On 01 Jul 2018, Paul wrote in
alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt:

Nil wrote:
I do! Three of then, in fact. I have no idea what they are or
what they do. I don't think I've ever used IE on this Win7-64
computer.

C:\Users\me!\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Tem porary Internet
Files\counters.dat

C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\L ocal\Microsoft\W
indows\Temporary Internet Files\counters.dat

C:\Windows\SysWOW64\config\systemprofile\AppData\L ocal\Microsoft\W
indows\Temporary Internet Files\counters.dat

Would those be for Internet Explorer ?

I checked the other machine, and it doesn't have those either.
(Searched with Agent Ransack on a Win10 install.) Mind you, I
don't use IE all that often.

I'm sure they're related to Internet Explorer somehow, since they live
in IE's temporary files directory. I also find them on my Win7-32
system. I do NOT find them on my XP or Win10 systems. Hmmmm...

I just fired up IE on this Win7-64 computer and I guess it's the first
time since I built the computer last December, because I got the prompt
asking me if I wanted IE use "recommended settings". I had an idea that
maybe COUNTERS.DAT had to do with running IE for the first time, but
the files are still there and their dates are still 12/12/2017.

I find other people asking on the web about what that file is. Nobody
seems to know. It seems to be difficult to delete.