How do I find and delete a web file visible in start menu search?

[kevbiy73]

I can find a webpage in my start menu but when I search for it in the windows search, it isn't there, even with advance find and search for hiddden or non indexed items. How do I find this page? If I right click, it brings up "Open" and "Open File Location" but when I click on it, it doesn't take me to the actual page, just the general home page of that website.

Where would this page or information be stored on my computer because I'd like to delete it completely. I can't delete it from the start menu search and I can't find the location of this file on my computer.

[Kotuku]

Sounds like you need to 'cover your tracks'. Web pages are stored in your browser cache. Unless you have saved them for offline viewing.

You should be able to open your browser and delete the Caches from within there and delete offile content if that is offered.

Note items on the start menu can also be 'removed' by right mouse clicking and selecting 'remove from the list'.

Failing all that grab a free program, like CCLEANER or EXTENDED DISK CLEANUP. Just Google for those and both will wipe out your browsing history and a bunch of other stuff!

[kevbiy73]

I cleared my cache but if I search in start panel, the web page is still there in category "favourites/history" but not if I use the search or advanced search. I right-click, I have no delete option. The only options I have are "open" which opens the main page to the site or "open-file-location" which opens my home page."

[Kotuku]

Are you using Firefox or IE? If you ain't using Firefox, suggest you try that. Also run CCleaner, did you do that?

When you say START Panel, specificall what/where. If you click the Orb (bottom left), straight above the ALL PROGRAMS is recent items you have opened, this is where I meant right click to delete.

Like wise, RECENT Items on that same stat menu, each of those can be right clicked and removed

Can you do a screen shot of where the link is you want to remove and post that?

[kevbiy73]

Here's the screenshot. The site is Gumtree. It's all innocent stuff. I run a magazine and needed some girls for a photoshoot. Again, all innocent! Except that I found the site has some really filthy sexy adverts on it and I clicked through some of the adverts. That's the three results at the very top of the left hand column. If I right click on them, it only gives me "open" or "open location" options.

I use IE mostly and I'm pretty sure it was Firefox it opened in. I searched in both but can't find the cookie for this. I can't just delete all history and private data as there's stuff in there that we need. I went through all history and favorites (as that's the heading they're under) but can't find them. If I do any advance search, nothing comes up.

Any ideas?

Thanks

[Kotuku]

OK, thanks for perservering. Not sure why you can't delete your History (or cache), as long as you have all the sites you need in Favourites you don't lose those.

However, firstly a couple of things you can do. Right click on the ORB and select PROPERTIES. Select the START MENU Tab on this new screen. and then take out the ticks in the two privacy boxes and then click APPLY at the bottom. The click the CUSTOMIZE Link oposite the START MENU Entry. Scroll down and take the tick out of the FAVORITES MENU. Click OK out of there. Now the offending entries will not show. Go back in through ORB/PROPERTIES and put the two ticks back in the PRIVACY area and click APPLY and get out. This will put your privacy back to how it was but should have cleared the cache. You may have to reboot before that last action to get the entries off the start menu.

Now I would run a good free malware scanner. Grab the latest SPYBOT Search and Destroy and install that (http://www.safer-networking.org/en/spybotsd/index.html). Run a complete scan and it will find any offending cookies and give you the option to remove them. There is no need to have it starting with Vista, just run it as a Batch Process every week. I suspect the shoddy site has put some crap on your computer.

If you use Firefox, then go to the TOOLS/ADD-ONS and then click GET ADD ONS and then the link to BROWSE ALL ADD ONS. Find Web Of Trust or WOT as it is known and install that. It will NEVER allow you to go to any advert or site that is shonky! Works seamlessly and well and also on a Google search puts red rings on any site BEFORE you go there.

And a Happy St Patricks Day to you, by the look of that Flag!

[kevbiy73]

Thanks so much for your help. I really appreciate it. I've gone through what you have advised and followed it. The links are still there and I'm pretty sure that they are not malicious or bogus. They are just in a file somewhere simple that I cannot see them. The question is, how do I find them? They are there on the start menu search but not anywhere else. They must be there, so how do I find them.

[Kotuku]

OK, I am getting into some deeper stuff here. Be careful

Open firefox and in the URL line at the top copy and paste this and hit enter

about:cache?device=disk

This will now show you everything that is cashed as far as URL's and sites you have visited. You can't however delete them from here.

The actual cache is stored at

C:\Users\YOURNAME\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\qlgglkxl.default\Cache

The glgglkxl random group maybe different on your computer but that is where everything is stored. You can delete in here, BUT they are not named but are showing a date, so maybe you can depete, knowing the date you went there?

You say you have tried everything I said to? Have you gone to Firefox TOOLS and OPTIONS and then ADVANCED and used the Clear Cache button there?

Whu do you think this site with sexy ads has not uploaded something to your computer?? That is exxactly what they do and Nortons (that you appear to have) does not stop Malware only viruses.

[Kotuku]

As a Matter of interest, I have a 50 Mb cache only in Firefox. I just went in and did the

about:cache?device=disk

That I advised above and it showed 49.9 Mb of cached stuff and a very long page of URL's.

I went into Firefox TOOLS/OPTIONS/ADVANCED and cleared the cache from within there. Went back to <about:cache?device=disk> and there is zilch there, all cleaned out cleanly

PLEASE do that!