Where's my cookie list?

erik · Post by **erik** » 16 Aug 2001 5:45 am

I found it a few months ago but forgot how to get there.

erik · Post by **erik** » 16 Aug 2001 7:21 am

Found the cookie list in the "Windows" folder. I have one cookie that is labeled "index.dat". When i go to delete it it says it cannot be deleted because it is being used. Do you know why this is? Or what it is? Also, i can no loner reset my security to not accept stored cookies. Is this because of the .dat file? The .dat file icon looks like a notepad. How should i try opening it? Thanks for any help.

Everett Cox · Post by **Everett Cox** » 16 Aug 2001 8:06 am

Erik-- 'Cookies' are usually put into the Windows\Cookies folder. Often, a copy of a cookie can also be found in the Temporary Internet Files folder.

The 'Index.dat' file is what the name implies - an index of the cached(stored) cookies. It will be 'open' whenever any cookies are in use and, perhaps, upon Windows startup. You normally do not want to delete it.

What version of Windows and Internet Explorer are you running??? Not sure why you can't reset the 'cookie options' Have you tried setting the IE options back to 'Default'??? --Everett

erik · Post by **erik** » 16 Aug 2001 8:51 am

Everett,
I have 98SE, just downloaded all critical updates yesterday. I am running IE5.0 Previously, i had my cookie setting to:

disable - stored cookies
enable- session cookies

I was having a problem getting onto a web site so i changed the first setting to enable. I have since tried resetting it to disable but it goes back to enable. And yes, i am clicking reset to save changes, it's just not taking it. Thanks.

Mark Krutke · Post by **Mark Krutke** » 26 Aug 2001 5:18 pm

Does anybody know what program is used to open an index.dat file?

Everett Cox · Post by **Everett Cox** » 26 Aug 2001 8:14 pm

Eric-- Duh!!! Sorry! Just reread your posts and noticed you said "reset" to save the new settings. You should be clicking 'OK' to save the changes. I should have caught that sooner.

Mark-- There are many different 'Dat' file formats and, therefor, no good way to tell what program handles a particular file. Applications that create/use such files generally place them in their own folders.

In the case of cookies, Windows creates the Index.dat file and has put it into a folder for its cookie data. One of the Windows modules handles that particular file.

--Everett

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 27 Aug 2001 4:07 am

Many times a .dat file is a plain text ASCII file. The Windows Notepad will sometimes handle these.

If you look at any .dat files, DO NOT CHANGE THEM, as they are needed by the program that created it.

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 27 Aug 2001 5:38 am

Make sure if you open them, (with notepad or something else,) UNCLICK the box that says something like always open this file with this. I forgot one time and I ended up with some files associated with the wrong program. It was a pain!

------------------
My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com

Bill Crook · Post by **Bill Crook** » 29 Aug 2001 1:06 am

Mark....
You can't open the index.dat file.
That file is used by the system for housekeeping reasons. If the user had the ability to modify it, the computer would get a bad case of Amnesia (sp) and not be able to find anything.

You also canno't delete it for the same reason.