Guest ellas Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 Have you ever seen one of those ads that says, “Your computer is storing a secret record of every site you've ever visited?”Did you know that it’s true?If you are using Internet Explorer and Windows, the computer stores TWO copies of every URL you visit! Even if you click "clear history" and "delete temporary files", the secret history files remain in a hidden directory that you can't even get to through Windows!These secret files can get pretty big and slow down your machine. They can also hold copies of your passwords and other personal information that you might not really want sitting around on your machine. From just one of these files I would be able to tell you which web sites you previously visited, what types of things you search for in search engines, and probably gather your ethnicity, religion, and sexual preference. Needless to say one can build quite a profile on you from these files. They contain your browsing history at ALL times. Even after you have instructed Microsoft Internet Explorer to clear your history/cache.Enabling Windows Explorer to "show all files" does not show the files in mention. No. DOS does not list the files after receiving a proper directory listing from root. And yes. Microsoft intentionally disabled the "Find" utility from searching through one of the folders. So where are these file you ask?The names and locations of the "hidden files" from DOS are: C:\windows\history\history.ie5\index.datC:\windows\tempor~1\content.ie5\index.datIf you have upgraded MSIE several times, they might have alternative names of mm256.dat and mm2048.dat, and may also be located here: C:\windows\tempor~1\C:\windows\history\From Windows Explorer you can't see this folder but with VHF they will appear as:C:\Windows\HistoryC:\Windows\Temporary Internet FilesC:\Windows\Local Settings\Temporary Internet FilesUnder Windows NT these hidden files can be found inC:\Documents and Settings\yourusernamedirectory\CookiesC:\Documents and Settings\yourusernamedirectory\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5C:\Documents and Settings\yourusernamedirectory\History\History.IE5C:\Documents and Settings\yourusernamedirectory\History\History.IE5\MSxxx***Assuming that 'C:' is the drive with WINNT on it.In the same folders has the index.dat files you will also see the file "desktop.ini". These files contain the commands that allow the contents of these folders to remain hidden from Windows Explorer and the Find File commands. The www.f**kmicrosoft.com (I didn't name it) web site provides additional insight into how the desktop.ini files are used by Windows to truly hide selected files.anyone wishing to find these fles can download a shareware program from here http://www.tsoftware.com/html/vhf.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 isn't there a command prompt that will bring this folder up?? How do you clear it then?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ellas Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 yes you can find them in DOS if you know what your doing http://membrane.com/security/secure/Micros...scrupulous.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 Very interesting!!!!I don't want to be one of those "I've nothing to hide" wallahs and I haven't anything to hide but neither do I want loads of information hidden in my machine that I'm not aware of.I'm a bit wary of the program offered as it doesn't specifically say it is either for XP or IE6 but I'm certainly interested if anyone has used it successfully and it does as it claims. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ellas Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 well the link in my second post pops shows how to view them in DOS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 well the link in my second post pops shows how to view them in DOS.Just been reading that - scary, what? :o :o I'll have a look when I've got a few hours :( Thanks a lot for posting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 In XP del index.dat /s removes the files in the said folders. [from memory] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nellie2 Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 I didn't read all of the article.......yet..... but if my file system is NTFS based then dos isn't there is it!! So how can these folders be hiding in dos..... :blink: Never mind.... I will read ALL of the article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 XP is based on Calderra DOS, not MS DOS. The article didn't define the DOS type but, as WNT is very similar to XP (XP uses the NT engine as a base) it may well work. I'll leave it to someone else to confirm first though :) as the info on my machines is very valuable to me. OK, I have backups but I want to avoid any messing about if at all possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Besty Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 is there any way of deleating these files Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Blink_182_fan Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 so after alot of years it could add up to over a gig? and how would you go about deleting these files on windows ME Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurdy Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 In XP del index.dat /s removes the files in the said folders. [from memory]Out of curiosity I searched for 'index.dat' on my XP machine and I stopped it after it turned up 67 files.Does the /s switch mean it will only delete system files named index.dat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ellas Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 you get more info here http://www.f££kmicrosoft.com/content/ms-hidden-files.shtml paste it in your browser and replace the £ signs with u and c :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Blink_182_fan Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 Windows ME users must use a boot disk to get into real DOS mode.well that sucks as i dont have a boot disk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent Smith Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 Well make one!!!Mr. M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Blink_182_fan Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 i dont know how i think spikey chris told me one time i go dig that thread up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent Smith Posted March 21, 2004 Report Share Posted March 21, 2004 Insert a blank floppy disc, then go to control panel, and add/remove programs, and under the third tab (If my memory serves me well) you have the option to create a boot disc.Alternately open a dos prompt window and type sys c: a:This will only create a very basic boot disc, without any tools on it at all.Mr. M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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