Delete Index.DAT Files Safely

There has been quite a bit of controversy surrounding Index.DAT files since they were discovered a number of a years ago. Basically, Index.DAT files are small files that Windows stores as system files on your machine to keep track of all of the websites and webpages you've loaded, as well as all of the emails you've sent using Outlook or Outlook Express. While no proper explanation has ever been uncovered as to the reason files that keep track of all of your browsing history exist, Microsoft says that they're simply there to make loading web pages easier the next time you open Internet Explorer. Believe it or not, it is indeed possible to get rid of these files.

Where Are They?

What often makes deleting these pesky minor security risk files so difficult is that they're so well hidden within the operating system. No one is sure why they're buried within folders and in the depths of the Windows system folders, but they are, and they can't be found through a simple search. Using the Windows search function to look for the Index.DAT files will yield no results, and even with settings like "Show all Hidden Files and Folders" enabled in the folder view settings menu, there's no guarantee that you'll be able to find all of them.

Unless you know which applications are specifically logging your browsing history or computer usage history, there's no guarantee that you'll be able to get rid of all of the data that's being stored about you.