How to See Deleted Internet History

Nothing's more annoying or suspicious that someone else using your computer and deleting the Internet history. It makes you think that he's up to no good, right? Whether that person is your boyfriend or girlfriend, son or daughter or simply a friend, when someone deletes your Internet history, it immediately sets off your curiosity and suspicions, making you wonder what she has to hide. Many times, you have nothing to worry about. It's just a habit or a simple, innocent act. Yet, it'd be nice to know for sure, wouldn't it? Well, now you can because did you know that when you delete your Internet history, it's not really deleted from your computer? What, no, I deleted it. It can't still be there, right? Wrong. When Internet history is deleted, it is not really completely deleted from your computer. It is simply stored in a hidden file known as the index.dat file. So if you can find the index.dat file, then you can see deleted Internet history, but you have to have the appropriate software with which to read the file as well. But the good news is that unless the index.dat file has been deleted, you can see deleted Internet history.

Things You'll Need

Index.dat file

Index.dat file reader

Step 1

Locate the index.dat file by first opening your computer's search companion. If using Windows XP, simply click on "Start" and then "Search" to open your computer's search companion.

Step 2

Click on "Tools," which is located in the menu bar at the top of the search menu, and then click on "Folder Options" from the drop down menu that appears.

Step 3

Click on the "View" tab of the "Folder Options" window to configure the options that control the manner in which files and folders are viewed on your computer.

Step 4

Select the option to "Show hidden files and folders," which is located beneath the "Hidden files and folders" section of the "Advanced Settings" of the "View" tab of the "Folder Options" window. You must select this option in order to be able to see the index.dat file because it is a hidden file.

Step 5

Uncheck the checkbox that says "Hide extensions for known file types," which is located within the "Advanced Settings" box as well. This is because you are searching for the index.dat file, which is named index.dat.

Step 6

Uncheck the checkbox that says "Hide protected operating system files" as well, which is located directly below the previous checkbox in step 5. This is necessary because the index.dat file is a protected operating system file.

Step 7

Click "Apply" to apply your file and folder option changes, and then click "OK" to exit the "Folder Options" window.

Step 8

Select the option to search "All Files and Folders," and then set your search parameters to look in the "C Drive." Input "index.dat" into the search box, and then click "Search" to search for the index.dat file.

Step 9

Download an index.dat file reader to your computer, and then open the index.dat file within the index.dat file reader to see deleted Internet history.

Tips

Numerous index.dat files may exist on your computer.

The index.dat file might be empty if it was cleaned or deleted; software such as CCleaner will clean or delete the index.dat file if the options within the program are specified to do so.

Warnings

Beware of leaving your hidden files and folders as well as your protected operating system files visible; always restore your default file and folder settings when you are done with a task such as this to prevent important files from becoming damaged. Restore your default file and folder settings by clicking on the "Restore Defaults" button located in the "View" tab of the "Folder Options" window.