Unknown programs


  #1  
Old 12-23-14, 08:12 AM
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Unknown programs

Visiting sister and computer has some things on it that I can't remove or find. One comes up in address bar and is ( %20the ) parentheses not there , just sits there and shows a time wheel. The other is taskeng.exe Cannot find them any place. Thanks Don
PS computer has more but these are first I can find.
 
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Old 12-23-14, 08:51 AM
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Did you try running a program like Malwarebytes | Free Internet Security Software ..... free version ?
 
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Old 12-23-14, 09:01 AM
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Most times you can do a "what is xxx" search and get an idea of what the program is. Might be a little technical, but not always.

I agree Malwarebytes would be a good start. MS Security Essentials and Spybot Search and Destroy are also on my A list.
 
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Old 12-23-14, 10:40 AM
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%20 is unicode that means a space. If it's in the address bar, it's part of a URL. taskeng.exe is the program that runs scheduled tasks. It should be in c:\windows\system32 folder only. Some virus writers name their viruses after real windows programs. So, if it's located anywhere besides that directory/folder, its a virus.

I always change 2 things on any machine that I own. Open explorer not Internet Explorer (learn the difference). Click on Tools, folder options, View. Check show hidden files & folders. Uncheck hide file types for known extensions. That's why you can't find things like taskeng.exe. The system32 folder is hidden because MS considers their users dangerous to their own health.
 
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Old 12-23-14, 11:16 AM
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MS considers their users dangerous to their own health.
But of course it is MS that is dangerous to the users health.
 
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Old 12-23-14, 05:28 PM
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%20 is unicode that means a space
That is correct, 20 is a space in 8 bit ASCII and also in 7 bit ASCII which also known as half ASCII. (lol)
 
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Old 12-23-14, 09:15 PM
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I would also use SuperAntiSpyware that you can find here SUPERAntiSpyware | Remove Malware | Remove Spyware - AntiMalware, AntiSpyware, AntiAdware! I always use the free version. I have found that sometimes Malwarebytes doesn't find things and also the same can be true for SuperAntiSpyware. I feel that both programs have their merits and will work well at getting rid of malware some may do better than others though. Both programs have their free version and I wouldn't pay for either program.
 
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Old 12-28-14, 11:13 AM
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yup, one wrong click and oops, you have a computer that is now a doorstop, as there are users out there that do not understand what they are looking at and will delete folders (that are important to the system) and find out hard way what it was for (oops!)

it don't help either that there are people claiming to be microsoft/windows support desk cold calling people telling them that rundll32.exe is a virus, that one (file name) is a part of the windows operating system! NOT a virus (all also depends on the file path too)
 
 

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