It's probably the hidden "index.dat" file(s) which you cannot view in
explorer. One way to see them is open a DOS window to see it.

"Index.dat: Part I - What is index.dat?"
http://blogs.msdn.com/jeffdav/archiv...18/266027.aspx

http://www.acesoft.net/delete_index.dat_files.htm

"TheScullster" wrote:

> Hi all
>
> Not sure what's going on here!
> Followed the MS procedure for deleting Temporary Internet Files via control
> panel and Internet Options.
> Looking in Local Settings under my profile, the folder shows no content (I
> have the view option set to show all files incl hidden) - but selecting
> properties on the folder it returns 120Mb.
>
> Can anyone explain this?
>
> TIA
>
> Phil
>
>
>

Index.dat files are system files, they might show up if you disable the
'hide protected operating system files' in folder options.

Alternatively download the free application called CCleaner
(www.ccleaner.com) and run the 'cleaner' option. This will clear out
temporary internet files and a host of others including index.dat files -
you will need to restart your PC to clear everything. I use it after every
session on my PC. Just one word of warning, though, if you do online banking
and keep passwords, account numbers etc on your PC they too will get erased
unless you tell CCleaner not to remove them (via the options menu).

--

--
John Barnett MVP
Windows XP Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
Web: http://www.silversurfer-guide.com

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..


"TheScullster" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "CTOS" wrote
>
>> It's probably the hidden "index.dat" file(s) which you cannot view in
>> explorer. One way to see them is open a DOS window to see it.
>>
>> "Index.dat: Part I - What is index.dat?"
>> http://blogs.msdn.com/jeffdav/archiv...18/266027.aspx
>>
>> http://www.acesoft.net/delete_index.dat_files.htm
>>
> Thanks CTOS
>
> Looked using cmd window and could not see index file.
> Found a couple of folders which were not visible through explorer, but
> "dir"ing the content of these did not reveal any index files.
>
> Phil
>

Some of the system hidden folder names don't appear just using "dir", you
just have to know the name of the folder to "cd" into it (the OS is hiding it
from you). That second weblink reference I provided has the locations.

C:\>dir "C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings"\temporary internet
files"\content.ie5\index.dat"

11/25/2008 10:24 AM 9,076,736 index.dat
1 File(s) 9,076,736 bytes
0 Dir(s) 17,906,905,088 bytes free


"TheScullster" wrote:

>
> "CTOS" wrote
>
> > It's probably the hidden "index.dat" file(s) which you cannot view in
> > explorer. One way to see them is open a DOS window to see it.
> >
> > "Index.dat: Part I - What is index.dat?"
> > http://blogs.msdn.com/jeffdav/archiv...18/266027.aspx
> >
> > http://www.acesoft.net/delete_index.dat_files.htm
> >
> Thanks CTOS
>
> Looked using cmd window and could not see index file.
> Found a couple of folders which were not visible through explorer, but
> "dir"ing the content of these did not reveal any index files.
>
> Phil
>
>
>

TheScullster wrote:
> "CTOS" wrote
>
>> It's probably the hidden "index.dat" file(s) which you cannot view in
>> explorer. One way to see them is open a DOS window to see it.
>>
>> "Index.dat: Part I - What is index.dat?"
>> http://blogs.msdn.com/jeffdav/archiv...18/266027.aspx
>>
>> http://www.acesoft.net/delete_index.dat_files.htm
>>
> Thanks CTOS
>
> Looked using cmd window and could not see index file.
> Found a couple of folders which were not visible through explorer, but
> "dir"ing the content of these did not reveal any index files.
>
> Phil

Type:

ATTRIB

... and see if anything shows up.

--
Joe =o)

> "CTOS" wrote
>
>> It's probably the hidden "index.dat" file(s) which you cannot view in
>> explorer. One way to see them is open a DOS window to see it.
>>
>> "Index.dat: Part I - What is index.dat?"
>> http://blogs.msdn.com/jeffdav/archiv...18/266027.aspx
>>
>> http://www.acesoft.net/delete_index.dat_files.htm
>>
> Thanks CTOS
>
> Looked using cmd window and could not see index file.
> Found a couple of folders which were not visible through explorer, but
> "dir"ing the content of these did not reveal any index files.
>
> Phil

It won't. index.dat files are simply marked as Hidden and System.
For a command prompt look at everything, try using attrib *
and press return. If you're set to view hidden, system and operating
system files, they should show up in explorer too. But attrib will
dispaly everything, regardless.
attrib /? for a list of switches it uses.

From a command prompt, using DIR, nothing is hidden. It's all there,
files and directories, too. If you aren't seeing certain folders &
files, someone must have been messing with your environment variables.
If you've changed them to show, say, DIR output in a different sequence
(fname first, etc), then something else might have gotten changed by
accident. Seems like there is a DOS switch too that'll do that but I'll
let you verify whether that's so or not. DIR /? will show the switches.

Twayne



> Some of the system hidden folder names don't appear just using "dir",
> you just have to know the name of the folder to "cd" into it (the OS
> is hiding it from you). That second weblink reference I provided has
> the locations.
>
> C:\>dir "C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings"\temporary
> internet files"\content.ie5\index.dat"
>
> 11/25/2008 10:24 AM 9,076,736 index.dat
> 1 File(s) 9,076,736 bytes
> 0 Dir(s) 17,906,905,088 bytes free
>
>
> "TheScullster" wrote:
>
>>
>> "CTOS" wrote
>>
>>> It's probably the hidden "index.dat" file(s) which you cannot view
>>> in explorer. One way to see them is open a DOS window to see it.
>>>
>>> "Index.dat: Part I - What is index.dat?"
>>> http://blogs.msdn.com/jeffdav/archiv...18/266027.aspx
>>>
>>> http://www.acesoft.net/delete_index.dat_files.htm
>>>
>> Thanks CTOS
>>
>> Looked using cmd window and could not see index file.
>> Found a couple of folders which were not visible through explorer,
>> but "dir"ing the content of these did not reveal any index files.
>>
>> Phil

That is not so.

John

Twayne wrote:

> From a command prompt, using DIR, nothing is hidden. It's all there,
> files and directories, too. If you aren't seeing certain folders &
> files, someone must have been messing with your environment variables.
> If you've changed them to show, say, DIR output in a different sequence
> (fname first, etc), then something else might have gotten changed by
> accident. Seems like there is a DOS switch too that'll do that but I'll
> let you verify whether that's so or not. DIR /? will show the switches.
>
> Twayne
>
>
>
>
>>Some of the system hidden folder names don't appear just using "dir",
>>you just have to know the name of the folder to "cd" into it (the OS
>>is hiding it from you). That second weblink reference I provided has
>>the locations.
>>
>>C:\>dir "C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings"\temporary
>>internet files"\content.ie5\index.dat"
>>
>>11/25/2008 10:24 AM 9,076,736 index.dat
>> 1 File(s) 9,076,736 bytes
>> 0 Dir(s) 17,906,905,088 bytes free
>>
>>
>>"TheScullster" wrote:
>>
>>
>>>"CTOS" wrote
>>>
>>>
>>>>It's probably the hidden "index.dat" file(s) which you cannot view
>>>>in explorer. One way to see them is open a DOS window to see it.
>>>>
>>>>"Index.dat: Part I - What is index.dat?"
>>>>http://blogs.msdn.com/jeffdav/archiv...18/266027.aspx
>>>>
>>>>http://www.acesoft.net/delete_index.dat_files.htm
>>>>
>>>
>>>Thanks CTOS
>>>
>>>Looked using cmd window and could not see index file.
>>>Found a couple of folders which were not visible through explorer,
>>>but "dir"ing the content of these did not reveal any index files.
>>>
>>>Phil
>
>
>
>

You are correct, my bad:

dir /a

shows the hidden folder and files.

Thanks!

"Twayne" wrote:

> From a command prompt, using DIR, nothing is hidden. It's all there,
> files and directories, too. If you aren't seeing certain folders &
> files, someone must have been messing with your environment variables.
> If you've changed them to show, say, DIR output in a different sequence
> (fname first, etc), then something else might have gotten changed by
> accident. Seems like there is a DOS switch too that'll do that but I'll
> let you verify whether that's so or not. DIR /? will show the switches.
>
> Twayne
>
>
>
> > Some of the system hidden folder names don't appear just using "dir",
> > you just have to know the name of the folder to "cd" into it (the OS
> > is hiding it from you). That second weblink reference I provided has
> > the locations.
> >
> > C:\>dir "C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings"\temporary
> > internet files"\content.ie5\index.dat"
> >
> > 11/25/2008 10:24 AM 9,076,736 index.dat
> > 1 File(s) 9,076,736 bytes
> > 0 Dir(s) 17,906,905,088 bytes free
> >
> >
> > "TheScullster" wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> "CTOS" wrote
> >>
> >>> It's probably the hidden "index.dat" file(s) which you cannot view
> >>> in explorer. One way to see them is open a DOS window to see it.
> >>>
> >>> "Index.dat: Part I - What is index.dat?"
> >>> http://blogs.msdn.com/jeffdav/archiv...18/266027.aspx
> >>>
> >>> http://www.acesoft.net/delete_index.dat_files.htm
> >>>
> >> Thanks CTOS
> >>
> >> Looked using cmd window and could not see index file.
> >> Found a couple of folders which were not visible through explorer,
> >> but "dir"ing the content of these did not reveal any index files.
> >>
> >> Phil
>
>
>
>

What is not so?

Twayne

> That is not so.
>
> John
>
> Twayne wrote:
>
>> From a command prompt, using DIR, nothing is hidden. It's all there,
>> files and directories, too. If you aren't seeing certain folders &
>> files, someone must have been messing with your environment
>> variables. If you've changed them to show, say, DIR output in a
>> different sequence (fname first, etc), then something else might
>> have gotten changed by accident. Seems like there is a DOS switch
>> too that'll do that but I'll let you verify whether that's so or
>> not. DIR /? will show the switches. Twayne
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> Some of the system hidden folder names don't appear just using
>>> "dir", you just have to know the name of the folder to "cd" into it
>>> (the OS is hiding it from you). That second weblink reference I
>>> provided has the locations.
>>>
>>> C:\>dir "C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local
>>> Settings"\temporary internet files"\content.ie5\index.dat"
>>>
>>> 11/25/2008 10:24 AM 9,076,736 index.dat
>>> 1 File(s) 9,076,736 bytes
>>> 0 Dir(s) 17,906,905,088 bytes free
>>>
>>>
>>> "TheScullster" wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> "CTOS" wrote
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> It's probably the hidden "index.dat" file(s) which you cannot view
>>>>> in explorer. One way to see them is open a DOS window to see it.
>>>>>
>>>>> "Index.dat: Part I - What is index.dat?"
>>>>> http://blogs.msdn.com/jeffdav/archiv...18/266027.aspx
>>>>>
>>>>> http://www.acesoft.net/delete_index.dat_files.htm
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thanks CTOS
>>>>
>>>> Looked using cmd window and could not see index file.
>>>> Found a couple of folders which were not visible through explorer,
>>>> but "dir"ing the content of these did not reveal any index files.
>>>>
>>>> Phil

That nothing is hidden with the simple DIR command, you have to use the
appropriate switches to see hidden files.

John

Twayne wrote:

> What is not so?
>
> Twayne
>
>
>>That is not so.
>>
>>John
>>
>>Twayne wrote:
>>
>>
>>>From a command prompt, using DIR, nothing is hidden. It's all there,
>>>files and directories, too. If you aren't seeing certain folders &
>>>files, someone must have been messing with your environment
>>>variables. If you've changed them to show, say, DIR output in a
>>>different sequence (fname first, etc), then something else might
>>>have gotten changed by accident. Seems like there is a DOS switch
>>>too that'll do that but I'll let you verify whether that's so or
>>>not. DIR /? will show the switches. Twayne
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Some of the system hidden folder names don't appear just using
>>>>"dir", you just have to know the name of the folder to "cd" into it
>>>>(the OS is hiding it from you). That second weblink reference I
>>>>provided has the locations.
>>>>
>>>>C:\>dir "C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local
>>>>Settings"\temporary internet files"\content.ie5\index.dat"
>>>>
>>>>11/25/2008 10:24 AM 9,076,736 index.dat
>>>> 1 File(s) 9,076,736 bytes
>>>> 0 Dir(s) 17,906,905,088 bytes free
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>"TheScullster" wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>"CTOS" wrote
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>It's probably the hidden "index.dat" file(s) which you cannot view
>>>>>>in explorer. One way to see them is open a DOS window to see it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>"Index.dat: Part I - What is index.dat?"
>>>>>>http://blogs.msdn.com/jeffdav/archiv...18/266027.aspx
>>>>>>
>>>>>>http://www.acesoft.net/delete_index.dat_files.htm
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Thanks CTOS
>>>>>
>>>>>Looked using cmd window and could not see index file.
>>>>>Found a couple of folders which were not visible through explorer,
>>>>>but "dir"ing the content of these did not reveal any index files.
>>>>>
>>>>>Phil
>
>
>
>