Hi!Rosalind!
.idx files are usually created by a whole variety of database engines to
allow fast searching. Generally when data is entered into a database it
is in a random order and yet the chances are you want look at it in a
more logical order once you have entered it into the database. So an
'INDex' file is created which enables this fast searching. In most
databases you can elect to switch indexing on or off. With fast pc's
these days 'on' is the default.
Also indexes that XP use are part of the file, something like an
attribute for fast searching and so on.
XP does not create standalone index files.These files are NOT part of
the operating system and are safe to delete.
regards/
ssg/pronetworks.org