Subject: Hidden files which record user-activity

[Hurricane]

This web addy describes the Mm256.dat and Mm2048.dat files located in the Windows\Cookies and Windows\History folders. HHHHHMMMM can I get a little privacy here?

Paste this in your web browser:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q178702&

I remember seeing something about this along time ago in PC World Mag.


Here's more info and a way to get rid of it:

http://www.fsm.nl/ward/spiderus.html

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46112

[TheOldMan]

I don't think this is an insidious plot. These are cache files used by IE to improve the perceived performance of web browsing. It is a time-tested technology used in computer systems going back to the early mainframe days. Why read something over a slow medium, dial-up for example, when you've already read it once and still have it around. It is one of the basic principles of virtual memory and disk-swapping.

Having said that, there are unscrupulous people who develop applications to use this information. They use it to track where you are surfing under the auspices of providing marketing and demographic data to vendors. Right! They use it to line their own pockets, of course.

There are some excellent programs, like Spider as you pointed out, that will clear this cache for you. If you are concerned about it, here (http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/answers3.htm#Cache) is more information about it and how to delete the contents.

You can also adjust how IE uses the cache by opening Tools > Internet Options. On the General tab, click on the Settings button for Temporary Internet Files. The next dialog box will allow you to set how and when IE should check for new pages compared to the cache.

Hope that helps.
The Old Man

[Hurricane]

TheOldMan, I not only appreciate what you said but, how you said it. YEah, I agree, I don't think this is an insidious plot either. I just found it facinating that someone would even be interested in using this information, as you pointed out. I also found it facinating how difficult it was to get rid of this information store and how little people knew about it's existence. And this is only one example. What else is like this on the operating systems that we use. It's like one of those club card memberships that you can get at some of those supermarkets. Yeah, they give you a little discount, but, they also profile your buying habbits. And, ya might say "Yeah..., so what" But, it's the point. I think it could be used for some thing that, perhaps, it wasn't intended for all to easily.

[David_Jones]

Another good example is the applog folder containing files for all (?) your application usage, and a summary file called applog.ind.

You can delete this folder from what I have read in this forum (it is supposed to be used by defrag to optimise the positioning of applications on your hard disk), but it will be recreated unless you turn off taskmon.

[dldz]

Originally posted by David_Jones
Another good example is the applog folder containing files for all (?) your application usage, and a summary file called applog.ind.
You can delete this folder from what I have read in this forum (it is supposed to be used by defrag to optimise the positioning of applications on your hard disk), but it will be recreated unless you turn off taskmon.
I would like to know if anyone with Win98 has tested and tried this.


I myself just use Spider on a regular basis along with regular maintenance.