index.dat???...how to remove or create a ram drive?

[Think]

My understanding is that IE4.0 to IE6.0 create index.dat files that are not easily removed except through DOS or by using 3rd party software.

Question: How can a RAM drive be created and how can the index.dat be written to it; so as to delete it upon rebooting or being re-written in the RAM drive.

Question2: Can index.dat be prevented from being written?

[blebs]

This is a Norm or TonyT question. Hey you guys, your modem lights are blinking! :)

[Norm]

I can answer part of it...

index.dat can't be erased while in windows, and windows recreates it new at boot if it doesn't exist.

Find a ramdrive that'll work with XP, I don't know of one off hand, but have seen discussions on it in the tweaking forum.

Once you have a ramdrive operating, just go into IE properties>settings and move the IE cache to a dir on the ramdrive.

You see I use win98, cause it has the autoexec.bat file to recreate the dir on the ramdrive at bootup. With XP you'll have to figure a way to do that, or find a ramdrive program that will make an image of the ramdrive, and replace it when you boot, while it deletes all the files too.

Drop XP and use a real OS :D

[TonyT]

Also, no need to be overly concerned about te index.dat files.
There are really harmless.

Though they do contain a record of all IE history, they cannot be accessed by a browser or from the net by an app unless that app has privlideges granted or you have the windows directory as a share and ports 137-139 open to the world. (or a trojan)

Also, the .dat's cannot be interpreted ion a text editor.


IE uses the index.dat files in cookies, history and TIF to utilize the cache when browsing. Once a month or so just go into dos and delete those folders & reboot. New ones will get created at startup automatically by windows. There is no reg hack to prevent tgheir creation because IE would fail without them.

[Thorazine]

The index.dat file can be dumped simply by mounting the volumes with a different OS and deleting the file. IE will recreate it on system reboot.

Here's how to do the ramdrive.

http://forums.speedguide.net/showthread.php?threadid=70091

[rmrucker]

The index.dat files *can* be read by a text reader. Here is the inside of mine:

Client UrlCache MMF Ver 5.2

REDR http;//www.dslreports.com/check-login
REDR http;//phoenix-mc-adrunner.mycomputer.com/b/ar/userregion1
REDR http;//abc.go.com/daytime/allmychildren/index.html
REDR http;//forums.speedguide.net/showthread.php?threadid=75849&goto=newpost

...and on and on. So, let's see. I logged into dslreports, some "adrunner" made it through my defenses, my wife checked out the "All My Children" website, and I posted something new at SpeedGuide.

So, don't assume that these files are unreadable -- they are not. They are simply inaccessible in their default location while Windows is running. Like any other file on your computer, they are a potential source of information that someone might want to look at -- and *perhaps* something you do not want them to see.

As for being 'harmless', well that is a matter of opinion. I believe above shows that they can be used to "spy" on someone's browsing habits. Additionally, if you clean out the folder that contains the index.dat -- but do not clean out the index.dat itself -- IE can have problems. The index.dat file is supposed to "index" what is in the folder that holds it. If the index.dat does not match the contents of the folder, IE can get confused and it can start making errors.

So, I personally delete all the index.dat files on reboot -- plus I completely clean out the TIF. That way my index.dat files always correctly index the folders they are in.

Overkill? Perhaps... It is a personal choice.

[greEd]

blaming the female tendencies on the wife huh rmrucker? j/k :p

[rmrucker]

I knew someone would catch that! ;) Eh, yeah, it was my wife -- I swear. I don't even know who Vicky and Todd are.

[Thorazine]

How convenient. :)

[Ken]

Originally posted by rmrucker
I knew someone would catch that! ;) Eh, yeah, it was my wife -- I swear. I don't even know who Vicky and Todd are. rmrucker= the BUSTED! hehehheh LMAO!

Will Janet leave Bill for Susan? Will Bobby get the sex change that she has always wanted?
PM rm for the answers! heheheheheeheheehe

Yes, set up to delete on reboot... This is the best way that I have found. There are some progs like

http://www.fsm.nl/ward/

Spider that can delete them for you...

Still LMAO! Be ashamed rm! Blaming it on the wife! How original!heheeheeheheh:rotfl:

[Croc]

Spider will also allow you to read what is in all the files it will remove and can be configured to save any that are wanted.

Great little program.

Another is BearDelete which uses the DELTREE command and reboots in the same way Spider does.

Croc.

[minir]

Hi Croc


I use Spider and like it, however this BearDelete sounds interesting.

Do you have a D/L Site for it?


Thanks

minir

[Croc]

Sure do Larry.
It's a ZIP posted in this thread at DSLReports (http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,1870282~root=security,1~mode=flat)

Read the ReadMe because there are some simple instructions there on install.
Once you install, you go to Start>Programs>BearDelete and click away.
Your system shuts down immediately and reboots.
The .bat file in the program list tells you what the DELTREE commands are.
Check out the OS's it is ok to use on. No worries on W98.
There is another for W2000.
When I used it for the first time and after using Spider It took forever to reboot and the drive was working the whole time. I admit to being a bit worried but it turned out ok here. Hope it does for you too.

Have fun.

Croc.

[minir]

Hi Croc


Thanks for the info Croc, it's appreciated.

Have a Dandy Day:)


regards

larry