Erasing surf tracks from MSIE?

March 21, 2002 | self

[The Other Harry]

Quick OT question...

I don't do much with the computer that I feel like I need to hide, but I do dislike leaving tracks for everything I do. I'm pretty good at being able to periodically flush out cookies, temporary files, history, and the like. I have a utility program (Cache & Cookie Washer) that takes care of that stuff fairly well.

One thing that has escaped me so far involves the pull-down menus MSIE (5.5) offers when I'm entering values in search engines like Google and Yahoo. MSIE remembers every word and phrase that I've ever entered in those those fields, and it coughs them all up as choices everytime I start a new search.

I don't like this feauture. I want the whole thing cleaned out, and I'd like it to stop happening.

Advice?

[Libertarian4Bush]

I think it's "autocomplete" that you're wrestling with. Tools --> Internet Options --> Advanced

[cd jones]

I use 'window washer v4' window washer

[SpaceBar]

Microsoft Windows (choose incarnation) is notoriously insecure. Proof: use any program to supposedly erase your tracks. Then reload a previously surfed page. It will load faster from cached pages regardless of cleaning (paranoia tab in tweakui for example). The only way to surf in a secure way, is from a linux bootable floppy with a firewall or proxy server and a non-caching browser on a diskless workstation. Period.

[giotto]

Use Tools/Internet Options/Content/Autocomplete/Clear Forms to clear out the information you have stored. You can also uncheck the box under Tools/Internet Options/Advanced to avoid storing the information in the first place.

[Diplomat]

You sir, rock!

I got asked this question by a guy at work who exposed his daughter to porn this way and couldn't get the offending entry removed. Thanks again, I'll let him know.

[Jeff Chandler]

Tell your friend to quit surfing for porn. Instead he should buy dirty magazines and hide them under the bed like any other teenage boy.

[The Other Harry]

Use Tools/Internet Options/Content/Autocomplete/Clear Forms to clear out the information you have stored.

Got it! Thanks.

You can also uncheck the box under Tools/Internet Options/Advanced to avoid storing the information in the first place.

No can find this one. I'm only semi-literate.

[rit]

The other important point is that you should never use the search button on IE. This info is recorded at the MS site, and thus they have a record of what terms you entered, and what pages you selected as a result thereof.

If you want to search google, then enter http://www.google.com and then enter the search terms, but do not do it from the MS IE menu (usually displays on left hand side of screen after selecting the search button)

[chuckles]

You sir, win the prize! The index.dat file has what "They" are looking for and cannot be cleaned.(to my knowledge)All programs I have tried DO NOT clean the Index.dat files. I used to use a program called Spider to clean it, but it won't work on IE6. Maybe someday I will learn Linux. Does anybody know if Opera has this "FEATURE"?

[giotto]

I wrote, You can also uncheck the box under Tools/Internet Options/Advanced to avoid storing the information in the first place. This is incorrect.

Here, I think, is the correct way:
Go to Internet Options/Content. Click AutoComplete. Then where it says "Use AutoComplete for", uncheck the Forms box. You can also uncheck the Web addresses box, if you don't want AutoComplete for URL's you've accessed.

Sorry I steered you wrong.

[griffin]

bttt

[smythe]

Open notepad, then open the C:\Windows\Cookies\Index.dat file from Notepad. Edit/Select All, then delete. Save as, change save as file type to all files, select index.dat and click ok.

[backhoe]

Pardon the salty words!-- more here:

-http://www.f@ckmicrosoft.com/content/ms-hidden-files.shtml#4--

[Drew68]

I tried this and received the following dialogue box:

C:\Windows\Cookies\Index.dat is in use by another application and cannot be accessed

I'm the only one using my home computer. Any ideas?

[houston1]

Index.dat does different things depending on what version of Windows you are using, but it generally stores your user settings, etc. You will never be able to modify/delete it because it is always in use by Windows, you may be able to boot to Dos (hit F8 during startup) and delete it from there, or boot from a floppy and go to the C: drive and try deleting it.

[smythe]

In an earlier version of IE, about 5 years ago, I managed to delete the index.dat, rebooted the machine, opened windows explorer, and then IE, and watched windows put in a new index.dat file. I then changed the properties to read only, and that worked, except that I would receive frequent message to delete the cookie file and reboot. I ignored it for a time, then dicovered that I could delete the content of the index.dat file when I chose to (like just before I register a MS program) and resave it. I now have my index.dat file setting so that when I right click on the file in explorer, it automatically opens in notepad, saving a few steps. I used the idea of deleting the content of the file and resaving it to corrupt the annoying clip-it help file in MS Office 97 and ended a great deal of frustration, as it never helped and I just wanted to kick it.

[The Other Harry]

In an earlier version of IE, about 5 years ago, I managed to delete the index.dat, rebooted the machine, opened windows explorer, and then IE, and watched windows put in a new index.dat file...

I deleted mine one time, just to see what would happen. (Not like I cared -- I was just curious.) The version of MSIE I was using at the time complained for a time, then it put in a new one. Like you said.