How to Recover Deleted Internet Files
When you delete your Internet files, you might think that they are permanently deleted from your computer. That is not the case, though, because they are actually stored in a file called the index.dat file. That files keeps a backup copy of your recent activities on your computer as well as any deleted files, including deleted Internet history.
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Instructions
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Download an index.dat reader onto your computer by clicking on the download link or button (see Resources), clicking "Run" and then following the instructions in the installation wizard to complete the process of installing it.
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Click "Search." Click "Start." Configure your folder options so that you can locate the index.dat file, which is a hidden file, by clicking on "Tools" and then "Folder Options." Click on the "View" tab and then click the "Show hidden files and folders" button and uncheck the "Hide extensions for known file types" and "Hide protected operating system files" check boxes. Click "Apply" and then "OK" to return to the search screen.
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3
Click on "All Files and folders" and then click on the "Look In" drop-down box and click on "C Drive." Input "index.dat" into the search box and then press the "Enter" key. The index.dat file is displayed in the search results pane, which is on the right of the Search window.
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Right-click on the index.dat file. Click "Open With." Click "Browse." Locate the index.dat reader that you downloaded to your computer from the list and click on it. Your deleted Internet files are displayed. Click on the file that you want to recover to select it and then press the "Restore" button to restore it.
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Tips & Warnings
Recover all the deleted Internet files at once by clicking on "Edit," "Select All" and then the "Restore" button.
If your index.dat file has been recently cleaned, then the Internet files that you want to recover might not be there.
