If Internet Explorer (IE) 6 is slowing to a crawl and/or hanging and starts to use 100 percent of CPU time it may well be a corruption of the "Temporary Internet Files folder". In particular, trying to delete Temporary Internet files via Tools, Internet Options or other privacy software seems to trigger this behavior. Also, attempts to view files in the Temporary Internet Files folder may show the folder as already empty when it is not. This behavior occurs because the Temporary Internet files database is corrupt. Read more...
The Temporary Internet files aren't really files but entries in Systemdrive Documents and Settings username Local Settings Temporary Internet Files Content.IE5 index.dat.
Deleting that file solves the problem. This same problem has occured for NT users and the fix works for XP: 1. Open a command prompt window on the desktop (Start/Run/command). 2. Exit IE and Windows Explorer (iexplore.exe and explorer.exe, respectively, in Task Manager, i.e - Ctrl-Alt-Del / Task Manager / Processes / End Process for each). 3. Use the following command exactly from your command prompt window to delete the corrupt file: C:>del "systemdrive Documents and Settings username Local Settings Temporary Internet Files Content.IE5 index.dat" 4. Restart Windows Explorer with Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del / Task Manager / Applications / New Task / Browse / C: Windows explorer.exe [or your path]) or Shutdown / Restart the computer from Task Manager. IE should now work properly. Note: BOLD text resembles placeholders for your drive letter and user name! Additional italic format used to indicate a file name! Thanks to Michael Stephens for this tip. Use this guide at your own risk though.
Deleting that file solves the problem. This same problem has occured for NT users and the fix works for XP: 1. Open a command prompt window on the desktop (Start/Run/command). 2. Exit IE and Windows Explorer (iexplore.exe and explorer.exe, respectively, in Task Manager, i.e - Ctrl-Alt-Del / Task Manager / Processes / End Process for each). 3. Use the following command exactly from your command prompt window to delete the corrupt file: C:>del "systemdrive Documents and Settings username Local Settings Temporary Internet Files Content.IE5 index.dat" 4. Restart Windows Explorer with Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del / Task Manager / Applications / New Task / Browse / C: Windows explorer.exe [or your path]) or Shutdown / Restart the computer from Task Manager. IE should now work properly. Note: BOLD text resembles placeholders for your drive letter and user name! Additional italic format used to indicate a file name! Thanks to Michael Stephens for this tip. Use this guide at your own risk though.
