Is Windows caching the URLs of internet shortcut files?

12

1

Let's say I have links for two searches on the web: "search 1" and "search 2" on Google. The URLs would then be:

https://www.google.com/#q=search1
https://www.google.com/#q=search2

I create internet shortcuts for both of them, and place them in the same folder.

Now, I want to create copies of them. I copy the first shortcut and name it 1.url; if I double-click on it, I get "search 1". I delete this copy and create a new copy of the "search 2" link. I rename it again to 1.url. I double-click, but I get "search 1" again.

What's causing this behavior? Does Windows cache the URLs of .url (internet shortcut) files?

JleruOHeP

Posted 2012-12-19T09:00:37.550

Reputation: 211

1It reproduces on Win Xp - when link is copied it somehow loses its extension. And it still opens... – JleruOHeP – 2012-12-19T09:26:16.760

1I'm on Windows 8 and I was able to reproduce this behavior. Maybe make it a general Windows tag? – Louis – 2012-12-19T09:27:48.163

3

Reproduced on Windows 7. Same question on StackOverflow: Does Windows cache the contents of .url (Internet Shortcut) files?

– Indrek – 2012-12-19T09:33:11.883

Does it happen with any browser set as default? – Karan – 2012-12-21T02:55:07.927

1Have you looked in the registry at the MRU keys? This is one easy to view place where windows caches recently run programs. I don't recall the key location, but a google search should find it. – dgo – 2013-03-21T14:19:18.747

The weirdest part is that the original URL is retained if the file is renamed to once more to something new. Must be an Explorer feature. – Ярослав Рахматуллин – 2013-03-23T12:11:21.067

Windows 7, IE 10. I cannot recreate this. – Austin T French – 2013-04-09T02:40:02.263

Answers

2

Same question is here. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3329139/does-windows-cache-the-contents-of-url-internet-shortcut-files/15340839#15340839

Windows Caches your filenames in the MUICache which can be found in the registry.

syss

Posted 2012-12-19T09:00:37.550

Reputation: 273