In Windows 98, the History, Cookies and Temp Internet files folders all had an Index.dat which grew and grew but couldn't be deleted. This turned out to be something incorporated into W98 by Microsoft recording all the internet usage of the PC. I got my bits of software, and was able to clear them out. What I was wondering was whether in XP the same sort of information is stored anywhere. The cookies index.dat doesn't seem to grow, and there isn't one at all that I can find for history and temporary internet files. I can't believe the info isn't being stored, but if so where? And if what is the best software out there for XP should I want to delete / clear it? It's not a big drama, but just get a bit annoyed when stuff is recorded / saved when I'm not choosing to do it. Interestedly, AJB.

Yes, index.dat files are also alive and well in XP. I clean mine out using Spider 1.16. It's been around since 1999, but I found it's more thorough than newer utilities. Even better than using run commands.

Left side, message find, in XP look for #82545. It is a batch file from johnh44 to put in the root so it cleans the index.dat on every startup. Been using it for months. Works great. Please post back within 24 hours or I will delete the post from my follow up list. Thanks.

Spider works in Win 98 but not properly in Win ME and not at all in Win XP (so I'm told). Delindex works great in Win ME and there may have been plans to make an XP version or there were details on how to edit the batch file to make it work with XP (I can't quite remember). I found my password for my Hotmail E-mail account was stored in the registry even though I have NEVER asked Windows to store it!!!!! The file that searched for the passwords was found on a dodgy website. It searches for other things on your PC also. If I can remember what it was called, I will post back. The implications of stuff stored where you don't know about it could be great to a hacker but not for yourself.

Spider does work on xp. I have used it to check the batch file in response #2. Please post back within 24 hours or I will delete the post from my follow up list. Thanks. It would be a courtesy if you would post back and let us know if the fix worked or not.

Spider 1.16. works for me also with no problems in XP... Purgamentum initium, exitus purgamentum

Hey per! Working backwards. . . michael12: Sorry, guess you were told wrong. Spider works great on my XP test box. It's the community PC around here. I only use Spider when I want to; otherwise I can keep track of where the community has been on the Net. 8-) per: Have been using johnh44's method (batch file) on my main PC, since he posted it last year. One less thing to think about cleaning. Solarian