Where are offline files stored in Windows Xp

I had installed Windows Xp on my system. In order to get connected with my friends i used yahoo messengers. I would like to know that where are offline files stored in Windows. Can any body tell me the exact location where does Windows stores offline files? Does any body knows about it? Kindly provide me the correct solution for the above issue. Any kind of information on the aboev issue would be appreciated.

You can check out in the IIRC, there you would be able to get a hidden+system folder named csc (client side cache) that stores these files. I'm not sure of the file format or where the folder is exactly. Search the computer for dirs named csc, and you should find it. Be sure to search hidden and system folders.

The files that you select are automatically downloaded from shared folders on the network and stored on your computer. When you disconnect, the files are available to use. When you reconnect to the network, your changes are added to the files on the network in a process called synchronization. If someone else on the network made changes to the same file, you can save your version, keep the other version, or save both.

To set up your computer to use offline files

1. Open My Computer. (Click Start, and then click My Computer.)

2. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.

3. On the Offline Files tab, make sure that the Enable Offline Files check box is selected as shown below.

4. Select Synchronize all offline files before logging off to get a full synchronization. Leave it unselected for a quick synchronization. A full synchronization ensures that you have the most current version of every shared network file that you work with offline. A quick synchronization ensures that you have complete versions of your offline files, although they may not be the most current versions. You might select a quick synchronization if you are the only person working on a file or if you do not need the most current version of a file.

If you want to control which offline files are synchronized, when they are synchronized, and whether Windows prompts you before synchronizing your files, you can use Synchronization Manager.

Offline files are stored on the local computer in an Offline Files database that is known as the client-side cache. In Windows XP Professional, you can specify that the client-side cache is encrypted to safeguard offline files against theft. When encryption of offline files is enabled or disabled, the entire database is affected, you cannot encrypt only some offline files.

To encrypt the Offline Files database on a local computer:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. If Control Panel is in Classic view, double-click Folder Options. If Control Panel is in Category view, click the Appearance and Themes link, and then click Folder Options.
3. Click the Offline Files tab.
4. If Offline Files are not already enabled, click the Enable Offline Files option.

NOTE: If you are using the Fast User Switching feature in Windows XP, you will not be able to use offline files, and none of the options on the Offline Files tab will be available. To disable Fast User Switching, use the User Accounts utility in Control Panel.
5. Click the Encrypt offline files to secure data option.
6. Click OK. Windows XP will now automatically encrypt offline files as they are stored in the local Offline Files database.

WARNING: Some programs, such as Microsoft Word, create temporary copies of open files in other folders, such as the TEMP folder. For this reason, you might want to encrypt any other folders that are used by your programs.