Frank said:
It's there, but Windows Explorer won't show it to you unless you're logged
on as a different Windows User. Maybe you have to logon as the default
Administrator.
It's "normal" in the sense that unlike earlier versions, XP was
deliberately set up to make the Content.IE5 folder not only hidden but
"super-hidden", so that Windows Explorer cannot find or recognize it.
This is not in itself indicative of an infection. Presumably Microsoft
knows why Windows was changed this way, but if so, they aren't telling.
As both you and Frank Saunders indicated, what's really happening is
that only your *own* Content.IE5 folder is hidden -- you can easily see
any other Content.IE5 folders resident in the different logons in
Documents and Settings. You may or may not be able to log on in your
computer as a different user, depending on how it was set up. But it
isn't really necessary to do that; there are other methods.
The first question is whether you are trying to cover your tracks and
delete everything showing where you've been, or whether you're simply
curious to see what's there. If you're trying to wipe the slate clean,
there's gobs of info posted here in Google Groups (seemingly of varying
accuracy and utility) -- just search Groups for "Content.IE5" and start
rummaging.
Otherwise, the simplest way to access the folder is to open Folders
view, click down though C: \ Documents and Settings \ [my logon name] \
Local Settings, and click on Temporary Internet Files. This displays
all of the cookies and other pointers to files from visited websites,
and also puts this address in the Address bar at the top. In the
Address bar add "\Content.IE5" following the word "Files" and hit Enter
or click Go. Now you'll see Content.IE5 with all of its 8-character
randomly-named subfolders, usually about 16 to 20 of them. Unlike the
cookies and pointers in the main TIF folder, these are actual files
that had been automatically downloaded from every visited website.
These files can be opened, copied, moved, run, or otherwise
manipulated, and may be individually deleted. The file names are
similar to, but slightly different from the names in the main TIF
folder. If you're looking for something in particular, it might be
inside any of the various subfolders; sorting each subfolder by date,
type or size makes it easier to locate a specific file. Explorer
Search still won't work here; you have to do the looking yourself.