INDEX.DAT on my COOKIES directory

[DollyH]

On my COOKIES directory, there is a file called INDEX.DAT which is getting larger and larger and seems to be recording every website I have ever visited.  I have tried to delete it or delete come of the contents, but Windows tells me it can't because some process is using it. How can I find out which task is using the file? or better, how can I delete the file?

Dolly

[Thudnut]

Hi Dolly.

You can't delete index.dat files as they are designed to form part of the 'system' which is why you get the message that it is in use.

You need a specific program to access and delete the file.  A quick Google search will throw up a few.  I use (apologies in advance for the name) Crap Cleaner.  It's free and works very well.

Thudders

[downside]

Hi DollyH

The program that creates/uses it is Internet Explorer.  If you click on the History button on your I.E. toolbar it is accessing index.dat.  You can clear your Temporary Internet folders by right clicking your I.E. button on your desktop and selecting Delete under the Browsing History area.  You can have I.E. clear out your Browsing History each time you finish using the internet.

This may make I.E. slower to use as it has to reload everything when you return to a site.  The general idea is that it stores (caches) a lot of files on your hard drive in order to speed up the process of revisiting certain websites.

downside

[Arquebus]

You can also clean up and speed up a bit by clearing    C:\Windows\Prefetch

This was designed to access commonly used files more quickly, but the more you use them the more it builds up....to the point where it is self-defeating.

Al.

[RJ_Paton]

There will be several "index.dat" files in the system ... have a look at
http://www.codeode.com/privacymantra/locations/index.dat/index.html
which explains what they are and how to remove them safely.

[DollyH]

Thanks to everyone who replied to my query. I download Cr*p Cleaner and successfully cleaned the cr*p from my computer.  Thanks again.

DollyH

[Thudnut]

Glad it worked Dolly.

Apologies again for the name of the program.  I couldn't edit it, in case you ended up with the wrong thing!

Thudders

[RJ_Paton]

The "Sunday" name for the program and one which will also find it on Google or any other search engine is
CCleaner

That should save any embarrassment 

[Necromancer]

not as onomatopaeic tho