Index Dat file 16 meg Gotcha

We had a batch program that copied files using webDav to SharePoint locations.  Sometimes it would completely die and hay we get to hear all the noise.

It turns out its a feature of the webDav process running with the WebClient Services.  It builds a file called Index.dat in the 
C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5 directory

It grows everytime more files are written to location and guess what there is an upper limit of 16 meg for the file.  Therefore, if its over that, the mechanisms crashes and you have to reset the file to get going again.

The following actions need to be performed by a Server Admin. 

1.  Login to the server where the batch program runs from.  Login with the account that the job runs under.  It caches something with the account logged in used to re-start it that suppresses any challenge and response prompt after reactivation.

2.  Open a Cmd Prompt window then run

3.  Run the following command.

net stop webclient 

net stop mrxdav 

4. Then backup the Index.dat file located in C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5

5. Then delete the Index.dat file located in C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5

6.  Run the following command.
net start mrxdav 

net start webclient 

7. Then quick test, On Run command box navigate to the webDav location eg \\xxx.com\test\Shared

Voila Voila, the noise starts dying.

Updated, seems like Win Server 2008 with IE10 and beyond may not suffer this issue anymore. The file names have changed too and the index.dat file is called WebcacheV01.dat.

C:\user\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCache\WebcacheV01.dat

There does not seem to be a file size limit to this either. http://www.sevenforums.com/browsers-mail/311407-ie10-uses-webcachev01-dat-vs-index-dat-files-how-clear-delete.html