Clearing "unclearable" history

hi, can anyone help me with this? In my IE address bar, I still get entries that auto-complete, and this includes websites i've visited that I don't want anyone to see . I try to erase them by clearing the history at Tools/InternetOptions and clicking the "Clear History" button. I even delete cookies and temp internet files. but still, when I enter "cy" on the adddress bar, for example, it lists old (I mean really old) address of sites that I've visisted before.
Why do these entries persist even after I clear history?
How do I get rid of them completely, so that if someone types in "c" in the address bar, the auto-complete feature won't list the sites I want to get rid of?
Second, I don't want to disable auto-complete. I just want to get rid of some entries in the list.
If anyone can help me, I would really appreciate it.

--Ster

 

Internet options-Content-autocomplete

Clear them or select what you want!

Mike

 

thanks, but how do I select what i want? all i see is a button that says clear forms and clear passwords. I don't want to clear passwords and i'm afraid that's exactly what it will do if i try that.

 

What ver IE are you running?

What OS?

In IE6 right above clear forms and passwords is

Use Autocomplete for

The one you need to uncheck is web addresses.

mike

 

I'm running XP pro and IE6. I don't want to disable auto-complete for webaddresses since I want be able to use current addresses (before clearing them). I'm just baffled as to why some web address stay in the auto-complete entry for the address bar even after you've cleared history. it's clearly those entries are website histories. and I want to know a way to get rid of these entries, since they are not being removed by "clear history" button. Thanks.

 

They are not in history they are in autocomplete!

Mike

 

hey mflynn, first of all, thanks for your replies.

ok, how did those web addresses end up in auto-complete entries list? How do I clear them, or is there a way to go into the entries list and delete specific ones?

by the way, is there such thing as a Registry search? because i want to do a search in the registry for any occurance of certain words.

thanks.

 

They get there anytime you type an address in the address line.

Uncheck and to use autocomplete and they will all be gone .

Reenable and it will begin to remember again.

Yes it is in the registry and there are probably some utilities to do it.

OR!

OK you asked!

start-run
type
regedit

in regedit
click my computer to be bin at top
hit ctrl f to find

it finds, you do what you do

then hit F3 to find next

all the way to end.

Then go back to top

Click my computer and begin again.


Mike

 

hey Mike, thanks.

i also found a utility on the 'net. called Tracks Eraser. it's free for 15 days. I just used and it cleared the URLs in the addressbar autocomplete. I wish I hadn't done that yet, so I could try searching the registry you suggested. But thanks anyways for your help. I'm sure i'll use your advice when my 15-day trial period is over.

Take care!

 

Ster:

To clear the history from your Address Bar open Control Panel.

If you are using Category View click on Appearance and Themes and then on Taskbar and Start Menu. If you are using Classic View just click on Taskbar and Start Menu.

When the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties Window Opens click on the Start Menu Tab, select Classic Start Menu and click on the Customize Button.

In the Customize Classic Start Menu window click on the "Clear" button. This clears all recently accessed documents, programs and web-sites.

It's free and best of all you don't have to go mucking about in the registry.

HTH

 

cool, thank you for that too! i will remember that

 

You're welcome.

 

Oh yes there are all kinds of tracks and temp cleaners, but you were asking to clear only specfic ones and leave others.

What I meant was that there was probably a utility to do just that. Clean some leave some.

You did not even need the utility to do what you did. I told you how in my first message.

Although you do need a good cleaner.

The best free one I think is EasyClean:
EasyClean1.7 <http://gswi.com/downloads.htm>

Run only unnecessary files and registry clean delete all it finds. If you have ME or XP in the "Unnessesary Files" type the word HELP in the skip box. Do not do Duplicate files!

Mike

PS BTW use favorites instead, autocomplete only finishes typing for you.

 

mflynn...


u sound like u know ur stuff..

i have a similar prob. whenever i go to yahoo and use the search engine it brings up past searches that i want gone how can i get rid of this autocomplete thing.. i have msn as my service if that helps. and win98

 

Mmmm

If you have done the steps as mentioned above and you do not get this anywhere else then it sounds like a cookie.

Clear cookies or browse the cookie folder to find all that relate to msm or yahoo and delete them.

They may contain other preferences and or passwords, so consider this!

After clearing them they will automatically be rebuilt empty and begin to remember again.

Mike

 

where is this cookie folder??

and when i go to the steps mentioned above there are all kinds of things i dont understand... many different folders.

 

Ster:
If you're into playing around in the Registry, there is another way.
Open Regedit and click on Find. Type TypedURLs in the dialogue box and click on Find Next. You will end up at folder in the left pane called TypedUrls and in the right pane will be a list of addresses(URLs) which you have typed. Delete all or whichever ones you don't want and click OK. Exit Regedit.

It is prudent to backup your Registry first, there is no undo function in Regedit.. If you have any doubts, get someone to do it for you, or just leave it alone..

4x4: The Cookies (sub)folder is in the Windows Directory(Folder)

 

Have you tried EDITURLS?

Hey Ster:
You may like EDITURLS, a freeware program that pops up a list of everything in the drop-down address menu -- just delete the ones you want to go away, and the rest stay there.
Download from:
http://aandrc.com/editurls/retrieve.htm
Jerry

 

One quick way to remove a certain auto complete entry is using the delete key.

As you type and the auto complete list appears:

move the highlight bar via the up or down arrow keys.
once the entry you wish to be removed is highlighted press the delete key.

 

Hi Dinplat:

I can't get your tip to work in IE6.0, but maybe I'm doing it wrong.

If I scroll down the AUTOCOMPLETE suggestions and press DELETE, the AUTOCOMPLETE window closes, and I am left with the unwanted URL in the ADDRESS bar. It also remains in the pull-down list if I click on the little DOWN ARROW at the right-hand side of the ADDRESS window.

Jerry