# preventing History list from being deleted



## anoisaris (May 24, 2001)

Hi All,

Would anybody know how to prevent other users from deleting the history list from IE.


Using Windows 98SE, IE v6.0


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## Ratboy (Feb 12, 1999)

anoisaris,

If you are comfortable editing the Registry, you can disable the *Clear History* button in _Internet Options_, but it won't prevent anyone from manually deleting the History folder contents:

Open REGEDIT, make a backup of the Registry, and navigate to the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\
Control Panel

If _Control Panel_ is not listed, then right-click on 'Internet Explorer', select _New_, then _Key_ and name it *Control Panel* (spell it exactly as shown) and hit 'Enter' on the keyboard.

Right-click on _Control Panel_, select _New_, then _DWORD value_ and name it *History* and hit 'Enter' on the keyboard.

Right-click on _History_, select _Modify_ and set the 'Value Data' to *1* and click 'OK'.

Now when you go to Internet Properties, the _Clear History_ button will be grayed out.


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## sekirt (Mar 28, 2003)

Repeating what Ratboy stated, they can still go into Windows Explorer (or DOS since it is Windows 98) and delete history.

sekirt


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## Deke40 (Jun 27, 2002)

This cost $25 but will do what you want.


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## Ratboy (Feb 12, 1999)

Deke,

Nice program, but it seems to be limited in that you can only lock a file or folders by moving it into a special "Locker" folder. How do you lock a file or folder (such as History) that is outside of the "Locker"?


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## anoisaris (May 24, 2001)

Thanks for the replies guys,
I have played around with the registry like Ratboy suggested, and have also removed the history button from the IE toolbar using the registry program. So hopefully I should be able to check out where the kids have been surfing.

Thanks again.


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## Deke40 (Jun 27, 2002)

On that particular it doesn't like you can.

There are numerous programs out there that will hide a certain file.

It just depends whether somebody wants to spend the cash.


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## Deke40 (Jun 27, 2002)

anoisaris said:


> Thanks for the replies guys,
> I have played around with the registry like Ratboy suggested, and have also removed the history button from the IE toolbar using the registry program. So hopefully I should be able to check out where the kids have been surfing.
> Thanks again.


If they are old enough they can still do as Ratboy suggested and go into C:\Windows\History and delete them. You might check that and see if it is possible since you made the registry changes.


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## sekirt (Mar 28, 2003)

> So hopefully I should be able to check out where the kids have been surfing.


Oh! That's a different problem...you don't necessarily have to stop them from erasing History. You can read the contents of the INDEX.DAT files. Even if History is erased. Go here and read. Works with all versions of Windows. Download Spider v1.04 (185 KB; Win32; Self-Extracting EXE)

http://www.fsm.nl/ward/

sekirt


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## Deke40 (Jun 27, 2002)

Good point Soc unless they know how to delete the Content.IE5 folder. Also another good one is WinSpy althought it doesn't have the ability to delete the urls built in.


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## sekirt (Mar 28, 2003)

@Winspy looks good. I am downloading now. I read more about it here:

www.acesoft.net/winspy/

I have never actually used Spider myself. Just know that it was recommended often on the forums.

sekirt


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