Being a privacy freak, I was pretty freaked out to learn about these little devils(Yes, I know I'm about four years behind). I thought I was doing good clearing my cache, cookies and history on a regular basis. Most you you cats here know computers much better than I do and I was wondering if you can help me out. I read up online how to eliminate them without downloading a free program and here's what I was told -

1. Press F8 at the start-up and choose safe mode with command prompt
2. Log in as Administrator
3. Once reach command prompt type in "CD\" and hit enter(without quotes of course)
4. Type " del index.dat /s" and hit enter to erase all index.dat files
5. Type "shutdown -r"

I have a couple of questions, first of all, "shutdown -r" was not an acceptable function or some jazz like that and I didn't know how else to end the session so I manually rebooted. Would the erasing still have taken place eventhough I didn't exit "properly"?? What command could I try in the future(I have Windows 2000)???

The reason I ask is that it was warned that doing what I did could erase ones cache and cookies, however when I checked them when rebooted, they were still there in all of their glory? Did I do something wrong or should everything be cleaned??

For those uninitiated on index.dat files, basically they are hidden trackers that your computer keeps(if using MS and MSIE) eventhough you clear your history, cookies and cache. Basically you think you are in the free and clear(for whatever reason) though in reality your every internet move and outlookexpress email is still there and easily accessed and read by those in the know.

Is there any more actions I could take to "clean" my computer from tracking/trailing possibilities. Is it a big waste of time to even try - Is it even possible to do so??

I promise I'm not a kiddie porn freak or doing anything illegal, I'm more of the tinfoil hat type...

Log on as an administrator and delete the folder with the index.dat file. If you delete the folder itseld, Windows will recreate a new folder and a new index.dat on restart.

But my preferred my is to use Spybot. Go to Tools and Secure Shredder and add the location of the folder with index.dat to the panel and Chop it Away. You will need to reboot though.

Is there any more actions I could take to "clean" my computer from tracking/trailing possibilities.

Yes.


Buy a Mac. :wink:

You Mac users and your damn high horse!!!!!






iwantonereallybadbutthey'reexpensive

You Mac users and your damn high horse!!!!!






iwantonereallybadbutthey'reexpensive

You get what you pay for. I think the Pentium processors are faster, but when it comes to the laptops, the PowerBooks are just workhorses and they are built awesome.

The actual construction of the computer itself is rock solid and it's not plastic-y and cheap feeling, it's built like a tank and it's fairly light.

I've used the "high end" Dell laptops over the holiday and the those still feel cheap to the Powerbooks. I think IBM Thinkpad's are built just as solid as the PB's, but they are also pricey.

The only thing that Mac's have going for them is the fact that they look prettier (as is every Apple product).

Other than that, PCs are better in every aspect.

They not only look pretty, they run pretty too. It is so much easier to get things done on a mac. Of course their are still things I use a PC for. But my major computer for most of my work is my Mac. 15 powerbook. Built rock solid.

About the only thing I use my windows laptop for is for hardware like my TV card and programs that were only made for PC.

The only thing that Mac's have going for them is the fact that they look prettier (as is every Apple product).

Other than that, PCs are better in every aspect.

I disagree, but i'm not going to get into yet another Mac vs. PC discussion. Quite honestly, it's not even a Mac vs. PC thing, it's a OS X vs. Windows thing and each faction have their arguments.

The only thing that Mac's have going for them is the fact that they look prettier (as is every Apple product).

Other than that, PCs are better in every aspect.

I disagree, but i'm not going to get into yet another Mac vs. PC discussion. Quite honestly, it's not even a Mac vs. PC thing, it's a OS X vs. Windows thing and each faction have their arguments.

Yeah that inferno thread about Mac vs. PC was quite long and taxing. Although I got the last word in in a long post that no one replied to. So I guess the Mac shined supreme in that one.

Is there any more actions I could take to "clean" my computer from tracking/trailing possibilities.

Yes.


Buy a Mac. :wink:

http://it.slashdot.org/it/06/01/05/0027219.shtml?tid=172&tid=218

:wink:


According to InformationWeek.com, Linux/Unix (including Mac OS) had almost three times the number of OS-specific vulnerabilities reported last year compared to Microsoft Windows. Obviously, statistics are meaningless without the proper conjecture, speculation, and opinionation, so let the debate begin again over which OS is really more secure.

Is there any more actions I could take to "clean" my computer from tracking/trailing possibilities. Is it a big waste of time to even try - Is it even possible to do so??

keep your antivirus definitions updated
keep your anti-spyware definitions updated
keep your Windows updated with security patches
avoid downloading random/suspicious/unsolicited files and attachments
run a hardware router w/ built in firewall
run a software firewall (like zone alarm)
run virus/spyware scans periodically

sounds like a mouthful, but those basic things will keep your PC healthy and relatively problem free.

as with nearly all things computer-related, if you build it, someone can hack it. nothing is 100%.

staying away from RealGM will help you cut down on your spyware a tremendous amount

no joke

The only thing that Mac's have going for them is the fact that they look prettier (as is every Apple product).

Other than that, PCs are better in every aspect.

Nope. Macs are better integrated and streamlined than PC's. That's why a 1.47ghz PowrPC is faster than a 3ghz intel or AMD box. It's less about the processor and more about how everything is routed. A mac takes far less steps to perform a function than most PCs.

As for spyware. Well, now that the Mac OS in Unix based (has been for a while), it's more vulnerable to spyware than before. I use NetBarrier. It stops portscans and pings pretty damn well.

The only thing that Mac's have going for them is the fact that they look prettier (as is every Apple product).

Other than that, PCs are better in every aspect.

Nope. Macs are better integrated and streamlined than PC's. That's why a 1.47ghz PowrPC is faster than a 3ghz intel or AMD box. It's less about the processor and more about how everything is routed. A mac takes far less steps to perform a function than most PCs.

As for spyware. Well, now that the Mac OS in Unix based (has been for a while), it's more vulnerable to spyware than before. I use NetBarrier. It stops portscans and pings pretty damn well.

Yeah, Macs are better integrated because Apple makes all the hardware but no way in fucking hell are they faster than PC's. I will guarantee it. I went through enough benchmarks to know that a Mac can't touch a PC when it comes to raw speed and performance. Besides, wouldn't you think there would be a lot more people using a 1.47Ghz PowerPC if it offers better performance than a 3Ghz Intel/AMD?

The only thing that Mac's have going for them is the fact that they look prettier (as is every Apple product).

Other than that, PCs are better in every aspect.

Nope. Macs are better integrated and streamlined than PC's. That's why a 1.47ghz PowrPC is faster than a 3ghz intel or AMD box. It's less about the processor and more about how everything is routed. A mac takes far less steps to perform a function than most PCs.

As for spyware. Well, now that the Mac OS in Unix based (has been for a while), it's more vulnerable to spyware than before. I use NetBarrier. It stops portscans and pings pretty damn well.

Yeah, Macs are better integrated because Apple makes all the hardware but no way in fucking hell are they faster than PC's. I will guarantee it. I went through enough benchmarks to know that a Mac can't touch a PC when it comes to raw speed and performance. Besides, wouldn't you think there would be a lot more people using a 1.47Ghz PowerPC if it offers better performance than a 3Ghz Intel/AMD?

PC's are definitely faster, but Mac's are more stable and you can run them really hard without it totally taking a dump on you.