Easy Removal of Windows Super Hidden Temp Files

[Aloone_Jonez]

Shit if M$ really are spying on you with index.dat and desktop.ini then surely they're not stupid enough to post information about them on their website. :rolleyes:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q178702
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=301057
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=293402
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=322916
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/shellcc/platform/shell/programmersguide/shell_basics/shell_basics_extending/custom.asp

[para_fms]

I can't be bothered to bebunk the rest of your post - I'd just be repeating myself.

ditto...

...have you noticed how when you delete the contents of the desktop.ini files whe index.dat files magically become visible?

yes. question is, why is the following present in desktop.ini:

UICLSID={7BD29E00-76C1-11CF-9DD0-00A0C9034933}

why hide content.ie5 at all? why are required system files not hidden that well?

The conspiracy theory is definetly bullshit...

you'll notice that i never mentioned the word conspiracy - you did. and if you mean that the files are not used by LE, then you're kidding yourself.

[Aloone_Jonez]

yes. question is, why is the following present in desktop.ini:

UICLSID={7BD29E00-76C1-11CF-9DD0-00A0C9034933}

Codes like this appear all over Windows and are found  the registry too, they are undocumented but they all have a meaning.

My guess is UICLSID is an acronym for something, like UI (User Interface) CLS (CLear Screen?) ID (IDentification)?

I don't know.

I do know that code preceding it denotes how Windows explorer displays it, i.e. what type of folder it is.

why hide content.ie5 at all? why are required system files not hidden that well?

Sorry you obviosly haven't understood my origional post on the matter.

The content.ie5 is an indexing system that makes it easy for the user to see the temporary Internet file names, their URLs and other information that's impossible to store directly using the Windows file system. Showing them would defeat thie purpose of having them in the first place, all the user would see is idex.dat with a list of random file names instead of a list of URLs.

If you want I'll give an example of this using Windows XP with Internet Explorer and Ubuntu?

you'll notice that i never mentioned the word conspiracy - you did.

You did imply that MS are collaborating with the law enforcement agency which amounts to a consipracy.

and if you mean that the files are not used by LE, then you're kidding yourself.

Of course the law enforcement agencies will use any means possible but there are far better methods available, why would they fuck around with index.dat just to retrieve a list of URLs when they can recover pictures, mpgs and html with a proper undelete utility?

[para_fms]

Sorry you obviosly haven't understood my origional post on the matter.

i think you're right. i'm being a little 'slow' here. i've since done more reading on he subject and the pieces are beginning to come together.

If you want I'll give an example of this using Windows XP with Internet Explorer and Ubuntu?

not necessary right now, though i appreciate it. i want to read more first.

You did imply that MS are collaborating with the law enforcement agency which amounts to a conspiracy.

mmm... i think i said 'i wouldn't be surprised'. i wouldn't consider that as promoting a 'conspiracy theory', but i'll meet you 1/2 way on that one. truth be told however, i do think that MS collaborates with LE. to what extent, i have no clue. there's evidence to suggest this, though i don't know how reputable the sources are. one article i read questioned the capability of MS's encryption and suggests that it was designed so LE could easily break it. true? i have no idea. possible? sure. the problem is trying to filter out the 'doom sayers' from reputable sources. kind of like politics

Of course the law enforcement agencies will use any means possible but there are far better methods available, why would they fuck around with index.dat just to retrieve a list of URLs when they can recover pictures, mpgs and html with a proper undelete utility?

i'm not saying that's the only resource they have, i'm just saying it's one of them. i'm aware of some of the 'professional' tools and used one myself briefly. pretty wild.

[Aloone_Jonez]

Well, I bored at the moment so I'll show you what I mean.

Which is more useful to the user?

Windows showing my browsing history or Ubuntu Linux showing my Internet Explorer history?

[para_fms]

which is more useful in what way?
if i'm interested in seeing my browsing history, the former.
if i'm interested in digging deeper, perhaps the latter.

what's the 'MSHist...' directory showing in ubuntu?

[Aloone_Jonez]

which is more useful in what way?
if i'm interested in seeing my browsing history, the former.
if i'm interested in digging deeper, perhaps the latter.

I'll rephrase this then, which is more useful to the average user?

Really the latter isn't of much use to anyone because the format for the index.dat files isn't documented anyway.

what's the 'MSHist...' directory showing in ubuntu?

It contains another index.dat file.

[para_fms]

can you get 'MSHist...' to display in explorer or the shell?

have you ever run something like RegmonNT while playing with this stuff to see what reg keys are being accessed? i wonder if that would reveal anything? i'm looking at it myself, but i'm not knowledgabe enough to interpet the output. btw, this is from the command prompt. this is after 'cmd> edit index.dat' stuff that's catching my eye are a lot of entries like this:

36.62854767   cmd.exe:1884   OpenKey   HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Safer\CodeIdentifiers\131072\UrlZones   NOT FOUND      

36.77085876   ntvdm.exe:2016   OpenKey   HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\GDI32.dll   NOT FOUND

[Aloone_Jonez]

I've never heard or RegmonNT, it sounds interesting, but I tend to avoid shareware stuff like this because it's given me problems before.

I don't know but I do recognise the names of the processes.

cmd.exe is the Windows command line.

ntvdm.exe NT Virtual Dos Machine - Windows' MS-DOS emulator, it's probably being used to run the MS-DOS editor edit.com.

GDI32.DLL Graphical Display Interface - Winodows' answer to X.org

I'm sure you probably knew this.

[para_fms]

RegmonNT is portable freeware. it's an indispensable utility for monitoring reg read/write in real time. 'Filemon' is another. you'll find them here, along with a host of other free, portable apps:

http://www.sysinternals.com/

oh... actually it's just called 'Regmon'. sorry. d/l is called RegmonNT.

[bob]

I don't get it.  I have done everything that everyone has posted (except remove IE completely) and those hidden Cache files are still buried on my hard drive.  I know this because i have the Google Desktop Search Engine and when I type in anything, i see a million little cached icons!  How do you get rid of all of these things???  PS.  I have also downloaded and used no less than 4 "software programs" that supposedly clean your computer.  none have worked.  Thanks.

[187nimd4]

Dude, make a shortcut for example \Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5 and delete all those directories (SHIFT+Del); then use a proggy like http://www.southbaypc.com/SuperCleaner/ because it *will* clean that index.dat file and a few other things, depending on what options you set (some only after running the cleaner obviously, but upon restart). That's it

.. ah, just checked over the thread, I guess you also need to hunt down History.IE5 not really sure if SouthBay SuperCleaner gets those, but I can think of no reason it shouldn't ..

[kissmekate]

$100.00 donation to microsuck for the info I need. Anybody up for the challenge? :eek:

[Aloone_Jonez]

What information do you require?

[pofnlice]

OK, I was wrong. Found it. How was this for well hidden???

C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5