3 unknown files in XP Home?

WinXp Home, SP2

3 files in C:\Root. I have no idea what 2 of them are and the third one is an empty file.

Name file 1: data, Size: 4.28kb
Sample:
const char * vb5b4Q7BwdJBcI = "1TjbSKGjFaIBdFWfBHLFDud ";
const char * vDBcF4r0E0Ekp = "fCC7HIbucu2FcVeseEu2cBbB9DFjyfkv0BqYQPsaYNfyINjdwe0QVVAYAiq84Hkx5bW0lNFaFdDef81x3 ";
const char * vMmQj = "dm4md9D7Fu2mylrfw5uTGs1ucyXD86PcIWVtBE1ebxOcmXlfuFdeP9apsmDaBnJZJN4J1dBJDWL67Dc8YSd ";
const char * vGwVdVTe = "Y5eZmZnRVWHcRnkhctCSiBYsctDoETxFJWvw1JZYlZolNBFTgScvX1JNttJa6b25Xjl3WXNFtLE5CXPrIBCZaINvw8CPGmYEmBddNg ";
const char * vlGfv7RJmeC = "3HBfcBOd1j1ceDSlCD6PP3NoTEEeKFqPcZcwJEZgD7D4ycLZhcA7Me0loFC ";
const char * vJkaehK = "3Fgh9NRcobAgQmtx3jd ";



Name file 2: snapapi.log, Size: 118 bytes
Sample:
Init log on Windows NT 5.1 build 2600Service Pack 2 Fri Aug 26 10:10:03 2005
Done lib status 0xE0000001
Done log

Name file 3: config.sys Size: 0
I know what this one is but since its always zero in size, can it be deleted ( i thought MS had done away with this file....

Anyone know what these files are, what they belong to and if i can delete them safely?

thanks,
savagcl

 

Hi Christer,

File 1:
"What do You mean by "const char * "?" - You got me, thats what starts every
line in the file. Could it have something to do with a wireless keyboard and/or
mouse? It never varies in size.

File 2: I'll check with Acronis.

File 3: Oh well!

thanks,

 

const char * (usually const char*) is a standard programming call but having a file named 'file 1' and strings of garbage isn't anything normal. The file may be a by-blow of some sort of error or it could be some sort of nasty from a critter of some sort, or both. I'd rename it and move it to a temp folder for the time being.

config.sys (and autoexec.bat) is there for supporting legacy apps that may require a file by that name in that location. Harmless and occasionally necessary so leave it alone. Note that DOS apps that need those files with content they can read will usually be forced by the OS to make use of config.nt and autoexec.nt which are not used as part of the OS startup but are normally used when starting an NTVDM (NT virtual DOS machine) which is a small chunk of memory that your OS will set up to appear like a PC to a DOS app.

 

Newt,

Got it, Thanks, Guy...

savagcl