Microsoft Hidden Files Essay example -- essays research papers

Introduction: There are folders on your computer that Microsoft has tried hard to keep secret. Within these folders you will find two major things: Microsoft Internet Explorer has been logging all of the sites you have ever visited -- even after you've cleared your history, and Microsoft's Outlook Express has been logging all of your e-mail correspondence -- even after you've erased them from your Deleted Items bin. (This also includes all incoming and outgoing file attachments.) And believe me, that's not even the half of it. When I say these files are hidden well, I really mean it. If you don't have any knowledge of DOS then don't plan on finding these files on your own. I say this because these files/folders won't be displayed in Windows Explorer at all -- only DOS. (Even after you have enabled Windows Explorer to "view all files.") And to top it off, the only way to find them in DOS is if you knew the exact location of them. Basically, what I'm saying is if you didn't know the files existed then the chances of you running across them is slim to slimmer. It's interesting to note that Microsoft does not explain this behavior adequately at all. Just try searching on microsoft.com.I know there are some people out there that are already aware of some of the things I mention. I also know that most people are not. The purpose of this tutorial is teach people what is really going on with Microsoft's products and how to take control of their privacy again. This tutorial was written by me, so if you see a mistake somewhere then it is my mistake, and I apologize. Thanks for reading. INDEX: 1) DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS 2) WHY YOU SHOULD ERASE THESE FILES 3) HOW TO ERASE THE FILES ASAP 3.1) If You Own Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.2) Clearing Your Registry 3.3) If You Own Outlook Express 3.4) Slack files 3.5) Keeping Microsoft's Products 4) STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE THROUGH YOUR HIDDEN FILES (For the savvy.) 1. DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS Well, the best definition I have been able to come up with is the following: I) A "really hidden" file/folder is one that cannot be seen in Windows Explorer after enabling it to "view all files," and cannot be seen in MS-DOS after receiving a proper directory listing from root. a) There is at least one loophole to enabling Windows Explorer to see ... ...de. ME users use a bootdisk.) Note that you must restart to DOS because windows has locked down some of the files and they can only be accessed in real DOS mode. 3) Type this in at prompt: CDWINDOWSTEMPOR~1CONTENT.IE5 CD %alphanumeric% (replace the "%alphanumeric%" with the first name that you just wrote down.) DIR/P The cache files you are now looking at are directly responsible for the mysterious erosion of HD space you may have been noticing. One thing particularly interesting is the ability to view some your old e-mail if you happen to have a hotmail account. (Oddly, I've only been able to retreive hotmail e-mail, and not e-mail from my other web-based e-mail accounts. Send me your experiences with this.) To see them for yourself you must first copy them into another directory and then open them with your browser. Don't ask me why this works. A note about these files: These are your cache files that help speed up your internet browsing. It is quite normal to use this cache system, as every major browser does. On the other hand. It isn't normal for some cache files to be left behined after you have instructed your browser to erase it.