Is deleting cookies bad for your computer?

Question

I want to delete the cookies from my computer. [control panel--> delete cookies--> etc..]
Is this going to harm my computer in any way or delete vital information it needs?
(I don't know much about this sort of stuff.?)

Answer 1

Nope. Cookies are just the random files it downloads from websites you visit. It does this so that the next time you go there it doesn't have to download them again. Really deleting them is good now and then.





-iae

Answer 2

Won't hurt anything. Most of the cookies just track what sites you've been on, and any preferences you've had on those sites with which you have interactions. The only harm you may have is, hassles for yourself.



If you purge the cookies, then you'll notice that, on some websites you were in the habit of visiting, some things you had set as preferences, won't be remembered, and you'll have to set those preferences again. No problem: just do it.



(Of course, a very few mean-spirited websites I've run into give you a real hassle, where if they find their cookies gone, they make it hard to set them up again. It takes an extra effort to deal with these, but it can be done.)



While "traditional" cookies are little tiny text files on your computer, a new technology has arisen called "flash cookies". The only way you can display and control these is to visit the Adobe website: http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager07.html

Answer 3

Deleting cookies is not a bad thing. Cookies are actually small files maintained by your computer to remember you on a certain website.



The cookie is sent as an HTTP header by a web server to a web browser and then sent back unchanged by the browser each time it accesses that server. A cookie can be used for authentication, session tracking (state maintenance), storing site preferences, shopping cart contents, the identifier for a server-based session, or anything else that can be accomplished through storing textual data.



As text, cookies are not executable. Because they are not executed, they cannot replicate themselves and are not viruses. Due to the browser mechanism to set and read cookies, they can be used as spyware. Anti-spyware products may warn users about some cookies because cookies can be used to track people or violate privacy concerns.

Answer 4

No, it's not bad, it's a good thing actually. The easiest and best way to do it is through IE in your internet options. You don't want too many cookies building up in there, it's not good for your system. The only thing that it might hurt is if you have a log-in/password saved, you'll have to re-login. I clean out my cookies once a week as well as other Temporary internet files.

Answer 5

No. You don't *need* any of that information, but I find it inconvenient to delete certain cookies. For example, I like to keep the cookies for login information for sites like Yahoo! so that I don't have to type in my username and password every time I visit this site. Since I have the cookie that saved my status as `logged in`, I can simply type `http://answers.yahoo.com` in my web browser and I'm already logged in. I find that convenient, rather than intrusive.



If you are concerned about privacy, you may wish to only delete the cookies that you don't want. I have my browser set to ask me every time a website tries to set a cookie. I only accept cookies from websites that I want to accept cookies from. Furthermore, I selectively accept and deny different cookies from the same website. For example, I deny cookies related to advertisements coming from Yahoo!, but I do accept cookies related to my login information from Yahoo!.



However, if you want to delete all of your cookies in one fell swoop, the bottom line is that it will not do any harm at all. It's just that, if I were you, I wouldn't do that as I'd be slightly inconvenienced. But that's only my preference. No harm will be done by deleting them all.

Answer 6

Nothing to worry about, Cookies are just temporary internet files and information that help your pages load faster. That's all. If you are having issues with your browser deleting cookies may help in unclogging the pipeline. It all depends on your particular case.



If you have other questions or need any computer help, visit me at http://www.fermantech.net



Good luck!

Answer 7

No it won't hurt it. About the only time I have trouble is when I accidentally delete the my banks cookie. Any time I do that I have to go back to my banks website and go through this security mumbo jumbo to confirm that yes. The computer that I am using to log onto my account is mine.

Answer 8

How do you delet bad cookies

Answer 9

no i always delete them if you use firefox get the taco add on