Weird folder

Nihilim Dhiamara

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2008

belgium

TFW

W/

I was cleaning my D drive and i found a few files wich apear to have random names ( like: OQojEtUqqSlb9F7gVXF8VpFdFA; 8dfc88bd63c55acd59d5ab2fe67e; etc). There are nine folders and if I want to open them I need administrative acces. The files inside are mpsigstub.exe(8 folders), and one folder with install.exe.
What do these files do and is it ok to delete them? Normaly i wouldn't care to much but these folders apear to take 80GB ( there is 124GB used and i only have for like 40GB of files on it)

My native language isn't english, so if anything isn't clear feel free to ask me.
Thnx for any help

Elder III

Elder III

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jan 2007

Ohio

I Will Never Join Your Guild (NTY)

R/

I think it's part of Windows Defender - are you using that on your system? It shouldn't take up that much space though..... not by a long shot.

KZaske

KZaske

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jun 2006

Boise Idaho

Druids Of Old (DOO)

R/Mo

Folders like that are created by installers when you install windows updates or system device drivers. Once they are installed, sometimes you can delete those folders, sometimes you can't, depends on what you installed. As Elder III said, it should not take up that much room.

Nihilim Dhiamara

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2008

belgium

TFW

W/

i tried moving them and so far haven't noticed any difference

subarucar

subarucar

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jul 2006

New Zealand

None

Are all the files a similiar size? Or are there one or two files which consume the majority of the space?

They shouldn't take up 80GB.

Elder III

Elder III

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jan 2007

Ohio

I Will Never Join Your Guild (NTY)

R/

Set a System Restore Point in Windows, then delete the files. I think that you will be fine if you delete them, and if not you can just do a Quick Restore back to the last Save Point and you will be as good as you are now.

Quaker

Quaker

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Aug 2005

Canada

Brothers Disgruntled

^^^(provided that the files/folders are in the recycle bin)

Elder III

Elder III

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jan 2007

Ohio

I Will Never Join Your Guild (NTY)

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Quaker View Post
^^^(provided that the files/folders are in the recycle bin)
Quote for Truth - don't empty your Recycle Bin before doing a Quick Restore.

gone

Guest

Join Date: Jan 2007

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Oper..._21910334.html

Nihilim Dhiamara

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2008

belgium

TFW

W/

@ Flubber, i'm signed in on that website so i can't read the answers.

But I do read that this has something to do with windows defender, is it possible to not use windows defender at all and avoiding those folders like this?

gone

Guest

Join Date: Jan 2007

yes you can disable windows defender altogether. (If I were you I'd disable the UAC if you haven't already)

start-->all programs-->windows defender-->tools-->options--in admin options, uncheck 'use windows defender' box-->save--->restart system

or

start--->run--->msconfig--->services tab--->uncheck windows defender--->apply--->restart system

as pointed out in the previous posts, either send those files to the recycle bin and don't delete, or back them up until you're sure they aren't being used by something else that might cause system instability.

Nihilim Dhiamara

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2008

belgium

TFW

W/

I placed those folders in the recycle bin, haven't noticed anything unuasual yet.

Wouldn't it be a risk if I disalbe windows defender? Like for virus, etc.
I use Avira free, comodo firewall, threatfire and iobit for spyware removal.

gone

Guest

Join Date: Jan 2007

I'm going to be honest here. I've yet to have windows defender catch anything. in the end though, it's all up to your personal preferences.

I use:
Avira
CCleaner
SuperAntiSpyware (I just run scans weekly with this)

and now and again i'll run, then remove:

Spybot S&D (install, run, then remove when i'm paranoid. I like how it blocks via hosts file)
Ad-aware (again if i'm paranoid, install, run, remove)

all of that along with Firefox and you should be safe, with some common sense web browsing. there are also a few good add-ons you should run with FireFox as well, I haven't got the time to link them atm, sorry.

/Edit
Noscript for Firefox
Adblock plus

I don't have any 'active' spyware protection running at all, just Avira. and I do visit the darker end of the internet ;-p

also I'd like to add that if you ever run into a file you can't open or delete try:
Unlocker or FileASSASSIN

Atlantis29

Atlantis29

Academy Page

Join Date: Aug 2008

IGN: Sunday Dusk

DoA

N/

They look like other user folder (or yours if you did system restor) and they are password protected you need to login as a root admin and resync those folder to you

Nihilim Dhiamara

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jan 2008

belgium

TFW

W/

@ flubber; I also use firefox with those add ons, i'll try runing superantispyware

@ atlantis; It's not possible that those are files from a different user, it's my personal pc and I'm the only user

When i move those files and all the other ones on the D drive to my E drive, my D drive was still filled with 80 GB but nothing is on it! How does this happen and will it be resolved with just formatting it?

gone

Guest

Join Date: Jan 2007

if the files are still in the recycle bin, they will still take up the space from where they were deleted from. (until deleted from system/recycle bin)

you might also want to enable 'view hidden folders' and see if anything else is on the drive.