index.dat files

As I go through cleaning out temp files manually, I always come across index.dat files in the various Windows/Internet temp folders, and sometimes these index.dat files are fairly large. Are they safe to remove? Since they're in temp folders, I'm assuming they are safe to delete, but I never have deleted 'em because I'm not 100% sure. What do the index.dat files do anyway?

Thanks!

 

And, CCleaner lists index.dat files as default items in the cleaning list, so if you run the regular CCleaner routine, they're wiped along with the other temp files.

 

:confused Are you sure? I may be wrong, my memory REALLY sucks, but I am pretty sure I've run CCleaner and seen many remaining index.dat files left over afterward. Maybe CCleaner only removes certain index files? I know that I've run CCleaner, then run other temp cleaners immediately after it and they've found MANY 'leftover' items.

(BTW - I don't want to turn this thread in to a "the merits and minuses of CCleaner" thread LOL )

 

Hi dlb.
I think your memory is A-OK.
I just did a search for index.dat with Everything Search and it found 165 objects.
Then I ran CCleaner with index.dat files checked as usual.
All of those files still remain. I did not have Internet Explorer open.

Found this article:
Internet Cache's index.dat Removal
Did a quick scan of this, and basically there is a problem with removing these normally with the DEL command
because the files are in use.
You might get the following error message:

To resolve this, ReStart in Safe Mode and then those files can be deleted.

I just deleted some with NO error message, except a WARNING that these are system files
and deleting them may cause trouble.
I trust DavidGP's advice that they are OK to delete.
Normally, they will go to the Recycle Bin where you can hold them for a while just in case.

 

You could very well be right, dlb. From the Wikipedia article that DavidGP posted earlier:

I was assuming that CCleaner does indeed clean the index.dat file(s) - it's listed as so on the Piriform website:

and on the Major Geeks CCleaner download page:

(Note: all Bold type is by me).

You are correct: this shouldn't turn into a CCleaner thread. I may have been mistaken in the belief that CCleaner takes care of index.dat files, and it's certainly something I'm going to study further - it's one of the reasons I've been a fan of CCleaner for so long.

Sorry about that. :-o

 

An interesting insight into index.dat, IMO.

Searched on remove Index.dat at
http://www.google.com/search?q=remove+Index.dat&hl=en&num=10&lr=&ft=i&cr=&safe=images&tbs=

Checking out one of the links at http://www.codeode.com/index-dat.html

Hope this assists all, in your quest.

Bazza

NB: A quick run of Privacy Mantra found 3 index.dat files on my laptop (81KB)
They were flagged for deletion, but will only be deleted at next reboot. :cry
Other programs do the same thing, that is delete them later.

Baz

 

dlb, specifically in the context of index.dat files in relation to IE (which I use very very little), you could always move the TIF & Cookies (+History) folders onto a RamDisk drive. That way at every reboot the index.dat files will be deleted and rebuilt afresh.

The index.dat files as specified above will (unless checked) continue to grow and always require regular maintenance.

Good Luck

 

How would you define the object to be moved?

You mention 'unless checked', what specifically are you referring to?

Like the thread :wave

 

Pre change
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]
"Cookies"="C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Cookies"
"Cache"="C:\Documents and Settings\\<username>\Local" Settings\Temporary Internet Files"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders]
"Cookies"="%USERPROFILE%\Cookies"
"Cache"="%USERPROFILE%\Local" Settings\Temporary Internet Files"

Post Change
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]
"Cookies"="B:\Cookies"
"Cache"="B:\Temporary Internet Files"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders]
"Cookies"="B:\Cookies"
"Cache"="B:\Temporary Internet Files"

Where B:\ is (on) the newly created RamDisk drive.........

The associated index.dat files will move automatically after said changes are made in the registry.

Can also edit History and place that also on the RamDisk drive if required.

Reboot will rebuilt the TIF index.dat file to (the default) 32K and Cookies index.dat to (the default) 16K

For checked read action needs to be taken to stop index.dat from growing any further

 

PS: Because the RamDisk Drive is created from and runs entirely in the system's physical ram, then a reboot will wipe/delete the TIF and Cookies folders and hence when windows loads, these folders will be rebuilt afresh (to include the index.dat files).

Good Luck

 

In case anyone is interested, I found the following method to be fairly effective.

• Open CMD session window
• cd \
• attrib -s -h index.dat /s
• del index.dat /s

The only index.dat files NOT deleted were 4 that had just been updated that day, ie. today.

 

No worries! I'm also a HUGE fan of CCleaner, I have used it for at least the past 2-3 years and have no plans to stop using it. However, it does NOT clean everything and that's OK. With XP systems, I sometimes follow a CCleaner run with Clean Up!, and it finds some other items (does it remove index.dat files? I really don't know), and I'm not sure if it runs on Vista/7 systems. I currently use CCleaner almost daily, and System Ninja every 5-10 days or so. A newer app to MG, Complete System Tune-up is an app I've just started using. I've found a bug or two and I'm in contact with the developer, but on my home PC (Win7 X64 Home Prem), it runs fine, but I haven't spent a lot of time with it yet so I don't know how it handles index.dat files.

Thanks for the tip! However, I have to disagree with the "it may the only one you need to clean" statement. IMO, all index.dat files are something that should be removed on a VERY regular basis- anything that takes up space and has the potential to grow in size, and serves no real purpose other than to keep track of cookies (or something else as equally useless) should be wiped. Since I don't use Internet Explorer (x86 or x64) at all, ever (except when absolutely necessary), on my home PC (and this is the PC being discussed, but this thread is also a learning opportunity for myself and probably other MG members), the index files probably shouldn't be of any concern or of any size. Do other browsers use the same index files? I currently use Pale Moon as my primary browser (it's a Firefox derivative), and Opera as my secondary browser; IE is only used when absolutely necessary (which is mainly for OS updates).

@ risk_reversal: Wow! :dood Good stuff man!!!

@ everyone: I thank everyone for their posts and input in this thread. It appears that quite a few people want to know about index.dat files, and others have the information to provide, and it looks like a 'spark' went off and spurred some research in to the murky zone of the index file! LOL Good stuff!

 

I re-checked this procedure and found that it is not fully effective unless you boot
in Safe Mode, so that some of the index.dat files are not in use.

For a more concise list of the remaining files, just use dir index.dat /b /s.