Replace Temporary Internet Files Folder?

I always clear my Internet cache both on and offline and then go to settings-file to delete any cookies I do not want. This is always an easy task as I have set my browser to prompt for cookies so I seldom have nay I do not need.
Yesterday I installed the trial version of Tracks Eraser as I was advised this would clean files such as the index.dat I do not have anything to hide but I like a nice neat and clean PC.

I tried to use thier cookie clean and save the cookies which I needed but now I wish I hadn't as somehow I have 9 icons (the same as a .dat icon with the dots ) but the only thing I can check is properties and it tells me it is a cookie folder? Tried to delete even in safe mode but they will not delete. They do not have an extension just an icon with properties - cookie cache - Read only.

I then decided to try and delete the whold folder hoping it would be recreated when I booted again. C:\Documents and Settings\my name\Local settings\Temporary Interenet Files (folder) When I select delete I am warned this is a Windows folder and I cannot delete it.
Is there anyway I can delete the extra contents or create a new folder by renaming the original and then delete it?

I really would appreciate any advise as I just hate to see those files I did not have yesterday. I tried a System Restore but the files are still there

I am running Windows XP SP1 & IE6 complete with all updates.

 

Thank you Christer, I am only just back online this morning but will copy this information and 'try' to fix this issue today! Hopefully it will be a success and I can post back with a sigh of relief I have completed numerous scans and all are clear - they are cookie cache so maybe the program created them but I really would prefer to banish them completely!

Thanks again, a little task to add to today's list

 

Hi Christer, unfortunately this method did not work for me I followed to steps to move the folder but when I checked with WE I had two copies I thought the mystery files had gone until I opened IE - view files and there in the cookie bit were my 9 icons although these do not show in the cookie folder via WE I am hesitant to go back a few days with System Restore as I would be afraid that this would mess things up and I would still have the mystery icons in my Temporay Internet file folder which are showing in IE's view files - cookies

I really was so hopeful as I moved the folder etc but then had to go back as it would not even let me delete the second one I had created. Totally lost now and maybe I should leave them in case I create problems trying to fix this folder. I know I will think of something else and maybe try again but just now I am puzzled Thanks for the advice which I will keep for future reference for something like this (hopefully not need it) I don't think I will continue to use TE as I this is when the problem started

 

Thanks Christer, I have tried deleting in safe mode but not using the method you have posted above. Strange thing is that everything is running OK (so far) I have tired various eliminators/cleaners and none of them see these files at all - they really do seem to be dummies put there when I used TE

I have an Image I made with Acronis True Image but it was at the beginning of May so a few changes after that but I may well have to revert to the image if I find something is just not working. I also have Ghost but I haven't a recent back up with this as it is not just as neat to use as True Image is.

I will maybe try the folder replacement way in safe mode and if I find there are problems I will work out how to restore my image made with TI and then just go back and add the extras I had before then. I have never restored an image so it will take me a while to be brave enough!!

Thanks again for you help I just need to have a clearer mind myself to work out what is the next best step for me to take I would hate to create more mistakes than I fix I will read about restoring with TI over the weekend.

 

Hi Christer

After a long a tedious time I have managed to delete my 'guest' unknown files completely! I am not sure if it was all the moving of my folder oo another cleaner I downloaded but I do know they are gone. I had almost given up hope and was going to restore an Image I have and then work from there but just last night I was working on another issue - looked in my folder and to my relief noticed my 9 icons had vanished
Thanks for your support and I am pleased to be able to update that I do not have any unknown files now

 

miniB--I would like to go back to the original question about deleting cookies and index.dat.
I understand your intention is not to delete all cookies, but only some, and keep some.
Here is the official MS suggestion for that
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;278835
You will see that cookies are deleted from Temporary Internet Files, not from the Cookies folder. (You will find that removing cookies from TIF does remove them from the Cookies folder automatically.)
Now, if you delete some cookies, you will find (at least I do) that your index.dat file in the Cookies folder has shrunk. But it has not gone away entirely. This is because you still have cookies and index.dat is a file with instructions to tell the remaining cookies how to operate. So if you delete the index.dat file (in Cookies) entirely, your remaining cookies may have problems.
Cookies are .txt files. Except for index.dat in the Cookies folder you should not find anything but .txt files there. In TIF\Content.IE5\alphanumeric subfolders however, you will find all sorts of files. These Content.IE5 subfolders are your Cache--all the stuff you have gathered from surfing. You can indeed just delete them, if you have no other method (like Tracks Eraser) to clean your cache. You will not clean out any cookies. There are no cookies in Content.IE5. The alphanumeric folders will be replaced when you reboot--with different alphanumeric names.
I do not run Tracks Eraser, so do not know what those nine icons are. I do not believe you have told us what folder they are in. And, from just a quick read of Tracks Eraser's download page, I would think Tracks Eraser would delete all cookies. But I see you say it permits you to save selected cookies. It would be a bit weird if they are saved as .dat files, unless there is a SaveAs step and you chose .dat.
BTW--you probably can read the .dat files by just clicking on them. (.dat files often open in Word/Notepad.) Does the content look like a cookie?

 

Hi

My strange and weird files in my cookie folder were I have the cookies which I do want to keep for forums etc and have my browser set ro prompt when a cookie is offered therefore I do not have very many actual .txt cookie files in the folder.
The strange thing was that the 'icons' appeared in the folder after I had used TE It may have been my fault first time as I cannot be 100% sure I had my browsers closed or the fact I had TeaTimer in my tray which may have conflicted with the clean but these are all just 'theories'.

The icons did not have any name under them and were just like the little white box with the coloured dots (the only description I can think of!!) a typical Windows icon but without name. When I clicked on Properites - it showed folder but with out destination plus Cookie Cache as type - I did not have the option to re-name etc I physically dragged each on the the Recycle bin but as soon as I let them go I was told - could not delete

I did not like these being there as I do like my folders to be as tidy as possible and did not like to look in and see these icons plus the .txt cookies I needed.

I uninstalled TE and installed and also tried the move folder etc but still the icons where there. I tired various things including another cleaner but they still remained. I had a error with an install of one cleaner and after a few days of stress about this I decided to give up on cleaners was checking my cookie folder and the icons had vanished totally - I kept checking as I just could not believe this but they had gone! I also solved the conflict with the other cleaner so was very much relieved!

I really wanted to keep my files as clean and tidy as I could and noted on various forums others talking about index.dat etc I do not need to delete these for privacy reasons as I have nothing whatsoever to hide but just to be tidy and keep files down to a minimum I thought I would use a one click cleaner. I did not go back to TE as I was wary of this although I reckon it was my fault not TE's. TE does allow to select cookies to keep but this was one feature I found a little tedious as I had to go round all my forums and sign in again after a keep and clean! It did not seem to see I had these in my 'keep' side.

I am using CacheClean at the moment and it is a lot clearer when it comes to cookie selection. I really do not know how I got my mystery icons or even how they left. I am just ever so pleased they have gone and all I see is .txt cookies in my folder now!

 

miniB--Thanks for posting back. It sounds like Tracks Eraser was the source of those .dat files with the strange icon. Weird. Glad to hear you got rid of them.
As mentioned, I would not worry too much about index.dat. The index.dat files in Cookies and TIF will shrink when you delete items from those folders (like when you clean your Cache) and build back up as you add items. The minimum size is 32KB.

 

minib :
Was reading with interest and going to keep my mouth shut until your comment about Tea Timer. While I remain a big fan of SpyBot, that little app gave me a really tough time. Its off now by default in final release 1.3, but in 1.3R4 it was enabled by default and it can create some real problems with uninstalls. i put it on about 6 machines other than my own and had to run around and remove it after I discovered some of the problems it was creating. Just be cautious with TeaTimer - in front of the wrong person, it can create a real mess.

 

Rockster - could you give more detail? I've noticed from hijackthis logs that more and more folks seem to have the teatimer thing active.

I didn't really understand what it was or what it did so when I loaded 1.3 I left of inactive.

 

Hello again

I installed Teatimer when it seemed to be an added layer to my security but I found (not only the episode with TE) that it was easy to forget that it was running and could cause problems if installing another program. Somehow I am used to disabling the other software necessary but TT was one I could forget hence not disbling when cleaning with TE
There are various reports on the running of this - some love it others hate it! One thing I did note when 'testing' TT by changing my homepage it did conflict with SpywareGuard and I ended up with numerous prompts about the change of HP (SpywareGuard was first out on duty to warn me) It could get a little confusing as TT asked several times about the change Another little confusion was with an Ad Bloker TT kept asking me to accept or reject and somehow I think this added to my TIF mystery files as I think it was conflicting too much with my other spy/ad software (balnk files placed in my folder?) I have also read about the memory leak and usage.

The description taken for the new update to the help file

Presently after my recent trouble I have disabled TT but will follow the progress on this to see if it is actaully doing anything more than the software I already have running without conflict

Thank you for the cleanup.cmd I will copy this for use now