I have been trying to access a file. C:\windows\temporaryinternetfiles\content.ie5\index.dat I have been looking and searching with no luck. Can anyone tell me how I can access this file? Can I delete the contents of this file?

MS can tell you if you go through there online help system. But if you go to windows explorer and go into the windows directory and make sure you have the folders button pushed and in the left side you will see the folder tree click the + next to temp internet files and you will see a folder called content.ie5, right click the folder in the tree and go delete confirm sending it to the recycle bin, restart your comp and the system will recreate the folder you have just deleted but the index.dat file will be somewhat smaller you have just basically deleted it's content. then empty your recycle bin

Try looking at this post http://www.computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/19918.html You can find out how to delete the file as well as view it's contents right here! Good Luck and hope this helps.

Does anyone know what executable is being used to generate the dat file, and can it be disabled,deleted, or edited? These files are simply tracking devices Microshaft has installed and likened to "Big Brother" watching.

There have been numerous "suggestions" on how to stop the index.dat files from growing (or even existing) and none that I've tried work on my WinME system. Suggestions included making the file read only; replacing the file with a folder; etc. Don't bother, they don't work. Windows ALWAYS recreates these files on startup; of the 4 index.dat files, some are recreated at 16KB and some at 32KB. The best way to see these files is in DOS. I use a file manager / viewer called LIST that makes navigating in DOS easier than navigating in Windows. Without it, it's a pain.

i too have tried the many tips on eliminating index.dat. so far none have worked. i thought i was on to something with the folder thing :) when i read it in the 9x forum.