Why does Microsoft have all those secret folders in content.ie5 that keep copies of all the web pages, emails, documents, and other stuff you open? I cleared my IE cache but they were still there, and invisible unless I use the command console and CD directly to them. I had over 30MB of space being used up. Why are they even hidden like that?

Hi Bill, Those files are neccesary for different reasons. When you go to a site in the address bar, it remembers things for you, just in case, you forget where the site is. Also, it keeps tiny thumb nails in their and cookies so that you can view them even when your not connected to the net, or if the site is down, it will still show it, it also makes it faster for the computer if you visit the same site (cache) and the image hasnt changed. This is why, if you look closely at the files, you can see an internet address as its location. It hides it because most novice users freak out when they see it. It wont let you delete it because you have to do it properly. GO TO TOOLS - INTERNET OPTIONS - DELETE FILES under Temporary Internet Files section, and click the tab that says ALL OFFLINE CONTENT. It will take a really long time to do this if your up to 30 megs now. :-) Also, after you do that, do this to prevent it from happening again. TOOLS - INTERNET OPTIONS - SETTINGS... next to DELETE FILES, see it? go in to that SETTINGS... place, now move the amount down to 15 megs, and choose the setting to automatically. See both of those options in there? Ok, now click on the OK button at the bottom and you should have alot more free space.. ;-) L8er.

Also, go to this directory: C:\Documents and Settings\YOURUSERNAME\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\ and delete all of that stuff too. Where YOURUSERNAME is, put the user name that appears in the start menu when you click on START. Ok, L8er.

well, therer are even more hidden below that sub folder.. lots more.. XP has a subfolder below just internet temporary files.. called Content (like '98 did) but VERY difficult to get to... it houses MANY MBs of stuff.. MS makes it VERY hard to clean it out!

There is another reason that there are hidden files on your hard drive. Even if you format your drive, certain hidden files can't be deleted. This was done by microsoft to make more money by selling the access codes to government for forensic purposes. I've found a program that can delete those files but I can't remeber where I got it. Use a search engine.