Index.dat in 2011 After All MS Updates to Windows 7

[nicki8]

Molly Lee is right. i have the same problem. I want to delete the Index.dat files, but no method suggested here or previous threads or on any other webside works. MS has now made it impossible to delete the contents of index.dat files in Win 7 64.

DeaconFrost, no need to question the motivation. The primary objective is privacy. i don't want anyone to ever be able to trace my computer/internet activity no matter how they come into posession of my hard drive. I think this is a good enough reason that requires no additional moral justification. I am also surprised you never heard of people trying to get rid of their .dat files. i suggest you google "deleting index.dat files" and you will see that hundreds or thousands of people have been asking that question.

From what i have read on this thread and other websites, there is NO WAY I can delete index.dat files on my computer that runs on Windows 7 64 bit. It's my computer, the one i paid for, so, i find it unacceptable that MS would make it impossible for me to effectively untraceably delete computer activity history.

So, in case someone does come up with a way to clean those files, please post here or start a new thread.

THanks Molly Lee, you are not the only one who is baffled by inability to delete index.dat files.

 

[DeaconFrost]

DeaconFrost, no need to question the motivation. The primary objective is privacy. i don't want anyone to ever be able to trace my computer/internet activity no matter how they come into posession of my hard drive. I think this is a good enough reason that requires no additional moral justification. I am also surprised you never heard of people trying to get rid of their .dat files. i suggest you google "deleting index.dat files" and you will see that hundreds or thousands of people have been asking that question.

Just because people have been asking the question, doesn't mean it accomplishes the goal. Deleting the index.dat file has never been a point of discussion in the industry or on power user forums, so I will stick to my point that it is a waste of time and effort. If you plan to give away your computer or sell your hard drive (like my many eBay and forum sales), then simply do a secure wipe of the drive. Tin foil hats are far too common these days, unfortunately, as well as the paranoia that precedes them. Spend your time and efforts on practicing good computing habits and running good malware protection software instead.

 

[nicki8]

DeaconFrost, talking about motivation again, you are not offering a solution. As a matter of principle, i want my computer to be clean of the past activity. Computers do get lost or stolen, or confiscated, in some countries. Too many scenarios to waste my time on why i want the index.dat files wiped. So, if you come up with a way to do it, great. No need to make references to tin hats. Thanks.

 

[kado897]

I've not tried with index.dat but I've got rid of other difficult to delete files using a puppy linux boot disk.

 

[DeaconFrost]

I think your over-estimating the importance of the index.dat file. That's my point. I am offering a solution, which is to worry about things that are important. It isn't the solution you are insisting on, but it is a solution.

 

[draftsman]

I wouldn't touch an index.dat file with a ten foot pole.

 

[nicki8]

DeaconFrost, what i am overestimating or not, is the judgement I already made, and don't need your help making that judgement. You don't seem to get a point that Molly, me and a few thousand other people need a technical solution, not help from you figuring out the priorities on where to spend time.

Now, the linux boot idea is an interesting one, given that the safe mode with command prompt fails to delete them, not sure linux boot would, but may well be worth trying. Kado, would you try it on your computer? let us know the results? if you need help figuring out where index.dat files are located index.dat suite does a pretty good job identifying the locations, quite a few of them. but history.IE5 and content.IE5 is a good place to start

 

[kado897]

I'm sorry but I'm also in the camp of that if it isn't broke don't fix it. I was merely offering it as a possible solution to someone who was determined to do it.

 

[DeaconFrost]

You don't seem to get a point that Molly, me and a few thousand other people need a technical solution, not help from you figuring out the priorities on where to spend time.

I'll use your argument back at you. What you don't seem to understand is that we're trying to tell you this is akin to buying snake oil. It does nothing. It isn't about priorites or motivation.

You are basically asking us how to put a spoiler on your car (or a big red R sticker) because your goal is to make your car faster, and we're trying to tell you that you are wasting your time, because the end result is not going to accomplish what you want.

If you drop the games for one second, and just think critically and logically for a moment, you'll realize something. If it was a matter of privacy and security to delete the index.dat file...don't you think it would be simple to do? Don't you think security software vendors would suggest doing so, and offer easy methods to do it?

Once more, for sanity and logic's sake: Don't waste your time with snake oil.

 

[FliGi7]

There is no reason to delete the index.dat file on your computer. It will not take up enough space to slow your computer down, nor will deleting it prevent people from tracing your internet activity. Forensics software and techniques already account for people looking to do this to attempt to hide their tracks.

No one has provided a valid reason to need to delete this file that is purposefully put there and purposefully difficult to remove. The index.dat file is integral to the operation of Internet Explorer. It is programmed to use that file for operational purposes. This is the reason it is so hard to delete. If it was so useless as it's being portrayed, it would be easier to remove.

Next we'll be helping people delete unnecessary system files because they're taking too much space. This needs to be locked before it goes any further awry.

 

[wjhnsn]

index.dat

the trick to the index.dat file is NOT delete them. remove their content. an example being a word document that you have created, no longer want. if you delete it, there are forensic tools that can recover it. open it, delete its content, and then save it. there are no tools to recover changed content. same holds true for the index.dat files. the absolute best tool i have found is index.dat analyzer (Systenance Software) it does just that, and it is FREE. this works with xp, vista, w7 - 32 & 64 bit versions of each, there are 7 pc's in my home, all with different versions of windows.

i also use vssadmin at the command prompt to delete all the shadow copies the system creates. if there is a system error or failure, i have my system data backup disks to recover from. corrupt file, i extract and replace it. i maintain my system(s) i do not rely upon anything 'automatic'.

 

[FliGi7]

there are no tools to recover changed content. same holds true for the index.dat files.

That is incorrect.