desktop.ini

[CondorMan]

Hi everyone

I have XP Pro SP2 and have been looking at deleting TIFs and the strange folders in the content.ie5 folder. I know that they don't show in Windows Explorer so have seen them via a command screen or by accessing Start>Run>cleanmgr. I can delete the random folders but, as soon as I reboot and access IE6, they reappear!

I understand that the desktop.ini file within content.ie5 hides the folder and it contins:

[.ShellClassInfo]
UICLSID={7BD29E00-76C1-11CF-9DD0-00A0C9034933}

I have searched for information about this latter parameter and use of desktop.ini but am very confused. Needless to say, I don't want to "play" around, just in case I make some irreversible changes! One site mentioned deleting everything between the {} and resave it and this will allow content.ie5 to be viewed normally.

Some questions:

1. Why do the oddly named folders return immediately when I reboot and use IE6? I've noted that the index.dat file is over 4MB - should I delete it and allow it to be regenerated?

2. If I delete everything between the {} and resave the desktop.ini which simply has the [.ShellClassInfo] line, couldn't I simply delete the desktop.ini file to achieve the same thing?

3. I know what CLSID means, but what about UICLSID? I've checked <define:UICLSID> in google but it returns nothing!

4. Where can I get a full list of the parameters that can be used in a desktop.ini file, along with a description of what each does?

5. Finally, are there any specific parameters that are (or are not) used in XP Pro?

Thanks for your time and patience.

 

[BadBigBen]

1.) Those oddly named Folders are the IE Cache... WinXP will not allow you to delete the index.dat file... try it... basically that is your HISTORY file and COOKIE back up... there are several progs out there, that delete the information contained there in, without deleting the file...

2.) actually, I can't answer you that, safely... the Desktop.ini file gets regenerated once you delete it...

3. to 5.) sorry can't help you there...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[CondorMan]

I thought I could delete index.dat by booting to DOS (via F8). I know it's not really DOS, but it's the nearest I can get to! Index.dat can't be deleted when in Windows, so I guess an alternative would be to use a different bootable OS.

 

[linney]

The Content.IE5 folder from the T.I.F. folder is a bit complicated all round with files hidden and unaccessible even to Administrators and even some windows program like search or even DOS,(being controlled by various Desktop.ini files and Index.dat files).

You might want to research the whole story at this site. The article is Windows 9x related but the story of Desktop.ini and Index.dat files is pretty much applicable to XP. It gets interesting around paragraph 5 in the article, and will answer many of your questions.

http://sillydog.org/mshidden.html

If your Index.dat files have been corrupted and may benefit from a total deletion of the T.I.F. folder and thereby allowing XP to recreate a new folder for you after a reboot or new login.

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/delcache.htm

 

[CondorMan]

Thank you linney.

I recall having seen the MS Really Hidden Files article on the other site that's mentioned in the article. For some reason, it was unreachable a few months ago so I assumed that the site was down. I agree that the article is very handy, as is that from the mvps site.