Microsuck and the *really hidden* files.

November 19, 2006 at 8:29 am (Internet, Technology)

If you’ve had your computer for a while (say, more than a month) and you use Internet Explorer – any version – here’s a little eye-opener for you. Use your Start –> Find tool and search your compuer for a file folder called Content.IE5 or history.IE5  (No, you don’t have to use IE5. I use IE6 and it worked)

According to an article at Microsuck.com, Microsoft stores hidden files that don’t show even if you have “show hidden files” checked in your folder options. Hidden files that record pretty much everything you (or anyone else) has done online on that computer. So much for clearing your “temporary internet files” or deleting your history!

When I deleted all the junk in there, I freed up a serious amount of hard drive space.

4 Comments

  1. fracas said,

    November 19, 2006 at 10:22 am

    Oh, those (insert expletive here)s!

    See, if this was my own blog, I’d probably just use the bad words. Being your blog, I’ll be polite.

    I read the article and it made it sound way more complicated to find the files. I did what you suggested and golly gee but if I didn’t see all kinds of stuff. Good thing you’re around to make it easy for those of us who spend our time online goofing around looking for people to participate in drunk blogging with us instead of learning all this tech stuff that might actually help us.

    See… you’ve already improved the world and you only have two posts up!

  2. Linda said,

    November 19, 2006 at 5:54 pm

    In the article at Microsuck, it said something to the effect that one can find the hidden files through DOS or that there has to be at least one way to find them in Windows Explorer. I figured the Windows Explorer route would be easier so I found it. lol.

    BOY – did I find files. Thousands and thousands of them. 2 GIGs worth, I’m embarrassed to say.

    BTW, does blogging with Bailey’s in my coffee count?? lol.

  3. Gary Simpson said,

    December 3, 2006 at 5:41 am

    Hmm,

    Very interesting!

    I had a look and… lo and behold – even your banking sessions are recorded.

    Now, thinking laterally I’m adding 1 and 1 and getting 2.

    I understand that computers, when traded in on lease plans or sold second hand, are sent overseas to impoverished third world nations. Guess where many of these “traded in” computers end up?

    heh…heh… Nigeria.

    Is it any wonder now how the Nigerians have become world leaders in phishing and scamming?

    I won’t be selling any old computers any more. Next time I toss a computer out I will make sure that I apply a very strong magnetic force to the hard drive.

    Gary

  4. American Life said,

    May 23, 2007 at 3:45 pm

    Just found your site. Will definitely come back soon!

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