[thelist] Index.dat file in I.E.

[sfmalo]

Michele -

This is a hidden file. When in Explore, it doesn't even show up if you have
View Hidden Files checked. I was told about this by an MS Windows tech
support person a couple of years ago as a tip to free up space on my hard
drive. As I mentioned before it was most helpful and worked until I started
using 5.5. Now, access is denied. Don't think it has a thing to do with the
size of the cache. The .dat file just grows and grows as one continues
surfing the Web. Deleting the cache does not affect it.

Can anyone else give me a clue as to how to access this file now?

Thanks.

Sharon

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michele Foster" <michele at wordpro.on.ca>
To: <thelist at lists.evolt.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 28, 2001 8:35 PM
Subject: Re: [thelist] Index.dat file in I.E.


>
> Sharon,
>
> I don't think you need to do this at all now (if you ever did before).
The
> temporary files directory you show below is for IE's cache.  You can
modify
> your cache size and options from the Tools/Internet Options menu in IE.
>
> For Outlook, the way to compress file sizes, is to go File, Folder,
Compact
> Folders (from OE menu).  This should eliminate any wasted space.
Depending
> on your view in OE, don't have a mailbox open when you compact the
folders,
> otherwise it won't do that one.  (Tho, there is an option to compact just
> the current one.)
>
>  IE 5.5 and maybe sooner, uses *.dbx files to store mailboxes/folders.  On
> my system, they can be found at:  C:\WINDOWS\Application
> Data\Microsoft\Outlook Express.  I have safely deleted old *.dbx files
> and/or  backed up just that file.  For example, when I've finished working
> on a project, and don't anticipate anymore work from the client, I'll
> archive the entire dbx file with the projects' files.  You can copy and
> paste those DBX files to another computer and have those mailboxes show up
> there too.  And if you ever need to reinstall windows, you can archive all
> the files in one spot.
>
> Anyway, hope I've answered your question, tho not specifically.  FWIW (for
> what its worth), I had one index.dat file in the folder you mention and it
> was only 3 k... hardly going to save me any space ;)
>
> Good luck, holler back if you are still having problems.
>
> Michele
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "sfmalo" <sfmalo at msn.com>
>
>
> | Sometime ago I was given instructions on how to delete Outlook Express's
> | index.dat file. Since it gets real bloated over time, you can regain
some
> | disk space by doing this. I hadn't done this since I upgraded to I.E.
5.5.
> | So today I tried it and, lo and behold, I got an "access denied"
message!
> | Looked thru the MS Knowledge Base for an answer/solution but couldn't
find
> | one.
> |
> | Anyone know how to do this now?
> |
> | P.S. This is how it was done before. At the MS-DOS prompt, change the
dir
> | from c:\windows to c:  Then, type in del
> | c:\windows\tempor~1\content.ie5\index.dat <enter>. IE automatically
> rebuilds
> | the file after that.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sharon F. Malone
"web design and Internet writing services"
http://www.24caratdesign.com
sfmalo at 24caratdesign.com