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Thread: Hidden files

  1. #11
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    Originally posted here by brokencrow
    Get rid of NoAdware!!!

    http://www.adwarereport.com/mt/archives/000023.html

    Download and run Spybot, Ad-Aware, or M$'s AntiSpyware. NoAdware is junk!

    Download and run Crap Cleaner (ccleaner.exe) and let it clear out those temp folders and files. Lots of rogues often hide in temp folders, reseeding your computer even after cleaning it out.
    I believe you were correct about NoAdware being the problem. I wish I had seen that review before I paid $30 for it. I restarted in safe mode and ran both AVG and NoAdware. Neither one found anything, except for four cookies that were not unexpected. I regularly delete temporary internet files (with the offline content box checked) and cookies. AVG showed 25,110 objects scanned, and immediately afterwards NoAdware showed 77,756 items scanned. In safe mode, unlike the normal start up mode, NoAdware did a fast scan and did not get bogged down scanning files. In the normal mode, it was spending many minutes apparently scanning files with names like naked_drunk.pif and John Kerry as Super Chicken.scr. Could these have been false positives that do not actually exist as files on my computer?

  2. #12
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    or M$'s AntiSpyware
    I am afraid that is not an option, it is not supported in Windows 98.

    I think that these are false positives. Try A-Squared and Ewido as well as the other products.


  3. #13
    Dissident 4dm1n brokencrow's Avatar
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    I guess I'd forgotten that about Win98 and MS AntiSpyware. There's still Spybot and Ad-Aware, both very good progs.

    As for NoAdware scanning files with names like naked_drunk.pif and John Kerry as Super Chicken.scr, and those being been false positives, I can't really say, I've never used NoAdware. I just know it's routinely panned. I've taken it off several computers, it's a shame outfits like that can foist bad software on us so easily. You probably could leave it on your computer and still use the aforementioned apps.
    “Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects.” — Will Rogers

  4. #14
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    mike18142003

    That Kerry screensaver is from the Bropia worm, that is over a year old. AVG should find it if it is there.

    I suspect that what you are seeing is NoAdware apparently scanning for malware, NOT actually finding files with those names? I believe it is a product that I would describe as "crapware"

    Get: A-SQUARED

    http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/

    and EWIDO

    http://www.ewido.net/en

    Install, update them then reboot into safe mode and run them.

    Also try running an online scanner such as Housecall from PC-cillin or the one from Panda Software.

    As also mentioned AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy are worth getting.

    The reason I say this is that they are all reputable products, they all work (slightly differently) and they are all free (Ewido is a trial but can be used without the interactive scan afyerwards)


  5. #15
    The ******* Shadow dalek's Avatar
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    Originally posted here by mike18142003
    I believe you were correct about NoAdware being the problem. I wish I had seen that review before I paid $30 for it. I restarted in safe mode and ran both AVG and NoAdware. Neither one found anything, except for four cookies that were not unexpected. I regularly delete temporary internet files (with the offline content box checked) and cookies. AVG showed 25,110 objects scanned, and immediately afterwards NoAdware showed 77,756 items scanned. In safe mode, unlike the normal start up mode, NoAdware did a fast scan and did not get bogged down scanning files. In the normal mode, it was spending many minutes apparently scanning files with names like naked_drunk.pif and John Kerry as Super Chicken.scr. Could these have been false positives that do not actually exist as files on my computer?
    mike18142003

    When you get a chance give this site Rogue Spyware a good read, espescially when cleaning other users PC's, you'll be surprised at the phoney AntiSpyware Apps that are out there...

    you can get Spywareblaster as well for when you surf using either IE or Firefox...
    PC Registered user # 2,336,789,457...

    "When the water reaches the upper level, follow the rats."
    Claude Swanson

  6. #16

    Re: Hidden files

    Originally posted here by mike18142003
    I'm running Windows 98. I recently downloaded AVG anti-virus and NoAdware anti-spyware programs. I keep these updated regularly. After the initial cleanup of viruses that were on my computer, the programs have not detected any more viruses or spyware during subsequent scans. However, while running the scan with the spyware program, I notice it scanning many .pif and .scr files and some .exe files that probably should not be there either. The path given for these files is c:\\filename or d:\\filename, with no folders between the drive and the file name. When I go to Windows Explorer and look under c: none of these files appear, but it tells me there are 27 hidden objects in addition to the files and folders that I see. The D drive is a removable drive that I have never used because whenever I click on it, I get a message that the drive is not accessible. However, the spyware program appears to be scanning many of the same picture files on D drive as it does on my C drive. I did not intend to save any of these .pif or .scr files. They are probably images that I viewed on the internet but had no intention of saving. Their presence makes the spyware scan take a long time, and it must slow my computer considerably. Any suggestions on how I can locate and delete these files would be greatly appreciated.
    I would suggest two things first.

    Try another spyware detection program like Spybot Search and Destroy, or similar, and see if it detects these files.

    If I understand your post, these problem files are being detected on drive D which you say is a removable drive.
    I only have my security programs scan my main drive (C) and leave the others alone. Somewhere in the options of NoAdware should be an area to select which drives to scan. This would save a bit of time.

  7. #17
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    I suspect that what you are seeing is NoAdware apparently scanning for malware, NOT actually finding files with those names?

    In other word, those files are in the spyware definitions of NoAdware, and what I have been seeing is NoAdware scanning my root directory for any of those files but not actually finding them. That's a relief. I thought my computer was somehow saving copies of pictures that I had viewed and NoAdware was having to spend a lot of time scanning the contents of my hard drive, but that is apparently not the case. I'll download Spybot just to be sure, but I don't think I have a problem.

  8. #18
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    Yes,

    You might also boot into safe mode, go into Windows explorer and see if you can find one of these files (other than in the signature/pattern file) This is not unusual behaviour for anti spyware/adware software. I have seen others that show you what they are scanning for, or the number of items in the pattern/signature file that they have checked.

    AVs tend to be somewhat different and show number of HDD items scanned and the folder they are scanning.

    Any decent software will give you a positive message that malware has been found, but as suggested earlier, NoAdware may be suspect in this area, and give false positives.


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