Deleting index.dat File

[Mort Middleman]

I have been advised by Symantec tech support to delete the
index.dat file in Internet Explorer. They suggest that the
file may be corrupted and that this prevents Symantec's
SystemWorks CleanSweep program from freeing the space taken
up by the Internet History file. The document they
referred me to states that for users of XP, Microsoft tech
support must be consulted for instructions as to how to
accomplish this. A Windows Explorer search for index.dat
reveals files of that name in many folders, so in addition
to needing to know how to delete the file, I should also
know which of these many files should be deleted. Thank you.

 

[Tim Newton [MSFT]]

The Index.dat file is in a hidden folder under the following location:

C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files\Content.IE5

<Username> will be your login name. The Index.dat file is not visible from
within Explorer, so you would have to navigate there using a CMD prompt, and
you may even have to come up in Safe Mode to delete it.

--
Tim Newton [MSFT]
(e-mail address removed)

Search our Knowledge Base at http://support.microsoft.com/directory
Visit the Windows 2000 Homepage at
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NOTE: Please reply to the newsgroup and not directly to me. This allows
others to add to and benefit from these threads and also helps to ensure a
more timely response. Thank you!

This posting is provided "AS IS" without warranty either expressed or
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merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The views and opinions
expressed in this newsgroup posting are mine and do not necessarily express
or reflect the views and / or opinions of Microsoft.

 

[Mort Middleman]

Thanks for the response. I don't have a folder under Documents and
Settings with my username. I found the index.dat file under
\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Content.IE5. I
guess I am the default user. Is this the file that should be deleted?

 

[Mort Middleman]

Correction: I meant to say I found the file under Documents and
Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files\Content.IE5.

 

[Incognitus]

"The Index.dat file is not visible from within Explorer"

It is if you use the full path in quotes from start | run:
"C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files\Content.IE5"

Also, you can use Explorer to browse to the Temporary Internet Files folder
and then add \Content.IE5 to the end of the address bar and click GO.

The Index.dat file is in a hidden folder under the following location:

C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files\Content.IE5

<Username> will be your login name. The Index.dat file is not visible from
within Explorer, so you would have to navigate there using a CMD prompt, and
you may even have to come up in Safe Mode to delete it.

--
Tim Newton [MSFT]
(e-mail address removed)

Search our Knowledge Base at http://support.microsoft.com/directory
Visit the Windows 2000 Homepage at
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/default.asp
See the Windows NT Homepage at http://www.microsoft.com/ntserver/

NOTE: Please reply to the newsgroup and not directly to me. This allows
others to add to and benefit from these threads and also helps to ensure a
more timely response. Thank you!

This posting is provided "AS IS" without warranty either expressed or
implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of
merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The views and opinions
expressed in this newsgroup posting are mine and do not necessarily express
or reflect the views and / or opinions of Microsoft.

I have been advised by Symantec tech support to delete the
index.dat file in Internet Explorer. They suggest that the
file may be corrupted and that this prevents Symantec's
SystemWorks CleanSweep program from freeing the space taken
up by the Internet History file. The document they
referred me to states that for users of XP, Microsoft tech
support must be consulted for instructions as to how to
accomplish this. A Windows Explorer search for index.dat
reveals files of that name in many folders, so in addition
to needing to know how to delete the file, I should also
know which of these many files should be deleted. Thank you.

 

[Mort Middleman]

I still do not know which of the many index.dat files I am supposed to
delete. There is no sub-folder directly under \Documents and Settings
with my username as its name. There are five sub-folders directly
under \Documents and Settings. They are: \All Users, \Default User,
\LocalService, \NetworkService, and \Owner.

My problem occurs when I run Norton CleanSweep to delete temporary
files. "Settings" from this window shows 428 K in the Internet
History file, but when I run a search for "index.dat" none of the
files show a size anywhere near that amount. In the meantime,
CleanSweep will not remove the data in Internet History. I tried to
accomplish this using Internet Explorer/Tools, etc., but after I
finished the process, the History file was not cleared.

All suggestions appreciated.