Blank empty file on desktop, no name, no extension

If it's there in Windows Explorer, what is it called (fn.ext)?

The file could be named with a not visible character, example: Hide Desktop Icon Text on Windows 7 or Vista

I created a file like that and it shows with dir command like this, so it's easy to miss:

Code:

2014-11-26  15:52                 0

I have to admit it's very strange. Have you tried searching for system and/or hidden files?

dir /A:S
dir /A:H
dir /A:SH

You're not alone holydevil I have one that's similar.

I found it the other day while doing some deep malware scans, it's a file called my and resides in my C:\Windows\System32 Folder.

It has an A attribute, no file extension, a full right context menu and Properties list i.e. General, Securities, Details, and Previous Version tabs, the run I made to search for previous versions says there are no previous versions.

The system and administrator (me) has all permissions except Special Permissions, the one user I have can only read & execute and read.








Something happened on Sunday March the 4th 2012 to create it, but I'll be danged if I know what that something was.

Have you tried a dir /R?
To show any ADS - Alternate Data Streams. If you use Internet Explorer you can try this in the Downloads or Favorites folder to see what it looks like. Information about which Internet Security Zone the file was downloaded from are stored like this. And for favorites it might store the icon file as an ADS. These things are not visible in explorer and doesn't affect the file's original size. So a 0 byte file doesn't mean it's necessary empty. I don't think there's a limit so in theory it's possible to "hide" several GB of data like this and still have the file show 0 bytes.

Example:
I have a favorite bookmark named "CCleaner - Download.url". If a do a dir command it says the file size is 182 byte. But if I do a dir / R it shows this:

182 CCleaner - Download.url
5 430 CCleaner - Download.url:favicon:$DATA

That's the same size as if you download this picture and check its size:
$DATA means it's an ADS, and favicon is the name of the ADS. You can think of it like hidden properties or attachments for the file.

If you're curious I've created a program that uses this technique: https://www.sevenforums.com/free-deve...le-hidden.html

I tried, dir /r where all the files showed but my.

I even tried:

• dir /s /r | find ":$DATA"

• dir /r | find ":$DATA"

• dir /a-d /s /r | find ":$DATA"

You could tell it was searching but after a few seconds it went back to the prompt.


Tookeri,

I don't feel right trying to find out what that my file is, in holydevil's thread, would you want to go to yours that has the, vbs code? or I could start a new thread.

Anak, then it probably is just an empty file in your case, so little point in investigating further IMO. But a new thread is probably best if you still want to do that.

The dir /R was an advice both to you and holydevil. Waiting for OP's feedback on that and checking for hidden/system properties.