Windows 7: INDEX.DAT Preventing Drive shrink

I'm trying to shrink a 500G drive but the amount of the reduction is being limited by an unmovable file. Defrag reports an IE index.dat file is the problem. It is located in the middle of the partition. Any suggestion about how to delete or relocate the file would be greatly appreciated.



Thanks in Advance

Use this tool to remove index.dat Ur I.T. Mate Group - Product Support - Index.dat Suite

I have this tool but I don't think it is designed to work with Windows 7. I see a few tools out there but can't seem to find any freeware that will work for windows 7.

Hello zip, welcome to Seven Forums!



I'd use caution with some of the tool to use, as it may FUBAR your install.

CCleaner will do it. You may want to boot a disk/partition management program directly afterward to thwart Windows sticking them back in about the same place.

Usually what work under Vista work for Windows 7 too.Run and check it.

Thanks MilesAhead, CCleaner removed the IE index.dat file. This did make a few more gigs of space available for shrinking. Now I have a Windows Search file that is not movable.

Thanks everyone for the great advice but I think I'm going to just look at some cloning software. It might just be easier in the long run. I just want to transfer the operating system to a smaller hard drive.

If the new HD is smaller that's prolly your best bet. I forget the name, but I think there is a free one out there that defrags the image or uses an image/file combination so that restores are not fragmented. I forget where I saw it. Maybe TheFreeCountry or another freeware review site. Not sure if it's a cloner or just an image backup though.

I used Acronis (30 day free trial). It made it a fast and simple job.

Thanks again to everyone for the info.

Glad you got it sorted.