temporary internet files

I was looking at my temporary internet files folder and it appears to have thousands and thousands of entries in it. I wanted to know if it is recommended to delete all the files in this folder. I paged down some 50 pages from the top of the list and only went down approximagely 5%(i'm guessing) of the way down the list. I may be exagerating a bit but not by much.

Yes, clean your files... You may notice a bit of a delay the first time or two you open a new web site as it caches the pages again--but overall, cleaning the file system will speed your access (and can fix the occasional weird errors).

-Bill

I delete them at least once a day for years and have never had a problem. I rather wish I didn't have a temp file at all. Temp files are cached to retrieve later if you revisit a web site. But I have a cable connection that is fast enough that I really doesn't need a temp site file. But web pages get cashed whether I like it or not.

If you have a telephone modem a temp file helps speed up the web pages.

Go ahead and clean out the file and start fresh.

In IE tools>internet options then on the general tab click the settings button & you can change the amount that is cached, by default if I remember right its something like 1152MB which is huge, better still use Window Washer which clears up loads of HDD space - I use it daily!

Can somebody tell me what is a cookie? Is there a difference between cookies and cache or temporary internet files?

I usually set my internet cache size at 10mb and wipe it with Eraser in Win or a script with srm in *NIX -- very frequently.

I have noticed no adverse effects to either a small cache size OR frequent wiping in any OS.

AFAIK,
Temporary internet file is part of the webpage, that when it gets loaded, goes onto your hard drive.

A cookie is something that also gets downloaded from lots of websites, but isn't anything you'll ever see on that website. Cookies keep track of how many times you have visited a site, if you are logged in or not, what your personal info might be for a given site, etc.

Thank you Aaron. Does that mean that if someone hack into your system and get to your cookies you are doomed? All on-line transaction and the likes would be known? Like getting a hold of your password?

Keith, 12 Ghosts is also an excellent washer.

http://12ghosts.com/ghosts/wash.htm

[ QUOTE ]
pjandyho said:
Thank you Aaron. Does that mean that if someone hack into your system and get to your cookies you are doomed? All on-line transaction and the likes would be known? Like getting a hold of your password?

[/ QUOTE ]

Usually a few cookies in and of themselves won't contain much presonal data that can be useful by them selves, unless you've just intered your name or other data somewhere online (usually that kind if info is in many other places if someone has access to your machine.

The temporary internet files (or internet cache) is a different story. It may contain HUGE amounts of personal information that you have given websites -- and hold onto it for a long time. Credit card numbers, passwords, etc.

Your internet cache is designed to save some info so that your browser doesn't have to always get everything from a site EVERY time you want to see it. While it can save you time, cut down net traffic, it also poses some security concerns, as you may well imagine.

A prudent approach might be to experiment with the size of your cache and the conditions under which it is refreshed, so you achieve a compromise of retaining enough to keep your machine quick -- yet not so much to be a security liability. IMO wiping the cach often emhances your security, also.

All of the security threats mentioned about temporary internet files also apply to your Win SWAP FILE, only to a much GREATER degree, since sensitive data may be written to your SWAP FILE (on your hard drive) any time your computer is powered up -- not just when you're online.

I have my browser automatically clean my cache everytime I close it. Is this a good idea?

Thank you sub.

[ QUOTE ]
IlluminatingBikr said:
I have my browser automatically clean my cache everytime I close it. Is this a good idea?

[/ QUOTE ]

That is a very secure setting. The only downside is that everything must be downloaded 'fresh', the first time you visit a page each session. If you have a high speed connection -- or don't notice any slowdown -- no problem.

IlluminatingBikr I also have mine set that way. I do this more because if you go to sites that update regularly, like weather pages, it sucks to see yesterday's weather. Also if someone changed a site every time you load it you know it is the most up to date. The only drawback I know of is it has to load them every time, on dial-up could slow you down. I also do this so when I update my pages I don't have to hit the reload every time.