[vinny_the_hack]

Why is using Windows like living in the twilight zone?

This is really complicated, so I'll try to just present the immediate issue. I have "Show hidden files and folders" ticked and I have unticked "Hide protected operating system files" for "C:\Documents and Settings\%userid%\Temporary Internet files". The properties of this folder indicate that there are 18 folders in this folder. However, when I open it, no folders are displayed. Long story short, I know they exist, but why can't I see them?

Edited by vinny_the_hack, 23 September 2007 - 09:22 AM.

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Yo, Vinny,

I guess you mean the path to the Temporary Internet files is really:

C:\Documents and Settings\{account_name}\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files

Can you see the files here ?

If the correct path is really

C:\Documents and Settings\{account_name}\Temporary Internet Files

Then this is a sign of malware infection and you need to delete this directory immediately !
_

[WinCrazy]

Yo, Vinny,

I guess you mean the path to the Temporary Internet files is really:

C:\Documents and Settings\{account_name}\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files

Can you see the files here ?

If the correct path is really

C:\Documents and Settings\{account_name}\Temporary Internet Files

Then this is a sign of malware infection and you need to delete this directory immediately !
_

[vinny_the_hack]

I just checked other users' config and I see you are right. My account also has another similarly named folder where you say it should be. Considering that there are current time-stamped files in the folder I mentioned (as well as the "correct" one), I suspect that simply deleting the folder may cause IE to break. Isn't this a valid concern? Is there a place that specifies to IE which folder should be used for this purpose?

[Titan8990]

I'm not completly sure if I know which folder you are refering too. Each user has their own temporary internet files. If you delete your temporary internet files folder it will just be recreated next time you start IE. It will cause no errors. I suggest downloading ATF Cleaner. It will clear all your IE cookies, temp files, active X controls, etc. There is no room for error. Simply download the program and click "select all".

Click here to download ATF Cleaner

Edited by Titan8990, 23 September 2007 - 01:02 PM.

[vinny_the_hack]

Deeper and deeper into the abys I go...

I checked the registry and sure enough there are settings that pooint to where the temporary internet files folder to be used lives. Rather than f*** with the registry, I looked in IE (7) and sure enough, you can set/move the folder, which I did. Strangely, now, in the bogus location folder (yes, it wasn't moved, maybe copied) is a Content.IE5 folder where one never existed before. And in the correct (new) location, there are NO folders--files, but no folders. I am more confused than when I started this thread.

Ok, I just looked in the registry again and there are still Cache and CachePath entries pointing to the old folder. I'm going to take a closer look at them and see what I can make of it...

[Titan8990]

It might be a good idea for you to follow these steps:

Please go to the Malware forum and follow the instructions at the top....Especially the Instructions to do before posting in the malware fourm.

That will give you several steps that will help you clean up 70 percent of all problems by yourself. If at the end of the process you are still having difficulty--and you may not be-- then post a hijackthis log in THAT forum.

[vinny_the_hack]

There are two sets of the following pair of entries under MediaPlayer pointing to my bogus folder:

.../MediaPlayer/Services/MediaGuide/MediaCachedIconPath
.../MediaPlayer/Services/MediaGuide/CachedLargeLogoPath

Beats me why MediaPlayer wants to use my Temporary Internet Files folder.

The only other entries left in the registry that point to my bogus folder are:

.../InternetSettings/Cache/Paths/Path1/CachePath
.../InternetSettings/Cache/Paths/Path2/CachePath
.../InternetSettings/Cache/Paths/Path3/CachePath
.../InternetSettings/Cache/Paths/Path4/CachePath

I'd really like to approach this from the standpoint of "coaxing" Windows to honour my wishes of getting back to the standard names and locations of folders rather than pulling out the rug from under her and hoping sh** doesn't hit the fan after the fact.

[vinny_the_hack]

Sorry--I was composing the post above before you posted your last entry.

I'm 99.9% sure there's no malware on my system. I have an anti-virus product and I run regular scans for malware. While going through this exercise, it occurred to me that I may have inadvertantly changed the location of my temporary internet files folder a while back when I was having frequent IE problems and I deleted IE7 and then re-installed it. All I need to do is clean up this aftermath.

Edited by vinny_the_hack, 23 September 2007 - 02:26 PM.

[WinCrazy]

Vinny,

It could be that Media Center is downloading files and using IE to do it. In this case the temp files would end up in the IE cache directory.

I really don't think there is anything to worry about.

[vinny_the_hack]

I renamed (for now) the bogus folder, saved the registry entries before nulling them and have been using Media Player and IE with no apparent symptoms. Still, I wish I knew why/when "Content.IE5" is supposed to be created/used. Other user of this coputer has one in her temporary internet files folder where EVERYTHING IE is stored there in subfolders, while all my stuff is right in the temporary internet files folder.

Thanks for your help. I need a nap.

[vinny_the_hack]

One last thing, if I may...

Why is there a cookies folder in documents and settings/{account name}

...while cookies also exist in the temporary internet files folder, as well? I hope this doesn't become another can of worms. It's probably the same worms.

Edited by vinny_the_hack, 23 September 2007 - 04:18 PM.

[WinCrazy]

Cookies are harmless liitle text files that some web pages store on your PC. They have things like encrypted passwords so that when you revisit the same web page later you don't have to remember and retype your username and password each time. This is what is used by web sites to "remember" you, AOL, Yahoo, etc., etc., etc.

Each logon user account has its own cookies folder. Each user has its own browser settings, too, for each browser that is installed (IE, Firefox, Mozilla, Opera, etc.).

Each browser like IE and Firefox have their own cookies storage folders. The one you are refering to is IE's. Firefox happens to store all its cookies in the single file
C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{encrypted_string}.default\cookies.txt

Should you reinstall XP for any reason it's really nice to back up these files beforehand so that the new browser installation will have all its old cookies to use.

Edited by WinCrazy, 23 September 2007 - 04:42 PM.

[vinny_the_hack]

Thanks, but I knew all that. I do, indeed, back up my cookies nightly. My question was specifically why I seem to have cookies in two different locations.

[WinCrazy]

Did you upgrade IE to version 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 ? Perhaps a later version uses a different folder.

[vinny_the_hack]

Dontcha just love this? 9 out every 10 problems I encounter go like this one.

I deleted IE7 and it automatically reverted back to IE5 or IE6. I forget which one. I then re-installed IE7. I understand that different versions may use different locations for things. What I don't understand is why the version I am using right now is reading/writing cookies in two different locations. There are current cookie files (from this site) in both folders right now.