Re: index.dat file

Tech-Archive recommends: Speed Up your PC by fixing your registry

In addition...

Most all can be removed.

Be cautious about deleting >>>

C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\OfflineCache\index.dat.

This index.dat does not get recreated. The loss of this particular file
will
cripple System Information (msinfo32.exe). This index.dat actually does
something besides growing to a huge size.

I should restate that. Do *NOT* delete the index.dat file in...
C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\OfflineCache

Rebuilding the help center recreates that index.dat file.

Reinstalling Help and Support Center in Windows XP
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/rebuildhelp.htm

There are other ways to get it back also.

Almost all of the index.dat files will get recreated, if someone logs on to
that account, except OfflineCache, it never gets recreated automatically.

Index.dat here gets recreated right away.
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5

Index.dats here will not get recreated right away.
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files\Content.IE5
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files\Content.IE5
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files\Content.IE5
C:\Documents and Settings\NetworkService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files\Content.IE5
C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet
Files\Content.IE5

If there is an MSHist some long string of numbers, there will be an
index.dat file.
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local
Settings\History\History.IE5\MSHist########
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\History\History.IE5
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\History\History.IE5
C:\Documents and Settings\NetworkService\Local Settings\History\History.IE5
%userprofile%\Local Settings\History\History.IE5\MSHist########
C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile\Local
Settings\History\History.IE5\MSHist########

Sometimes index.dat here gets recreated when you right click a file, Send To
| Mail Recipient. Sometimes it just gets recreated. I do not know why.
Maybe Help and Support.
C:\WINDOWS\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5

The desktop.ini file is a Hidden, System file. The desktop.ini has info in
it that hides some of these folders from Windows Explorer and Search.
The desktop.ini signals that they are system files, hidden and if deleted,
they are recreated on the next boot. To find them, you have to discover
them by accident or know where to look.

The index.dat files cannot normally be deleted because they are in use.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:Of1NxwI0GHA.2072@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
Newbie <jcd@xxxxxxxxx> hunted and pecked:
While cleaning with CCleaner I found few index.dat file which couldn't be
cleaned.
What are these .dat file?
Can they be safely removed ?
If they can be removed how to remove them?
Thanks.

.

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