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General discussion

Found strange files in Windows

by Gwendolyn May 28, 2005 5:18AM PDT

My son's computer has many weird files in his Windows folder, such as Nrncthki.fjl, lfjxrhe.pmg, and hskgqhpmjn.hix. There are about 200 files, with most of them with this gibberish for file names. Of these weird ones, they were created on two dates last fall.

He's not having any trouble with his computer, short of it freezing on occasion so this might not even be important. Google searches turn up nothing and I have checked the file.xt site but I am wondering if I can/should delete these files.

Thanks,

Gwen

Discussion is locked

4 Posts
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Strange files
by rdatrader May 28, 2005 5:28AM PDT

Why not simply copy them to a cd, just in case their is a use for them--pmg files are usually from Pagemaker, a graphics program--and then delete them from the computer.

Rich

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Strange files
by Gwendolyn May 29, 2005 11:21PM PDT

There are 92 files added to my Windows folder, and this was done on either one of two days. That seems like a lot of files and that something might be wrong. Each one has a bizarre string of letters and extensions. I don't want to spend a lot of time deleting/saving and then having it come back. I have maybe a total of about 200 files there. It's odd that half of them were put in on those two days and have gibberish names.

Does anyone have any idea where these files could come from?

Thanks,

Gwen

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(NT) Strange Files?
by Themisive May 29, 2005 11:26PM PDT

Use a spyware programme or two on them, looks like programmes that have inserted themselves from the 'net.

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I agree with Themisive, You should do
by roddy32 May 29, 2005 11:32PM PDT

some spyware/etc. scans which may tell you something. They are all free except for the trojan removers but you can get a 30 trial with them.

Spybot S&D (download, check for updates, read the tutorial and scan often, it also does some blocking)
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/home/index.html

Ad-Aware SE (a scanner, download, check for updates, read the directions and scan.
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

cwshredder (stand alone unit)(another small scanner for certain things, ALL other windows should be closed)
http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshredder_download.html

Download anti-trojan (any of the following)


The Cleaner Pro 30 days trial - http://www.moosoft.com

TrojanHunter - http://www.misec.net/ (trial)

Also do an online scan at one or all of these.
Housecall (using IE with Active-X)
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp

Housecall (all browsers using java)
http://uk.trendmicro-europe.com/enterprise/products/housecall_launch.php

PandaActivescan
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/com/activescan_principal.htm

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