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Opera favicons & privacy

Wednesday, 23. July 2008, 08:11:25

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Opera 9.50 introduced new format for saving favicons to fix wrong favicons bug in previous versions. Opera now additionally creates idx file along with ico file to store favicon information. The problem with new format is Opera stores history of visited pages (including searches) in idx file and size will grow over time.

You can delete ico and idx files by enabling "History of visited pages" option in "Delete private data" dialog but it will delete all including favicons for bookmarks & personal bar items. (You can disable favicons completely. Tools → Preferences... → Browsing → Page icons → Show no icons)

To delete all ico & idx files except bookmarks ico & idx files (when you use "Delete private data" with "History of visited pages" option), set read-only attribute to bookmark ico & idx files in images directory inside Opera Local Directory. This will also prevent storing of history in bookmarks idx file.

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Comments

garywalsh 25. August 2008, 13:00

This was one of the first methods I tried myself but unfortunately it doesn't work for me. The folder re-populates each time Opera is opened. The Read Only tick has become grey instead of black.

I presume this method still works for you Tamil? Is there a particular set of permissions that need to be in place for this to work as describe? Simple File Sharing is not activated. Apologies if this is leading too far off-topic.

EDIT:
It's ok I think I've answered this one myself:
http://my.opera.com/garywalsh/blog/2008/08/25/change-read-only-status-folders-in-windows-xp

Anonymous 14. October 2008, 23:58

Randy writes:

Hi Tamil ...

Currently using Opera 9.6 on a dual-boot that has both XP and Linux (Mandriva 2009 KDE 4.1.2). I've attempted to use your advice for saving Favicons (personal bar) from being deleted when using the Delete Private Data w/ "History of visited pages" option checked.

On XP, your advice works like a charm ... changed the attribute to "read-only" and it works just fine.

On the Linux side, however, changing the permissions (as root user of course) of both the .idx and .ico files to "Read Only" does not seem to work like it did in XP. Upon using Delete Private Data, all files are erased anyways.

Any suggestions as to why? And, more importantly, do you know of a way in a Linux environment to be able to save Favicons (personal bar)?

Your help and advice are greatly appreciated!

Tamil 15. October 2008, 00:22

For your account, remove write permission to those files and try.

Anonymous 15. October 2008, 12:40

Randy writes:

Hi Tamil ...

Thanks for the suggestion! I think I actually tried that before but gave it another go morning on my Linux ... pretty much same result with all files being deleted.

Interesting note is that I have a custom button - Delete Private Data and Exit - on a toolbar and when I use it, all favicon files remain.

However, when I use the menu version - Tools, Delete Private Data - all files get erased regardless of the "Can Read" permissions set on each file.

Further thoughts?

MUCH Thanks!

Anonymous 15. October 2008, 12:59

randy writes:

Hi Tamil ...

I have another somewhat related question to Favicons and Security for you.

From what I understand, when you select Tools - Delete Private Data (with all selections except clear email and wand passwords) - all Favicons (.ico & .idx), except those one may have marked as "read only," should be erased.

On my Linux system, and I have similar results on an XP system, I've noticed something strange. Simply opening Opera (9.6 but also noticed on 9.52) with a blank page and then selecting Tools - Delete Private Data - and then exiting Operra, mysterious Favicons suddenly appear in the .images folder. The files below consistent appear on my Linux sys & they are slightly different on my XP sys). They are:

http%3A%2F%2Fimages.google.com%2Ffavicon.ico
http%3A%2F%2Fredir.opera.com%2Ffavicons%2Fwikipedia%2Ffavicon.ico
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Ffavicon.ico
images.google.com.idx
redir.opera.com.idx
redir.opera.com.idx

For me, when I suddenly see Google showing up when it's not expected, I think of some sort of privacy issue. Also, the "redir" sounds very suspicious as well.

Is Opera communicating/reporting data to the outside world without the user's knowledge???

Your thoughts please!
Thanks!

Tamil 15. October 2008, 14:05

It seems Opera is downloading search engine favicons when you use delete private data.

Anonymous 5. November 2008, 22:00

Anonymous writes:

Hey Tamil,

I created want to use a custom favicon for one of the links in the (I believe it's called dynamic spacer) area below the address bar but can't seem to find the file it would be located in the profile folder.

I see the link in the standard_toolbar (1).ini file but not where it references the image that it uses. The link is not in the opera6.adr file.

Any help?

Thanks!

Tamil 5. November 2008, 22:10

Can you find line ICONFILE=

Anonymous 7. November 2008, 08:05

Anonymous writes:

There is no line ICONFILE= in the standard_toolbar file

Tamil 7. November 2008, 14:36

Check in Opera6.adr file. Otherwise, you have to add image to skin file and specify it in toolbar file.

Anonymous 12. November 2008, 01:26

Anonymous writes:

Sorry for the late response Tamil. The link is not in the Opera6.adr file. Is there a link explaining how to add it to the skin and specify it in the toolbar file?

Thanks for the help again.

Anonymous 2. April 2009, 20:31

Anonymous writes:

favicons are more trouble than the time its worth to mess with them. Is there any way i can just get rid of them alltogether including the rss and widget ones.

Tamil 2. April 2009, 22:07

You can disable favicons as shown in post. You have to RSS and widget icons from skin file.

lokiseto 11. June 2009, 12:57

is this problem solved in version 10 ?

Tamil 11. June 2009, 14:07

Nope. :frown:

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