How to Find Youtube Cache on Google Chrome

Google Chrome doesn’t keeps all caches (temporarily Internet file) in the explicit cache folder. I’ve been trying playback Flash videos hosted at YouTube and some less famous video hosting sites, and found that the FLV files are not kept in the Google Chrome master cache folder. Indeed, Google Chrome cache those large Flash video in the Windows temp folder of my user account.
And to be frank, I’m testing this with Google Chrome v0.2.149.30 on Windows Vista SP1. If you’re using other version than what I’ve tested, please be kind to share what you’ve found?

How to copy YouTube video or Flash video from Google Chrome cache folder?

Now, knowing that the large YouTube video or Flash video files are cached in Windows temp folder, do you able to directly copy them to other places for “safe-keeping” – either for offline playback or share with your mom and dad who only know how to operate their classic video player and TV set?

Answer: You can copy them BUT NOT with a direct method or the Windows default copy function/command!

Google Chrome cache files technique is defensive!

Why it’s defensive? Let me explain in points form:

• You can’t close page (Tab window or Chrome browser) that contains the video you’ve playback completely. If you do, Google Chrome automatically delete the cached FLV video files in Windows temp folder, immediately.
   


• While the page is open, the Windows default copy command or Windows Explorer function can’t copy the cached Flash videos – it’ll failed with a “File In Use” error message, saying that “The action can’t be completed because the file is open in another program. Close the file and try again!”
  
  
  But, you can’t close the Google Chrome or have the cached video deleted automatically, as soon as you close the browser!

So, you’ve to download an open source program called HoboCopy to copy the Google Chrome cache files that are opened (and thus disallow the default Windows copy function/command to function properly)!

For example, I’ve used HoboCopy to duplicate/copy that 72.27 MB flash video cached by Google Chrome in Window temp folder to E: drive:

C:\Users\Walker\AppData\Local>hobocopy Temp\ E:\FLV-Backup\ fla7049.tmp

HoboCopy (c) 2006 Wangdera Corporation. hobocopy@wangdera.com



Starting a full copy from C:\Users\Walker\AppData\Local\Temp\ to E:\FLV-Backup\

Copied directory

Backup successfully completed.

Backup started at 2008-09-18 00:10:43, completed at 2008-09-18 00:11:09.

1 files (72.27 MB, 1 directories) copied, 45 files skipped

If you’re using Windows Vista, make sure you’re using an elevated Command Prompt window (i.e. Command Prompt process with real Administrator privilege) to run the Hobocopy command.

If you find this troublesome or difficult, then just try to Google some freeware or the simple YouTube Downloader of my friend. But, what about other video files hosted on other video hosting sites?