How do I delete items from Internet Explorer's auto-complete list?

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Look here for a possible simple solution to autocomplete entries that don't go away when history is cleared. (Instructions to get delete all index.dat files on your computer.)

http://www.g4tv.com/screensavers/features/275/Sarahs_Windows_Tweak_Delete_Hidden_Surfing_Tracks.html

TO ANYONE WHO IF HAVING DIFFICULTIES DELETING FROM INTERNET EXPLORER HISTORY:
I couldn't delete certain adresses from my history - they just wouldn't delete!!However, after searching the internet for ages I found this -

http://www.smartprotector.com/eraser/free-history-eraser.htm

AMAZING!! Literally deletes all history, at least on the surface!!

"Just click on the history button (next to favorites).
Click on "search" to find the site (i.e. www.example.com/index.htm, u search for : "example")
The links will show, right mouse click on 'em and click "delete"
And ur done.
U can test it (i.e. in ur address bar type : "www.ex" and it won't show:) )

l8erz,
Rachel"

Just to let you know, it wont work in some system!!!

I have a problem that isn't rectified by doing anything that this very inciteful artical suggests and I don't really want to be downloading special programs onto my computer to see if they will work. Even if I delete all my history, favourites, cookies, temporary files, autocomplete etc. there are still a couple of addresses that come up in the address bar as autocomplete items, e.g. typing www.f brings up www.faceparty.com. These items do not appear in the history lists (as I have deleted them all) but they do come up in history if you search for 'f' for example. Nothing gets rid of them and I don't understand how searching through a totally empty history record can find anything whatsoever!

...this has got to be an XP update issue, because I used to be able to right click on the drop downs and hit delete, now right clicking on it doesn't do anything. I"ve tried purging all the ways mentioned above, it is not a history thing per se, but a autocomplete issue. I logged in as administrator to delete the index.dat file you can't delete in your own profile, but the All Users can't be deleted. Same with LocalService and NetWorkService.

Quite frustrating. Will try that history blaster program someone mentioned.

ok...finally did it. Used the history scrubber someone said, went back into Tools/IntOptions/Content/AutoComplete, unchecked all the boxes, pressed clear Forms and Passwords.

That did it.

Gadzooks, what a gong show!

Delete individual entries from auto-complete list buy selecting item and hitting 'delete'.

To delete the index.dat file and clear your internet explorer history autocomplete entries: go to control panel, select users, create a new administrator, log off from your normal user, log on to the new administrator user, go to start menu, select search, search for index.dat in all drives, delete all entries of the index.dat file within your noraml user directory, log off, log back in to normal user. The autocomplete entries for internet explorer should now be deleted and you can delete the new administrator user if you want. You might still find some autocomplete entries that haven't been deleted (I can't get rid of amazon entries or windows explorer drives, for instance) but most should be gone.

If anyone knows how to delete the windows explorer history autocomplete entries (esp blo*dy amazon) I'd love to know how.

Thanks

To erase all those "nasty" files (like index.dat), I use CrapCleaner. No need to create additional admin users etc. Just install the program and check all the different types of "crap" you want to erase; run CC and Bob's y'er uncle.

BUT... although this is a great prog, I still have a problem. I can erase recently typed URL's, but there are a few URL's that i use on a regular basis that I can't remove; they survive any attempt to erase them with CC and I can't find them in the registry when I try to delete them manualy. Where are they hiding?

>>how do I manually delete url's from the registry?

Start | run | Regedit
Go to hkey_current_user\software\microsoft\internet explorer\typed URLs
Then delete the entries for the ones you want to get rid of.

I do this, in conjunction with deleting from history (open up history, right-click a folder or URL and choose delete) to selectively remove items from the auto-complete.

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