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Tech: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\16493627018

08 Dec 05 - 06:27 PM (#1623185)
Subject: BS: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\16493627018
From: Donuel

This is the insidious file that tries to take over my computer everyday. Norton keeps repairing it but shouldn't I just delete it or find out what is repropagating it?

Best of all find exactly who sent it.


08 Dec 05 - 07:08 PM (#1623229)
Subject: RE: BS: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\16493627018
From: Bill D

"take over" is a pretty ambiguous referent, Don.

16493..etc, with no extension, is simply a number.

Do you use any kind of a file manager of HEX editor that will allow you to look at its contents?

Why does Norton NEED to 'repair' it? If it were a virus, Norton would do other things to it...These kind of questions need a LOT more information to offer an answer...


08 Dec 05 - 07:15 PM (#1623235)
Subject: RE: BS: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\16493627018
From: Bill D

out of curiuosity, what are the indications that it (or something) is 'trying to take over' each day?


08 Dec 05 - 07:32 PM (#1623252)
Subject: RE: BS: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\16493627018
From: Donuel

As a certified anticomputergeek all I know is that the computer freezes to a crawl until I do a adaware scan and then Norton automaticly fixes that same file (4 times now). Right now if I search for it as a file there is no such file.
The first time this file showed up the computer went blue screen and warned of a critical loss of memory due to file 1649etc.
I suspect I picked it up at strangecosmos.com
I sort of assumed that someone had succeeded in taking over this computer remotely. I read something about that once but I don;t know enough to know the symptoms.

Downloads of any kind are now impossible even with a Norton repair.
defrag is no longer functional, nor is a windows scan.


I have resisted doing a complete wipe and reinstallation of Windows and data, since I know there will be many programs that will be lost for lack of a disk or lost keys or my own boneheadedness.

Are there any special advantages in simply getting a new puter and load the dvd data I copied off this ol hard drive or would I possibly transfer the problem??

sorry, I wish I spoke techy.



thanks for the shout back :)


08 Dec 05 - 07:35 PM (#1623255)
Subject: RE: BS: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\16493627018
From: Donuel

I can hear a particular double beat rythm of the hard drive when the assumed "take over" begins usually within 5 minutes.

Hey I sound like the blind guy in the movie CONTACT.


08 Dec 05 - 08:54 PM (#1623301)
Subject: RE: BS: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\16493627018
From: Joe Offer

Hmmmm. I'm guessing it's just a temp file. It could be that something else is putting nasty stuff in that temp file, but I don't think that 16493627018 is the source of your problem. It my be a sympton of the problem, though. Run a full virus scan with an up-to-date virus checker, and check the details if the virus checker finds anything.
Good luck.
-Joe Offer-


08 Dec 05 - 09:37 PM (#1623334)
Subject: RE: BS: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\16493627018
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T

Donuel,

I regularly clear my Windows temp folder by simply using Edit - Select All, then deleting the lot

It clears all files except the index file, which is protected, and it has never caused any problem. So, as far as I know, deletion of your problem should be perfectly safe.

As I understand the situation, Windows generates temp files, when installing software, to aid installation, and some, but not all, are deleted when installation is complete. Also, temp files are generated when you browse the internet and download pages. So no file in that folder should be essential to the continued functioning of your PC.

If anyone out there knows something I don't, please intervene.

Don T.


09 Dec 05 - 01:03 AM (#1623420)
Subject: RE: BS: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\16493627018
From: HuwG

You might use regedit.exe to trawl the registry for that filename. It may be possible to delete the relevant keys and stop the problem, though this is unlikely to work if commonly used programs such as Internet Explorer (a notorious target for bots, viruses and adware) have been hijacked.


09 Dec 05 - 01:30 AM (#1623423)
Subject: RE: BS: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\16493627018
From: Joe Offer

Donuel, when you look at that Temp folder, go to tools/folder options on the toolbar, and select "view." Make sure the box marked "Hide extensions for known file types" is NOT checked. Then you'll be able to see the full name of that file. If it's a TMP file, I wouldn't worry about it.
-Joe-


09 Dec 05 - 01:59 AM (#1623430)
Subject: RE: BS: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\16493627018
From: JohnInKansas

Unless you've done something bizarre in your setup, when Norton "fixes" something it tells you why, usually by giving at least a generic name for the offending content.

Go to the Norton (Symantec) website, put the name of the offender in the "search for viruses/worms," and see if they give you an explanation.

If it has an explanation, it will also tell you what to do about it.

Norton, or any other AV program, usually tries to check out "incoming" files as they arrive. If something got on your machine before the ident info got there in your signature updates, it will sometimes NOT be detected until the file "opens" for some reason.

Files that a worm places on your machine may not contain anything suspicious, but by executing a "normal" instruction may "reload" the infection, which your AV detects. This can continue indefinitely until "what the infection did to you" is removed along with the infection itself.

John


10 Dec 05 - 08:31 AM (#1624313)
Subject: RE: BS: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\16493627018
From: bobad

DonT

I tried your procedure of deleting the TEMP files and I must say it sped up my computer considerably. I had over 300MB of stuff cluttering it up.


10 Dec 05 - 08:14 PM (#1624697)
Subject: RE: BS: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\16493627018
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T

Glad I was able to help Bobad. It does the same for me.

Don T.


11 Dec 05 - 07:25 AM (#1624879)
Subject: RE: BS: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\16493627018
From: The Fooles Troupe

Another simple speedup trick involves using a 'registry cleanup tool', which will strip out dead entries and compress the registry. Faster to read it, and uses less RAM to run Windows. Things like 'Registry Mechanic', Norton's Utilities, etc.