Files with random alphnumeric names

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  1. Posts : 394
    Home Premium 64 bit
       #1

    Files with random alphnumeric names


    When I click on my user name on the desktop, along with folders like AppData, My Documents and other "routine ones, there are several that have names consisting of random letters and numbers.

    What are they; are they essential? They give a feeling of clutter, that I would like to improve.

    So ideas and info, please.
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  2. Posts : 1,170
    XP Pro SP3 X86 / Win7 Pro X86
       #2

    rundwald said:
    When I click on my user name on the desktop, along with folders like AppData, My Documents and other "routine ones, there are several that have names consisting of random letters and numbers.

    What are they; are they essential? They give a feeling of clutter, that I would like to improve.

    So ideas and info, please.
    An example of the filenames would be helpful... can you upload a screen shot?
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  3. Posts : 9,582
    Windows 8.1 Pro RTM x64
       #3

    Are they similar files to these?

    Files with random alphnumeric names-capture.png
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  4. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #4

    It is probably the contents of the HKEY_LOCAL_USER branch of the Registry. Don't touch it.
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  5. Posts : 394
    Home Premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #5
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  6. Posts : 9,582
    Windows 8.1 Pro RTM x64
       #6

    Sorry, but MBAM (MalwareBytes) blocks that site.

    See A Preferred Method of Uploading/Posting Screen Shots for details on attaching an image directly to a post.
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  7. Posts : 15
    Windows 7 Ultimate
       #7

    OpenSSL?


    It looks like you have accidently installed something to the root of your "C:\" drive.

    The two DLL's may belong to OpenSSL. That is what I found by Googling...
    The other files could be log files generated by OpenSSL.

    It also looks like there is a copy of "netstat" copied to the root as well.
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  8. Posts : 1,170
    XP Pro SP3 X86 / Win7 Pro X86
       #8

    cokeonice said:
    It looks like you have accidently installed something to the root of your "C:\" drive.

    The two DLL's may belong to OpenSSL. That is what I found by Googling...
    The other files could be log files generated by OpenSSL.

    It also looks like there is a copy of "netstat" copied to the root as well.
    I agree, there's something incorrectly installed...
    but it's not the root of the drive... it's the user folder...

    c:\Users\<account name>
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  9. Posts : 394
    Home Premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #9

    For those who could not open the linkFiles with random alphnumeric names-example..jpg

    I'm befuzzled how the accident happened, as the only tasks I was undertaking were migrating my files from XP, also Firefox and TBird, the last being a $%(*er.
    Now, do I just delete the files, or look deeper?
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  10. Posts : 15
    Windows 7 Ultimate
       #10

    CommonTater said:
    cokeonice said:
    It looks like you have accidently installed something to the root of your "C:\" drive.

    The two DLL's may belong to OpenSSL. That is what I found by Googling...
    The other files could be log files generated by OpenSSL.

    It also looks like there is a copy of "netstat" copied to the root as well.
    I agree, there's something incorrectly installed...
    but it's not the root of the drive... it's the user folder...

    c:\Users\<account name>
    Yep. I totally missed that because I was in a hurry. I should never reply when I am in a hurry and cannot fully analyze something.

    That being said...

    rundwald said:
    For those who could not open the linkFiles with random alphnumeric names-example..jpg

    I'm befuzzled how the accident happened, as the only tasks I was undertaking were migrating my files from XP, also Firefox and TBird, the last being a $%(*er.
    Now, do I just delete the files, or look deeper?
    Based on what you have said above regarding "migrating" files, since the folder structure between WinXP and Win7 is a "bit" different, you accidently put something where it does not belong. No big deal. It happens.

    Follow the advice below at your own risk!

    NOTE! As opposed to deleting those files, copy them to a USB memory stick or burn them to a CD/DVD and then delete them. That way, you can recover if there is a problem with an installed app.

    YOU CAN STOP READING here but here is the long explanation if you care to read it:

    Follow the advice below at your own risk!

    "netstat" or "NETSTAT.EXE" should only be found in your system folder(s). It looks like you are running 64bit Win7 so you will find it in the "C:\Windows\system32" and C:\Windows\SysWOW64" folder. If "netstat" is in both of those places, you should be able to delete (see NOTE above) it from your user folder. (You will probably find it in other places as well but the system folders are where it definitely should be).

    Do you have OpenSSL installed?
    If you do not have OpenSSL installed you should be able to delete(see NOTE above) libeay32.dll and ssleay32.dll.

    You should be able to delete(see NOTE above) all of those "randomly generated filename" files in the user folder. Those appear to be session files created by "Firefox". Have you tried opening one in "notepad"? If you can open one in "notepad", does it tell you what program created it?

    I searched "Google" and the "default.pls" file could be something PowerDVD created. Do you have PowerDVD installed? If you do, PowerDVD will recreate this file if it does not find it. So, you can leave it or delete it.

    After you get rid of those files, watch your user folder over time. Do the "randomly generated filename" files come back? If so, you have some app that is creating these in your user folder. Typically, files like this are some form of "log" or "session" file created by programs like "Firefox". (refer to my "Firefox" cache image attachment).

    After you delete the files and use your computer, watch for any programs crashing. Check the event logs and see if there are any error messages indicating that a program cannot find one of those DLL's. If there is a program crashing because it cannot find those DLL's, uninstall the program and reinstall it. Make sure you leave the default install path.

    Hope this helps!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Files with random alphnumeric names-firefox_cache.jpg  
    Last edited by cokeonice; 15 Apr 2010 at 09:40.
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