Now you see it, Now you don't.. Content.IE5 Folder

[DavidJ726]

Here's the scenerio.... I received an e-mail with a word document attached
that I opened by clicking on the attachment. I do a file save and it's
saved in the following location: C:\Documents and Settings\David\Local
Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\G56V45QN.

However, when I try to find this folder using the Windows Explorer, the
furthest in the tree I can get is to the Temporary Internet Files Folder,
the Content.IE5 and the sub-folders cannot be seen. But I know it's there
cause when I do a search for the G56V54QN folder (using the search option
from from the Start button) the search results find the folder.

Another scenerio is that if I do a search for that specific file name, the
search results locate it in C:\Documents and Settings\David\Application
Data\Microsoft\Office\Recent. If I select properties on that shortcut for
that file, and click on find target, it will take me to the ...Temporary
Internet Files\Content.IE5\G56V45QN folder.

I've checked all the view options I can think of in the Windows Explorer,
and all hidden files and folders are allowed to be shown. When I am able
to get to the folder via the method described above, I can look at it's
properties and it's not set to hidden.

I can also see the Content.IE5 folders in the directory tree of Default
User, LocalService and NetworkService just by opening up the Windows
Explorer and expanding the tree. So... why is it that I can't see the
Content.IE5 folder in my Documents and Settings... ?

Using XP Pro W/SP2 Outlook Express, Office XP.

Thanks,
David

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Anything related to Temporary Internet Files is smoke and mirrors.

The index.dat & desktop.ini files are the smoke generators.

The desktop.ini file is a Hidden, System file. The desktop.ini has info in
it that hides some of these folders from Windows Explorer and Search.
The desktop.ini signals that they are system files, hidden and if deleted,
they are recreated on the next boot. To find them, you have to discover
them by accident or know where to look.

Index.dat files are a whole other chapter.

Don't save anything in the Temporary Internet Files folder. The key word is
Temporary.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[DavidJ726]

It does help, sort of... Isn't there a way to force the folder to be
visible? Once I found that folder I was surprised to see quite a few files,
many of which I feel should not be there... Obviously IE doesn't do a good
job of deleting all content when it's told to :-(

Thanks,
David

 

[Vanguard]

Here's the scenerio.... I received an e-mail with a word document
attached that I opened by clicking on the attachment. I do a file save
and it's saved in the following location: C:\Documents and
Settings\David\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files\Content.IE5\G56V45QN.

However, when I try to find this folder using the Windows Explorer, the
furthest in the tree I can get is to the Temporary Internet Files Folder,
the Content.IE5 and the sub-folders cannot be seen. But I know it's there
cause when I do a search for the G56V54QN folder (using the search option
from from the Start button) the search results find the folder.

You did not save the file. Instead you *opened* it. That means a temporary
copy gets saved so there is actually a file to contain the decoded version
of the attached file in the e-mail so Word can open that temporary file. If
you had saved the file, a Browse dialog would've appeared but you would not
have been able to navigate to this system special-use folder (see below).

Another scenerio is that if I do a search for that specific file name, the
search results locate it in C:\Documents and Settings\David\Application
Data\Microsoft\Office\Recent. If I select properties on that shortcut for
that file, and click on find target, it will take me to the ...Temporary
Internet Files\Content.IE5\G56V45QN folder.

Yep, because Word opened the temporary copy from the special-use folder. It
is a shortcut to the file. Shortcuts are not updated when the file gets
changed, moved, or deleted (so they can point to something that doesn't
exist anymore).

I've checked all the view options I can think of in the Windows Explorer,
and all hidden files and folders are allowed to be shown. When I am able
to get to the folder via the method described above, I can look at it's
properties and it's not set to hidden.

That folder is a "special" folder that Explorer will not show. Same, for
example, for the DLLcache subfolder under C:\Windows. You will need to
navigate to the folder from a DOS prompt. Or you can put the path to the
folder in the Address bar of Explorer (the folder is secreted but not
inaccessible). In your case, enter "%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary
Internet Files\Content.IE5" in the Address bar.

 

[kaream]

I've checked all the view options I can think of in the Windows Explorer,

That folder is a "special" folder that Explorer will not show. Same, for
example, for the DLLcache subfolder under C:\Windows. You will need to
navigate to the folder from a DOS prompt. Or you can put the path to the
folder in the Address bar of Explorer (the folder is secreted but not
inaccessible). In your case, enter "%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary
Internet Files\Content.IE5" in the Address bar.

If you don't know the exact path name for the specific subfolder under
Content.IE5 that you're trying to look at, or if you want to look at
the contents of all these "super-hidden" folders,
--rightclick Drive C:
--select Properties
--select Disk Cleanup
--highlight Temporary Internet Files
--select View Files.

This opens a new window displaying your Content.IE5 and its subfolders.
Interestingly, in the initial window you see the files in the main TIF
folder, but the Content.IE5 and OLK subfolders are hidden, while in the
new window these subfolders and their contents are displayed, but the
files residing in the main TIF folder are hidden.

The file names displayed in the two windows are similar but not
identical. Apparently, those shown in the initial window are really
just pointers, although they list file sizes. In the new window, these
are real data files. They can be copied, moved, run, individually
deleted, or otherwise manipulated.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

David,

You do not have to *see* the Content.IE5 folder to delete its contents. But
keep reading. ;-)

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.

If you want, try this: Open IE | Tools | Internet Options | Advanced tab |
scroll down to the bottom | check: Empty Temporary Internet Files folder
when browser is closed | click Apply | OK. Entirely up to you, but if you
want to be rid of this, it is done automatically. Deletes the content of
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files but not the Content.IE5 or Content.MSO folders.
-----

Isn't there a way to force the folder to be
visible?

Yes.

Viewing Content.IE5 Content.MSO and OLK3 Folders
http://www.verysimple.com/support/v...ghlight=&sid=188992fa40c27f33eb8f716f6be08455

Or just get to Content.IE5, Content.MSO, OLK or History.IE5 however and
create a shortcut.

There are several ways to get to Content.IE5, Content.MSO, OLK and
History.IE5 folders.

To view:
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files

Start | Run | Type: inetcpl.cpl | OK
Or right click the Internet Explorer icon on your Desktop.
Or: Start | Settings | Control Panel | Internet Options.
General tab | Settings button | View Files button

Or...

Start | Run | Paste this in the box:

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files

Click OK.

To view:
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files\Content.IE5 AND \Content.MSO

Start | Run | Type: cleanmgr | OK | Highlight Temporary Internet Files |
View Files button

Or...

Start | Run | Type: %tmp% | Click OK |

You will probably have to click the Folders button on the Tool Bar.
Click: [+] Temporary Internet Files
Click: [+] Content.IE5
Click: Random named folders
View
You can also view Content.MSO

Or...

Start | Run | Paste this in the box:

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5

Click OK.
You can also view Content.MSO

Or...
Start | Run | Paste this in the box:

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.MSO

Click OK.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[kaream]

Wes, I understand that whereas I find it more intuitive to approach
this question via Windows Explorer [My Computer] because of the visual
layout, you always prefer to to go through Start | Run | [type an
address] etc. I haven't tried all the different methods you suggest,
but your suggestion:
"Start | Settings | Control Panel | Internet Options.| General tab |
Settings button | View Files button",
at least on my computer, does *not* display the Content.IE5 folder and
its subfolders.

Rather, it displays *exactly* the same thing that I get when I simply
click down in the My Computer folders display from Drive C: \ Documents
and Settings \ [my logon] \ Local Settings \ Temporary Internet Files.
These are the "not-real-files", including cookies, that I was talking
about in the preceding post as being displayed in your initial window.
No subfolders are displayed. If you double-click on one of these files
Windows gives you a warning message.

However, if (in My Computer) you right-click Drive C: | Properties |
Disk Cleanup | [highlight Temporary Internet Files] | View Files, you
do see, in a new separate window, Content.IE5 and one or more OLK
folders, and, I suppose if you have it, an MSO folder. I normally have
about 16 to 20 subfolders under Content.IE5, each with randomly
assigned 8-character alphanumeric folder names. The files found inside
these subfolders have names similar but not identical to the file names
displayed in the initial window, but the crucial difference is that
it's perfectly permissible and, depending on the type of file, safe, to
open these real files. If you're looking at dirty pictures and want to
save one to "My Documents", for instance, you can simply copy or move
it there, or you can view it still in its TIF subfolder. These are not
pointers; they're actual real manipulable files, downloaded
automatically from visited websites, and residing inside your computer.

I note that the verysimple.com website you refer to is actually giving
instructions for writing a batch file at the DOS level, via Command
Prompt. Some Windows users will be comfortable attempting this, but I
suspect most may not. It's awfully easy to screw up your machine
messing with batch files if you don't know what you're writing. On the
other hand, View Files in Disk Cleanup is entirely straightforward,
simple and safe.

 

[kaream]

David said:
"I can also see the Content.IE5 folders in the directory tree of
Default User, LocalService and NetworkService just by opening up the
Windows Explorer and expanding the tree. So... why is it that I can't
see the Content.IE5 folder in my Documents and Settings... ?"

I overlooked this question the first time around, but David is
absolutely correct. I am one of two logged users on my computer, and
Windows Explorer is perfectly happy to let me as User1 explore and
investigate everything that User2 has been up to, but not my own stuff;
and vice versa -- User2 can see everything of mine that's hidden from
me.

As to why Microsoft set up XP this stupid way, you'll have to ask them.
I was using Windows 2000 for a while, and under that regime you *could*
see your own Content.IE5. When I first switched to XP I was very
confused about where all these folders and files had disappeared to.

 

[DavidJ726]

Hi Wes,

Thanks for the details of your response! And while the information at
verysimple is exactly what I was looking for, several of your methods, such
as the viewing of the Content.IE5, Content.MSO, OLK and History.IE5 with the
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files command is extremely
helpful. Thanks! This is one of those message I copy over to my saved NG
messages folder

David

David,

You do not have to *see* the Content.IE5 folder to delete its contents.
But
keep reading. ;-)

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.

If you want, try this: Open IE | Tools | Internet Options | Advanced tab
|
scroll down to the bottom | check: Empty Temporary Internet Files folder
when browser is closed | click Apply | OK. Entirely up to you, but if you
want to be rid of this, it is done automatically. Deletes the content of
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files but not the Content.IE5 or Content.MSO folders.
-----

Isn't there a way to force the folder to be
visible?

Yes.

Viewing Content.IE5 Content.MSO and OLK3 Folders
http://www.verysimple.com/support/v...ghlight=&sid=188992fa40c27f33eb8f716f6be08455

Or just get to Content.IE5, Content.MSO, OLK or History.IE5 however and
create a shortcut.

There are several ways to get to Content.IE5, Content.MSO, OLK and
History.IE5 folders.

To view:
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files

Start | Run | Type: inetcpl.cpl | OK
Or right click the Internet Explorer icon on your Desktop.
Or: Start | Settings | Control Panel | Internet Options.
General tab | Settings button | View Files button

Or...

Start | Run | Paste this in the box:

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files

Click OK.

To view:
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files\Content.IE5 AND \Content.MSO

Start | Run | Type: cleanmgr | OK | Highlight Temporary Internet Files
|
View Files button

Or...

Start | Run | Type: %tmp% | Click OK |

You will probably have to click the Folders button on the Tool Bar.
Click: [+] Temporary Internet Files
Click: [+] Content.IE5
Click: Random named folders
View
You can also view Content.MSO

Or...

Start | Run | Paste this in the box:

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5

Click OK.
You can also view Content.MSO

Or...
Start | Run | Paste this in the box:

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.MSO

Click OK.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

It does help, sort of... Isn't there a way to force the folder to be
visible? Once I found that folder I was surprised to see quite a few
files, many of which I feel should not be there... Obviously IE doesn't
do a good job of deleting all content when it's told to :-(

Thanks,
David

 

[Wesley Vogel]

David,

You're welcome.

But remember, here is the key sentence from that post. ;-)

You do not have to *see* the Content.IE5 folder to delete its contents.

Keep having fun.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Hi Wes,

Thanks for the details of your response! And while the information at
verysimple is exactly what I was looking for, several of your methods,
such as the viewing of the Content.IE5, Content.MSO, OLK and History.IE5
with the %userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files command is
extremely helpful. Thanks! This is one of those message I copy over to
my saved NG messages folder

David

David,

You do not have to *see* the Content.IE5 folder to delete its contents.
But
keep reading. ;-)

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.

If you want, try this: Open IE | Tools | Internet Options | Advanced tabscroll down to the bottom | check: Empty Temporary Internet Files folder
when browser is closed | click Apply | OK. Entirely up to you, but if
you want to be rid of this, it is done automatically. Deletes the
content of %userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files but not the Content.IE5 or Content.MSO folders.
-----

Isn't there a way to force the folder to be
visible?

Yes.

Viewing Content.IE5 Content.MSO and OLK3 Folders
http://www.verysimple.com/support/v...ghlight=&sid=188992fa40c27f33eb8f716f6be08455

Or just get to Content.IE5, Content.MSO, OLK or History.IE5 however and
create a shortcut.

There are several ways to get to Content.IE5, Content.MSO, OLK and
History.IE5 folders.

To view:
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files

Start | Run | Type: inetcpl.cpl | OK
Or right click the Internet Explorer icon on your Desktop.
Or: Start | Settings | Control Panel | Internet Options.
General tab | Settings button | View Files button

Or...

Start | Run | Paste this in the box:

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files

Click OK.

To view:
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files\Content.IE5 AND \Content.MSO

Start | Run | Type: cleanmgr | OK | Highlight Temporary Internet
FilesView Files button

Or...

Start | Run | Type: %tmp% | Click OK |

You will probably have to click the Folders button on the Tool Bar.
Click: [+] Temporary Internet Files
Click: [+] Content.IE5
Click: Random named folders
View
You can also view Content.MSO

Or...

Start | Run | Paste this in the box:

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5

Click OK.
You can also view Content.MSO

Or...
Start | Run | Paste this in the box:

%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.MSO

Click OK.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

It does help, sort of... Isn't there a way to force the folder to be
visible? Once I found that folder I was surprised to see quite a few
files, many of which I feel should not be there... Obviously IE doesn't
do a good job of deleting all content when it's told to :-(

Thanks,
David

Anything related to Temporary Internet Files is smoke and mirrors.

The index.dat & desktop.ini files are the smoke generators.

The desktop.ini file is a Hidden, System file. The desktop.ini has
info in
it that hides some of these folders from Windows Explorer and Search.
The desktop.ini signals that they are system files, hidden and if
deleted, they are recreated on the next boot. To find them, you have
to discover them by accident or know where to look.

Index.dat files are a whole other chapter.

Don't save anything in the Temporary Internet Files folder. The key
word
is
Temporary.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In DavidJ726 <[email protected]> hunted and pecked:
Here's the scenerio.... I received an e-mail with a word document
attached that I opened by clicking on the attachment. I do a file
save and it's saved in the following location: C:\Documents and
Settings\David\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files\Content.IE5\G56V45QN.

However, when I try to find this folder using the Windows Explorer,
the furthest in the tree I can get is to the Temporary Internet Files
Folder, the Content.IE5 and the sub-folders cannot be seen. But I
know it's there
cause when I do a search for the G56V54QN folder (using the search
option from from the Start button) the search results find the folder.

Another scenerio is that if I do a search for that specific file name,
the
search results locate it in C:\Documents and
Settings\David\Application Data\Microsoft\Office\Recent. If I select
properties on that shortcut for
that file, and click on find target, it will take me to the
...Temporary
Internet Files\Content.IE5\G56V45QN folder.

I've checked all the view options I can think of in the Windows
Explorer, and all hidden files and folders are allowed to be shown.
When I am able
to get to the folder via the method described above, I can look at
it's properties and it's not set to hidden.

I can also see the Content.IE5 folders in the directory tree of
Default
User, LocalService and NetworkService just by opening up the Windows
Explorer and expanding the tree. So... why is it that I can't see
the Content.IE5 folder in my Documents and Settings... ?

Using XP Pro W/SP2 Outlook Express, Office XP.

Thanks,
David

 

[Wesley Vogel]

kaream, replies inline.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Wes, I understand that whereas I find it more intuitive to approach
this question via Windows Explorer [My Computer] because of the visual
layout, you always prefer to to go through Start | Run | [type an
address] etc. I haven't tried all the different methods you suggest,
but your suggestion:
"Start | Settings | Control Panel | Internet Options.| General tab |
Settings button | View Files button",
at least on my computer, does *not* display the Content.IE5 folder and
its subfolders.

Rather, it displays *exactly* the same thing that I get when I simply
click down in the My Computer folders display from Drive C: \ Documents
and Settings \ [my logon] \ Local Settings \ Temporary Internet Files.
These are the "not-real-files", including cookies, that I was talking
about in the preceding post as being displayed in your initial window.
No subfolders are displayed. If you double-click on one of these files
Windows gives you a warning message.

Read it again.

To view:
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files

Start | Run | Type: inetcpl.cpl | OK
Or right click the Internet Explorer icon on your Desktop.
Or: Start | Settings | Control Panel | Internet Options.
General tab | Settings button | View Files button

That particular bit of advice didn't even mention the Content.IE5 folder.
It says... To view your Temporary Internet Files.

However, if (in My Computer) you right-click Drive C: | Properties |
Disk Cleanup | [highlight Temporary Internet Files] | View Files, you
do see, in a new separate window, Content.IE5 and one or more OLK
folders, and, I suppose if you have it, an MSO folder. I normally have
about 16 to 20 subfolders under Content.IE5, each with randomly
assigned 8-character alphanumeric folder names. The files found inside
these subfolders have names similar but not identical to the file names
displayed in the initial window, but the crucial difference is that
it's perfectly permissible and, depending on the type of file, safe, to
open these real files. If you're looking at dirty pictures and want to
save one to "My Documents", for instance, you can simply copy or move
it there, or you can view it still in its TIF subfolder. These are not
pointers; they're actual real manipulable files, downloaded
automatically from visited websites, and residing inside your computer.

So empty them. What is the point of seeing what's in there? Get rid of
that stuff.

I note that the verysimple.com website you refer to is actually giving
instructions for writing a batch file at the DOS level, via Command
Prompt. Some Windows users will be comfortable attempting this, but I
suspect most may not. It's awfully easy to screw up your machine
messing with batch files if you don't know what you're writing. On the
other hand, View Files in Disk Cleanup is entirely straightforward,
simple and safe.

No. There is no mention of a batch file. There are instructions on what
commands to type into a command prompt. The OP asked, "Isn't there a way to
force the folder to be visible?" and I posted a link that adressed that
question.