# Spider will not delete index.dat files



## steamwiz (Oct 4, 2002)

HI all

I have this problem with "spider" - it will not delete the index.dat files

I click spider.exe and it displays all the cookies and url's
I click "cleanup" and it says the spider has bitten ( I check the registry and a "spider"key has been added to the "run once folder") so it appears to have worked
I shut down - reboot - run spider again and they are all still there

I close all programs with Ctrl-Alt-Del and try again...........still there

I delete all cookies and temporary internet files with Spybot - everything clean - try again.......still there

Did a virus scan at "housescall"......clean
Did a scan with my own anti-virus.....clean
Scandisk
Defrag

Tried again............still there

Has anyone come across this or got any ideas ?

Guess I'll have to delete them from DOS - but it's a lot easier with "spider when it works

steam


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## pvc9 (Jul 7, 2002)

Hi Steam,
Do you want to delete the index.dat files completely?

If yes, then its not possible. Even though you delete the index.dat files from DOS, once you restart Windows, they'll be created automatically and if I'm not wrong the size should be 80KB(default size).

Hope I understood the q correctly!


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## $teve (Oct 9, 2001)

try this.............it will

http://www.swanksoft.com/historykill/


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## steamwiz (Oct 4, 2002)

Hi pvc

I don't care whether they are deleted or emptied

I know windows will recreate them on boot up - thats ok

Thing is - spider should empty them - but it doesn't

It finds them - shows what's in them - says it has emptied them

but when I look again it shows nearly 3.00 megs of URL's in the temporary internet files index.dat file

The temporary internet files are empty ( this is just the index.dat file)

steam


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## WhitPhil (Oct 4, 2000)

*$teve:*

It "may" delete it, but after a reboot the files are going to be back again, as pcv indicated.

These files are part of the IE architecture. The only thing "bad" about them, is that they continue to get larger and need to be cut back periodically either by completely deleting them, or by using some app like Spider.

Yes, they contain a reference to web sites visited, but that IS their purpose. They are index files used to provide quick access into the TIF, Histroy and Cookies folders.

*steamwiz:*
"shows nearly 3.00 megs of URL's in the temporary internet files index.dat file "

This is from Spider??
If you look at the \TIF from Explorer, how large is it?
If you view the size of Index.dat from DOS, how large is it?


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## steamwiz (Oct 4, 2002)

WhitPhil

Yes I agree with all you say - I just want to empty them


$teve

Thanks I'll have a look at that link


steam


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## steamwiz (Oct 4, 2002)

WhitPhil

C:\ windows\temporary internet files..........no index.dat file shown

Find files\folders....... shows one here...right click - nearly 3 megs

What path would I use to show it in DOS


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## steamwiz (Oct 4, 2002)

Hi $teve

I've had a look at your link - but all I'm looking for is a free prog like spider to empty the index.dat files...........if spider wont do it anymore then there must be another way

I've nothing to hide - just want to keep my comp as clean as possible - so I dont want to fork out a lot of money just to do this

Thanks anyway - all suggestions looked at and greatly appreciated

steam


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## spaceman_333 (Nov 23, 2001)

steam,

Here's another way to do it:


Go to Start/shutdown, and choose 'restart the computer in MS-DOS mode'.

Type the following lines, pressing ENTER after each one:

cd\
cd windows 
smartdrv 
deltree tempor~1 
deltree history 
deltree cookies
deltree c:\windows\locals~1\tempor~1 

NOTE: Press Y if you are prompted to confirm any deletion 

Type win (or 'exit') followed by clicking enter in order to return to Windows. 

You will have deleted the History, Cookies, and Temp. Internet Files folders, including their index.dat files.


Spaceman


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## WhitPhil (Oct 4, 2000)

steamwiz:
From the DOS prompt, enter

*CD\windows\tempor~1\content.ie5*
Then
*Dir /a*

This will show the index.dat file and your cache folders

If you are getting the 3MB size after doing the Find > Files, then the DOS DIR will show the same thing. It would appear that the file is corrupted somehow (or Spider has a bug), and all entries are not being seen.

Use Spaceman's commands to delete the files from DOS and start over again. 
Note: Don't delete the History/Cookies folders if there are entries there that you need/want.


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## steamwiz (Oct 4, 2002)

Hi WhitPhil

I'll try that next time I go off-line

The "bug" wont be in "spider" because I downloaded it again and it didn't make any difference

I'm going to make a .bat file from spaceman's suggestion, and run it from DOS

The only inconvenience will be having to log in here the first time after using it

So I have a work-around 

but I would still like to know why "spider has given up on me  

steam


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## WhitPhil (Oct 4, 2000)

"Bugs" are not fixed by reloading the software.

If there are conditions (variations in the file layout or broken references) in the index.dat that Spider was not programmed to handle, then that is what I would call a "bug". 

From everything that I have read, Spider is supposed to have the ability to view all the urls (deleted or not) stored in the index.dat file, and allow you to "really" delete these, resulting in the shrinkage of the index.dat file.

If after running Spider and doing the "delete all" and the index.dat file is still overly large, then there is a bug in Spider.

*****As I finished writing this, there is another possibility. The \TIF files being looked at by Spider may be under \Windows\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files, and the ones under just \TIF are OLD ones.
From IE, look at the Settings tab for the Temporary Internet Files and see where the Current Location is (ie: the one the Spider would have used)


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## steamwiz (Oct 4, 2002)

Hi WhitPhil

Thanks for the input - it all keeps the brain ticking over

"Spider" consists of two files - spider.exe (which locates the files) and it does everytime it runs

and "Spiderbite" which is supposed to delete the files (which it doesn't)

Spider is not "installed" like a lot of other files (no registry keys, shortcuts,folders etc,)

Just two files - so if I delete these two files - and download them clean - and the problem is just the same - I eliminate these two file as being the cause of the problem

I'm sure you already know all I have said - but this is why I say "spider" itself is not the problem

I'm looking into the exact location if the files from spider's point of view - but bear in mind it does not delete the cookies ior history either (even though it appears to find them all)

steam


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## Deke40 (Jun 27, 2002)

This works in IE5.5 and IE6.0.

Without using Spider or Windows Washer you don't have to go to DOS to delete index.dat. Just go to C:\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5(or .IE6) and delete the Content.IE folder. It will recreate itself on the next bootup.

First go to DOS and at the prompt type in the following commands:

CD\WINDOWS\TEMPOR~1\CONTENT.IE5(or.IE6)
EDIT /75 INDEX.DAT

You will be brought to a blue screen with a bunch of binary.

Press and hold the [Page Down] button until you start seeing lists of URLs. These are the sites you have visited. When your done looking go to File>Exit. If you don't have mouse support in DOS then use the [ALT] and arrow keys.

Now delete the Content.IE folder and repeat the above and look.

PS-To delete this out of IE6.0 you have to reboot and then you can delete it from Recycle Bin after the new Content.IE folder has been recreated.

For more info on index.dat go to fxxxmicrosoft.com. Just enter the correct letters for the x's that belong to that common f word.


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## WhitPhil (Oct 4, 2000)

Deke:
The Delete from Explorer certainly doesn't work on my PC. (Win98FE/IE5.01) because the file is in use.

As for the FxxxMicrosoft site, don't you find it just a bit on the paraonic side, with lots of inuendo but nothing that resembles hard facts?

steamwiz:
Please re-read my post on why it can still be a bug in Spider. 

Spider is a program and will only do what it is told to do. If the programmer did not take into account all possible conditions, then the program will not do it's job. (my definition of a bug).
If your index.dat file has some type of strange entries that Spider can't "understand" and it just ignores them (or can't find them in the first place), then the "junk" will still be there and not removed.


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## Deke40 (Jun 27, 2002)

WhitPhil-Saw you a lot on computing.net but didn't know you were here.

As I stated in my first line this works in IE5.5 and IE6.0.

Your right the riddler sounds pretty paranoid.

I don't necessarly beleive all his ramblings but I like to look at different perspectives on anything.


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## steamwiz (Oct 4, 2002)

Hi Deke

Thanks for the input - what you say is all new to me - and I shall look at it carefully

As far as the index.dat files are concerned ( on this computer - something is definately wrong)

You say go to C:\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5(or .IE6) ................ but my comp does NOT show a Content.IE5(or .IE6) folder at this location

When I run spider it finds the files at C:\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\index.dat

I am running win98 and *ie6*

Find files\folders finds it exactly the same as spider

Hi WhitPhil



> If there are conditions (variations in the file layout or broken references) in the index.dat that Spider was not programmed to handle, then that is what I would call a "bug".


If there are conditions (variations in the file layout or broken references) in the index.dat - then this is the fault of windows - yes ?

I'm trying to understand what you are getting at - but spider has worked perfectly well for over a year, with ie6 installed, and it has only just started to act oddly - surely it must be something in windows that has changed not spider

If spider can't find something because it's in the wrong place - that's not spiders fault - yet spider finds and displays the files - it's spiderbite that fails to work

You think spiderbite.exe is trying to delete the files from the wrong place - yes ?

Local settings - no index.dat file - just a msimgsiz.dat of 16k

steam

edit
DOS shows the same size as find files\folders


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

Do the contents of it look like preloads from the registry?


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## steamwiz (Oct 4, 2002)

Hi IMM

no, it just keeps adding the url's of sites I visit - which of course it's supposed to do - I can delete these through DOS - but I'm trying to find out why spider has suddenly stopped working

steam


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

In Internet Properties (under the General Tab) click the Settings button in the Temporary Internet Files section and have a look at the folder location.
Is it still C:\Windows\Temporary Internet Files ?

One thing most people never try is using the Repair Section of TweakUI to repair the TIF.


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## steamwiz (Oct 4, 2002)

Hi IMM

Yes - C:\Windows\Temporary Internet Files

To be honest I don't have TweakUI - maybe it's time I got it

steam


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## IMM (Feb 1, 2002)

Good stuff - but be careful what you use.
http://www.microsoft.com/ntworkstation/downloads/PowerToys/Networking/NTTweakUI.asp


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## steamwiz (Oct 4, 2002)

Cheers


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