How to Clean History Files From a PC

When you delete your PC's history, it's not really completely deleted from your PC. Your PC keeps a backup copy of deleted history files in a file known as the index.dat file. You can locate the index.dat file on your PC, but if you try to delete it, your PC will not let you do so. It instead gives you an error message stating that the file is in use. So how do you clean history files from a PC? By simply creating another account and granting it administrative rights, you can delete the index.dat file and clean the history from a PC.

Things You'll Need

• Alternate user account with administrative rights
• Index.dat file(s)

Instructions

1. Create a new alternate user account on your computer. Click "Start," "My Computer," "Control Panel," "User Accounts" and "Create New Account." Make a note of the user name for your new account, and be sure you click the option to grant the new account "Administrative Rights."

2. Log out of your current account (the one on which you wish to clean the history files), and log in with your newly created account.

3. Click "Start," then "Search," then click on "Tools," located in the menu bar at the top of the Search window. Click "Folder Options." Click the "View" tab.

4. Click "Show hidden files and folders" beneath the "Hidden files and folders" section. Uncheck the selections to "Hide extensions for known file types" and "Hide protected operating system files." Click "Apply" to apply your changes and "OK" to exit the window.

5. Configure your search parameters to search "All Files and Folders" in the "C Drive." Input "index.dat" into the search bar. Click "Search."

6. Click on the index.dat file(s) returned in the search results pane to select the file(s). Press the delete (Del) key to delete the file(s).

Tips & Warnings

• Hold down the control (Ctrl) key to select more than one file at a time.

• Restore your default file and folder settings when you're finished to prevent important operating files from becoming accessed and damaged. Restore defaults by clicking on the "Restore Defaults" button in the "View" tab of the "Folder Options" window.

References

• Filetonic: How to delete Index.dat file