Hi Malv,
Outlook Express, which you're using, creates the 0 byte files.
<quote>
Note: when viewing Newsgroup messages Outlook Express dumps a series of
zero-byte files into the TIF. When Outlook Express is closed it fails to
cleanup these files. To delete these zero-byte files you must select the
option "Delete all offline files".
<quote>
From...
Internet Explorer Tips and Tricks
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/ietips.htm
<quote>
Outlook Express 5.5 and 6 place a zero byte file in TIF for every message
that you read. These files are only visible from Start | Find | Files or
Folders, not from Windows Explorer.
The easy way to get rid of them if you use OE 5.5 or 6 is to open Internet
Explorer and go to Tools | Internet Options. In the Temporary Internet Files
Section choose "Delete files". In the next dialogue check the box for
"Delete all offline content" and click "OK".
<quote>
From...
CA* files in TIF
http://www.fjsmjs.com/OE/CA.htm
Outlook Express creates a zero byte file for every message read. Plus
wbk**.tmp files when messages are read. Plus wbk**.tmp files when you Save
a message that you're working on, every time you hit Save.
The zero byte files have names like [1] or [14]. The files are created in
Content.IE5 subfolders.
Yes some of this gets emptied when you close IE & OE, but not all.
---------
You do not need to be able to see Content.IE5 in order to clean it. Delete
all offline content is what deletes the random name folders under
Content.IE5.
To delete *all* of your Temporary Internet Files...
1) Start | Run | Type: inetcpl.cpl | Click OK
Or right click the Internet Explorer icon on your Desktop
Or Start | Settings | Control Panel | Internet Options
Best to do this with all instances of Internet Explorer closed. Especially
if there are a large number of files. Also close OE.
2) On the General Tab, in the middle of the screen, click on Delete Files
3) Check the box: Delete all offline content {This cleans >>
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files
AND
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5
and \Content.MSO (Created by an MS Office program)}
4) Click on OK and wait for the hourglass icon to stop after it deletes the
temporary internet files
5) You can now click on Delete Cookies and click OK to delete cookies that
websites have placed on your hard drive.
6) You can also click on the Clear History button to empty your History
folder.
Note: If you do NOT select the Delete all offline content box, not
everything will be cleaned out.
Content.IE5 is a hidden system folder.
Windows Internet Explorer 7 does not have a Delete all offline content
option.
If you also want to clean out the index.dat files you need a 3rd party tool
or a .bat file to do it at boot.
All of these index.dat files are "in use" and undeletable unless done early
in the boot process.
%userprofile%\Cookies\index.dat
%userprofile%\Local Settings\History\History.IE5\index.dat
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\index.dat
---------
My %userprofile%\Cookies\index.dat file right now is 32KB right now. When I
reboot it will be deleted and then recreated and will start again as 16KB.
My %userprofile%\Local Settings\History\History.IE5\index.dat file is 80.0
KB (81,920 bytes) right now. When I reboot it will be deleted and then
recreated and will start again as 16KB.
My %userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files\Content.IE5\index.dat file is 1.43 MB (1,507,328 bytes) right now.
When I reboot it will be deleted and then recreated and will start again as
32KB.
Never, ever delete C:\WINDOWS\pchealth\helpctr\OfflineCache\index.dat. That
screws up msinfo32.exe big time.
Featured Product Index.dat Suite (It's free)
http://support.it-mate.co.uk/?mode=Home
Index.dat Suite
http://support.it-mate.co.uk/?mode=Products&p=index.datsuite
--------
Under this key...
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Cache\Paths
The Directory value specifies the path to the Content.IE5 folder.
These four keys relate to the four random name folders under Content.IE5...
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Cache\Paths\path1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Cache\Paths\path2
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Cache\Paths\path3
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Cache\Paths\path4
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In
