Clean Or Delete "index.dat" Files

[ColTom2]

Hi:

What is the best way to clean or delete "index.dat" files and how
important is it to do so?

Thanks,

ColTom2\

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

A1. Manually.

A2. It's not.

 

[Bob I]

presuming internet explorer is the target of this operation, one way is
to login as an administrator on a different account and delete the file.

 

[Olórin]

Hi:

What is the best way to clean or delete "index.dat" files and how
important is it to do so?

Thanks,

ColTom2\

1) You might want to take a look at "Index.data Analyzer" over at
http://www.systenance.com/indexdat.php

2) Depends on your paranoia level

 

[notval]

Hi:

What is the best way to clean or delete "index.dat" files and how
important is it to do so?

Thanks,

ColTom2\

Have a look at Index.dat Suite:

http://support.it-mate.co.uk/?mode=Products&p=index.datsuite

Index.dat Suite's current features include;

1. View, delete and backup index.dat files
2. View and delete Temporary Internet Files (TIF)
3. View and delete Cookies
4. View and delete History
5. View and delete Temp files
6. and more ...

Regards, Fred

 

[Alan]

PA Bear,

Deleting manually is certainly an effective way to eliminate INDEX.DAT
files.

But I wonder why you feel that it's not important to do so.

Whether or not a person visits 'sensitive' sites, why would anyone want to
leave a trail of Web pages they have visited?

Alan

 

[beamish]

Hi:

What is the best way to clean or delete "index.dat" files and how
important is it to do so?

Thanks,

ColTom2\

Hello.
I found that CCleaner does a good job of removing said files.
http://www.ccleaner.com/
Free for individual users.

take care.
beamish.

 

[Xandros]

Hello.
I found that CCleaner does a good job of removing said files.
http://www.ccleaner.com/
Free for individual users.

take care.
beamish.

Run CCleaner and then run this tool http://www.systenance.com/indexdat.php
taking note of what is still present in your History, Cookies and Cache.

Xandros

 

[Bill in Co.]

It's NOT important to delete the index.dat files. To believe it is, is a
bit of paranoia.

 

[Kaja]

Do not do anything. You do not need to delete or clean these files up to
clean your computer. Actually you will damage your computer if you delete or
do anything to these files. Computers do need to be cleaned up from
unnescary programs and files but unless you know what you are deleting you
risk damage. If you want to clean your computer from unnescary files in
Windows XP Windows offers you built in tools. Internet Explorer also stores
unnescary files that need to be deleted too. You may ask how and I will
explain. A utility free that will do you no harm is CC Cleaner. Download it
for free from http://www.cccleaner.com and then run it once a week. Just hit
anaylze and clean. This will take care of Internet explorer's unnescary
files.

As far as your computer goes go to start, all programs, accesories, system
tools, disc cleanup. Select that. Check all boxes that apply and hit ok.
Do this once a week. That takes care of Windows XP.

To take care of unnesecary programs that are taking up valuable space on
your hard drive go to start, control panel, add/remove programs then look at
the list. Hit change remove to delete a program. Only delete a program if
you know what it is because some programs need other programs to work
together.

Whatever you do do not buy any registry cleaners that are non Microsoft such
as Reg Cure or Tune up utilities 2008. Speed has no correlation to the
registry. Only advanced users should do anything with the registry and if
you run these programs they will mess up your computer. I hope this is
helpful. Let me Know.
Best Regards,
Kaja

 

[Plato]

What is the best way to clean or delete "index.dat" files and how
important is it to do so?

Manually is best. And yes, it's "important" to do so now and then to
pre-emp webpage view problems and download problems.

Honestly, I dont know if it does "index.dat" files, but it seems to help
me out very often.

Perhaps I use CCleaner because it works:

http://www.bootdisk.com/plan40/clean12.exe
ver 1.2

http://www.ccleaner.com/download/downloadpage.aspx?1
recent ver.

I need my Internet for work and hobby. I'm a fan of CCleaner.

 

[Plato]

Deleting manually is certainly an effective way to eliminate INDEX.DAT
files.

But I wonder why you feel that it's not important to do so.

It's ALWAYS appropriate during a standard PC cleaning.

 

[Olórin]

Do not do anything. You do not need to delete or clean these files up

Well, "need" is kinda relative, isn't it? One doesn't *need* to ever
defragment, for example; but if one wants to do all one can to improve disk
access times, then it does become a need. If the OP has privacy concerns
then cleaning out all the index.dat files becomes a more of a "need" to
*him*. Try one of the index.dat viewing utilities that have been recommended
and consider whether you'd like a stranger, not necessarily with your best
interests at heart, using one of them on your computer.

to clean your computer.

ColTom2 didn't ask anything about general computer-cleaning

Actually you will damage your computer if you delete or
do anything to these files.

Oh, pshaw. I'd like to know what you base that on.

 

[Alan]

It seems that those of us who DO care about privacy are just being
'paranoid.'

Or...we have something to hide.

Otherwise, why would we care?

This is the philosophy of those who wonder why 'ordinary' people should be
upset if their phone calls and emails are intercepted as part of the 'War on
Terror' and the Patriot Act.

Alan

 

[Twayne]

Hi:

What is the best way to clean or delete "index.dat" files and how
important is it to do so?

Thanks,

ColTom2\

It is completely unnecessary to delet them, which negates your first
question. Do you have a reason for wanting to get rid of them?

 

[Alan]

Twayne,

What about the information that is contained in those Index.dat files? Some
people might not like the idea of having every Web site they have ever
visited being easily retrievable.

Alan