenshots), I think it's very apparent which program does a better job cleaning out index.dat files, don't you? Not to mention the fact that TEP won't allow you to examine the actual contents of any index.dats it finds (which by no means are all of them that are to be found on any given computer, judging by my results) - won't allow you to copy and create files of those results like IDS does - nor will it let you delete individual index.dat files (not individual entries within those files) like IDS does.

Now, you seem to be thinking I'm knocking T.E.P. As I said in my first post - that's not the case at all: T.E.P is the first clean-up program I run at the end of the day. (Registered owner of the program since Feb. 19, 2004, to be exact).

I suggest that you d/l and run IDS on your computer so that you can do the same things I did and verify my results for yourself:

Run a full-bore "cleaning" with T.E.P.

Re-start the computer so that T.E.P can absolutely do all the deleting it's going to do.

Run IDS and see what it finds after that re-start.

Checkmark everything it (IDS) finds for deletion.

Re-start the computer so IDS can run.

Re-start IDS and see what's changed.

Hey - seeing is believing. Pete

 

Pete .
You need to chill out ! If you think I was implying you made those up , that would mean I called you a liar . Take as you wish . Robyn : Between the two , Tracks is the way to go . I doubt you would have too much to worry about anyway .

 

<g> Quite chilled.

Notified authors of both programs about the thread in case they'd like to chime in.

Everyone have a nice night.

 

Personal attack post removed as per Wilders Tos. We will have no more as this is a civilized forum.