indestructable mystery file

My IE5 web accessories stopped working so I took a look inside C:\windows\web and saw that the normal 7 small files were gone and had been replaced by a huge 514 MB file named " _P__Ö²__.7__ ". Windows can't open it. It won't open with any text editor (Cannot find it). I can't delete it in Windows, safe mode or with command prompts (unable to find file). Third party deletion apps (Erase & Spybot's secure shredder) can't find it either.
I moved the folder to My Documents (I can move it anywhere I want) and reinstalled IE5's web accessories (which work fine), but still can't do anything with it. It's there but no app can find it.
According to 'properties' the folder is 1 Gig with two files inside, however even with "show all files" enabled I can only see the one 514MB file inside. Can't find anything on the web, Norton A/V is up to date and says it's not a virus and the PC is otherwise working fine.
The only thing new about the system before I noticed this (don't know if it's related) is I installed Sissoft Sandra and ran a few benchmarks. Anybody?
Thanks Gil Theissen

 

giltheissen

Thats strange
here are several other things in the web folder besides
what IE5 web accessories puts there . IE's tool tips and spybot uses it also (just an icon)and a bunch of htt's Im not sure wheather IE put them there or the OS.

Can you just use win me's system restore ?

Or can you drag the whole folder to SpyBots secure shredder
If you do the later someone may have to send you whatever else is missing ...chop away then restart PC.. I would use system restore.

Regards
Also lets wait and see what the pros here have to say

Lonny

 

Lonny;
I looked inside one of my other pc’s and you were right about the other stuff in the "˜Web’ folder. Doesn’t look like any of it was very important though, but we’ll see.
Spybot’s secure shredder can’t chomp either the folder or the file inside. It gives me an "˜unsure’ response and the only change is that after Spybot has finished, it renames the folder to "jnlnifxv.lhnâ€.
In case this helps, here’s what I see and did in DOS:
Renamed the folder to "mysteryfile ", created new folder called C:Trash, booted with startup disk and tried del c:\trash\*.* but couldn't delete it (file not found). Both the folder and the file show up in DOS and when I use the C:\Trash > dir /a/o/s/p command, here's what I see:

. <dir> 9/12/03 8:00a
.. <dir> 9/12/03 8:00a
myster~1 <dir> 2/03/03 8:26p
0 files 0 bytes

Dir of C:\Trash\myster~1
LL(+/ 538,988,359 1/10/70 12:49a
P*02 7= 538,976,288 1/14/96 7:49p
2 files 1,077,964,647 bytes

total files listed
2 files 1,077,969,647 bytes
3 dir 17,653.28MB free

Even though dir: C\trash\myster~1 and windows 'properties' shows two files inside Mysteryfile, I can only see the one file when I look inside even though 'show all files' is enabled. Any ideas about what the heck is going on?
Thanks - Gil Theissen

 

"Any ideas about what the heck is going on? "

Not a clue,, But give it some time ,the others may.
wait for a day or two.
Till then
even though you've an updated avti virus======
go do an online,, I would do a complete scan but if you are pressed for time just do that file, or all of windows.
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

Im No dos expert to say the least ,But wouldnt you have to use the attrib command before deleting ?
I better let the others say
that and someone who might be familur with "Sissoft Sandra "

Lonny or [system restore]

 

Problem solved. It was a bunch of bad directories.
I decided to try deltree instead of just del and when I did, it warned me it that there were directory errors and to run scandisk. I did and scandisk removed, corrected or reinstated 108 invalid directories and 77 lost clusters.
On reboot, the file is now gone and thanks very much for your help.
Gil Theissen

 

giltheissen

thats good to here, somehow think I should have had a clue

Do you have access to another win me to retrive the proper contents of web folder.after or cource installing web accessories ,think you said you had already done that.

Lonny