erase firefox directory

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
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Anonymous

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Greetings! I have Firefox version 1.0 and I would like to use Eraser to set up a scheduler to erase my internet history. I know where to find my profile directory which is

C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\Default User.

However, I don't know which specific files or folders to erase. Unlike IE, I know which folders to erase (I can't erase them because of locked files)

C:\Documents and Settings\User\Local Settings
C:\Documents and Settings\User\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files
C:\Documents and Settings\User\Cookies

The IE directory is quite different from Firefox directory. Should I set and erase them directly from

C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\Default User. (I'm not sure if this is dangerous or not)

Or do I have to select some specific files and folders in the profile directory like this

C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\Default User\Cache\

C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\Default User\cookies.txt\

C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\Default User\history.dat\

If anyone is using Eraser in conjunction with Firefox, please tell me which directory to erase properly. Thanks in advance.
 
Erasing Firefox.

Are you using XP? I use Win98SE,and daily erase the indivdual Firefox files/folder as you list at the bottom of your posting,but with the addition of "downloads.rdf" and "XUL.mfl" The latter,well most of it really,is more housekeeping than security,but you never know when the odd private files might be there! My entered filepaths are different for Firefox and Eraser,but I guess you can adjust them-any help? BTW,erasing the history file has the added bonus of clearing the drop down list from the location(address) bar.
 
Yes, I'm using Windows XP (forgot to mention) and you said you daily erase indivdual Firefox files/folder as I list at the bottom of my posting, but with the addition of "downloads.rdf" and "XUL.mfl". I have no idea what "XUL.mfl" is though I have it in my folder, I was hoping you would tell me about its purpose. As for "downloads.rdf", I believe it contains history of files I've downloaded off the internet. I added both of them to my list as you mentioned below.

C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\Default User\Cache\
C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\Default User\cookies.txt\
C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\Default User\history.dat\
C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\Default User\downloads.rdf
C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\Default User\XUL.mfl (I'm not sure about that ) :?

Also, what about "formhistory.dat", "search.rdf", and "signons.txt"? Should I add them to my list as well? I wonder what's the difference between "formhistory.dat" and "history.dat"?

As for response to second Guest, I can do that by clearing the "cache" then do a freespace wipe, but I found it's a tedious task since the wiping process takes a long time if I want to erase them daily like every week. This is not my idea of method to do so. I usually do a freespace wipe every month or two.
 
Erasing Firefox

"XUL.mfl" I understand, contains pre compiled user interface elements,and is modified according to the use of the browser.It can also get quite large over time, and/or cause the occasional problem-it is rebuilt when the browser is next started.
http://gemal.dk/mozilla/files.html
contains a rundown of all the Mozilla files-Firefox being much the same.Sorry I can`t find "signons.txt" on my Firefox!
 
If you want to play safe,
use the following settings and Firefox doesn't use disk at all.*1)2)

Go to Tools > Options > Privacy

History
Remember visited pages for the last 0 days

Saved Form Information
-Save information I enter in web page forms and the Search bar (Disable)

Saved Passwords
-Remember Passwords (Disable)

Download Manager History
Clear download manager history on exit

Cookies
Keep cookies: until I close Firefox

Cache
Use up to: 0 KB of disk space for the cache.
---

*1)
Note that if site contains media elements that are out of scope of Firefox and use some plug-in then if the plugin is installed those files are saved into TEMP folder for example in XP
%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temp
for example pdf, docs, videos

*2)With any program there is a risk that sensitive data ends up in the
Windows paging file (Pagefile.sys)

Clear Pagefile on System Shutdown

1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
2. Change the data value of the ClearPageFileAtShutdown value in the following registry key to a value of 1:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
If the value does not exist, add the following value:
Value Name: ClearPageFileAtShutdown
Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1
 
history, cookies, cache

What specific files should go to the scheduler ??? Thanks :]
 
Re: history, cookies, cache

oshkosher said:
What specific files should go to the scheduler ??? Thanks :]
Click to expand...

..\Cache\
..\cookies.txt
..\downloads.rdf
..\history.dat
 
Simple File Shredder has the built-in ability to securely overwrite Firefox's cache, cookies and history files without messing around with any schedulers. It also does IE and Opera as well.

http://www.scar5.com/products_sfs.htm

Freeware as well so it won't cost you anything to check it out either.
 
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