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Thread: Removing INDEX.DAT

  1. #1
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    Removing INDEX.DAT

    I've seen some discussions on the forums about index.dat. Removing it in Win98 isn't difficult (boot to a DOS-prompt), but what about WinXP? The problem is that it can't be deleted because it always is in use by Windows.

    Let's say your default username is 'Negative'. Then INDEX.DAT can be found in C:\Documents and Settings\Negative\Cookies

    Here's how to delete Index.dat in WinXP:

    1. Create another user-account: Start --> ConfigurationScreen --> User Accounts --> Create New Account.
    Let's say you create another user named 'Noindex'.

    2. Log off, and log on as 'Noindex'.

    3. Log off AGAIN.

    4. Log ON AGAIN as yourself.

    5. Log OFF AGAIN, AND LOG IN AGAIN as 'Noindex'.

    6. Logged on as 'Noindex', you can now go to C:\Documents and Settings\Negative\Cookies , and delete Negative's Index.dat.

    Don't ask me why you have to log on and off that much: it's the only way it works...

    This also should work for WinME.

  2. #2
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    hmm... in win98 I have had some luck simply renaming files that I could not delete as they were in use by the OS. Then deleting them after they had been renamed.

    Wonder if that would work....

    Im gonna try it, as soon as I get my XP machine running again...

  3. #3
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    There is more than one index.dat, and also deleteing them will do you no good, seeing as they are just recreated everytime MSIE restarts, there is a very interesting article on this at http://www.****microsoft.com/content...n-files.shtml,
    i am working on a program to disable these files, as soon as i complete it i will post a link.
    .......................

  4. #4
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    An easier way...

    In win9x you can delete the files that are normally in use by Windows by simply booting into DOS mode and deleting them from there. That's how I manually remove some virus components when I'm cleaning an infected system at work. I haven't tried this with XP as I do not know if it has a "DOS" mode (since it's based off of the NT kernel, I would think it doesn't, but Microsoft has done stranger stuff.)

    Hope this helps.

    Happy Hacking
    -----------------------------------------------------
    Warfare is the Way of deception.
    -Sun Tzu \"The Art of War\"

  5. #5
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    Nope, not as far as i know, when i had XP installed i could not find a way to boot into dos, without a boot disk, that i had to make on my other comp, and since it was running ME it didnt work correctly with XP, anyway XP sucks, and im back to 98.
    .......................

  6. #6
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    Originally posted by StressCrash
    There is more than one index.dat, and also deleteing them will do you no good, seeing as they are just recreated everytime MSIE restarts
    As I said in my first post, I'm talking about the URL-cache index.dat-file, located in the 'Cookies'-directory. You say deleting it 'will do you no good': have you ever opened the file? That's like saying deleting cookies is no good. There have been discussions on AO on how to remove the d**n thing. Well, the log-on and -off thing allows you to remove it. Nothing more, nothing less.

    Originally posted by StressCrash
    there is a very interesting article on this at http://www.****microsoft.com/content...n-files.shtml,

    The requested URL /content/ms-hidden-files.shtml, was not found on this server.
    Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    RedApache/X.X.XX Server at www.****Microsoft.com Port 80
    Enough said...

    Originally posted by Gaxprels
    In win9x you can delete the files that are normally in use by Windows by simply booting into DOS mode and deleting them from there. That's how I manually remove some virus components when I'm cleaning an infected system at work. I haven't tried this with XP as I do not know if it has a "DOS" mode (since it's based off of the NT kernel, I would think it doesn't, but Microsoft has done stranger stuff.)
    Didn't I say that in my first post?
    WinXP doesn't have a "DOS"mode, that's where the log-on and -off thing comes in...

    Originally posted by StressCrash
    Nope, not as far as i know, when i had XP installed i could not find a way to boot into dos, without a boot disk, that i had to make on my other comp, and since it was running ME it didnt work correctly with XP, anyway XP sucks, and im back to 98.
    Huh? That's an easy way to bash Windows...
    I once tried booting Mandrake with a RedHat bootdisk... It didn't work... Linux sucks... Yeah right...

  7. #7
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    Hey Neg,
    He just stuffed up the url, theres a comma on the end that isn't meant to be there....
    -Matty_Cross
    \"Isn\'t sanity just a one trick pony anyway? I mean, all you get is one trick. Rational Thinking.
    But when you\'re good and crazy, hehe, the skies the limit!!\"

  8. #8
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    Smile Oops.....

    Didn't I say that in my first post?
    WinXP doesn't have a "DOS"mode, that's where the log-on and -off thing comes in...
    Sorry...
    Not enough caffein and not enough sleep. (I have two children, 'nuff said for that) I'll try to reread the posts next time. Good information, though. Thanks.

    Happy Hacking
    -----------------------------------------------------
    Warfare is the Way of deception.
    -Sun Tzu \"The Art of War\"

  9. #9
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    As I said in my first post, I'm talking about the URL-cache index.dat-file, located in the 'Cookies'-directory. You say deleting it 'will do you no good': have you ever opened the file? That's like saying deleting cookies is no good. There have been discussions on AO on how to remove the d**n thing. Well, the log-on and -off thing allows you to remove it. Nothing more, nothing less.

    In that case ==>> http://www.fsm.nl/ward/

    Huh? That's an easy way to bash Windows...
    I once tried booting Mandrake with a RedHat bootdisk... It didn't work... Linux sucks... Yeah right...

    I wasnt bashing windows for not booting correctly, i didnt expect it to, i was bashing XP for the lack of dos........
    .......................

  10. #10
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    WtF?!?!.. Someone gave me negative antipoints for pointing out that there was a comma that didn't belong on the end of the url StressCrash posted.
    -Matty_Cross
    \"Isn\'t sanity just a one trick pony anyway? I mean, all you get is one trick. Rational Thinking.
    But when you\'re good and crazy, hehe, the skies the limit!!\"

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