Solved What is \\.\C:\ ?

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FranzB

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When I scan with MSSE a scanned element appears lately that takes quite some scanning time, viz. \\.\C:\
I googled and looked elsewhere but cannot find anything on it.
Does anyone know what this is?
Thanks.

 

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What do you mean by a scanned element? Are you sure it isn't the C: drive? Also, as JDobbsy1987 has said below, a screenshot would definitely help.
 

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\\. is the current folder
\\c: is the c: drive

the length of time taken to scan these areas will depend on the actual contents of the locations concerned
 

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JaidynM said:
What do you mean by a scanned element? Are you sure it isn't the C: drive? Also, as JDobbsy1987 has said below, a screenshot would definitely help.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the fast reply.
When I scan with MSSE the elements that are being scanned are displayed at the bottom and usually these are fly by very fast, i.e. the files are scanned very fast. This \\.\C:\ takes some time to be scanned by MSSE and it appears only lately, unless I have missed it up to now. No virus detected but I am just wondering what it is.
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Acer Extensa 5235
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit, Linux Mint Julia, in dual boot mode
CPU
Intel Celeron 900 @2.2 GHz
Motherboard
Acer BA50-MV(U2E1)
Memory
DDR3 2048 Mbytes
Sound Card
Conexant HD Audio
Ah, that would be the C: drive then. Your main hard drive.
 

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Custom Build
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Windows 7 Ultimate x64/Windows 8 Consumer Preview x64/Ubuntu 11.04
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Intel Pentium Dual Core E6700 3.2GHz
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ASUS P5G41T-M LX
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Strontium 8192MB DDR3 1333Mhz
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msi GeForce N560GTX-M2D1GD5 1GB
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Realtek HD Audio
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1680x1050
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Seagate Barracuda LP Green 3.5'' 2TB Internal HDD 5900RPM + WD Elements Desktop 1TB External HDD 7200RPM
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SHAW Viper-1500w Gaming PSU
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Black eMaxx ATX Mini Tower Case
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Microsoft Wireless Keyboard 1000
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Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 2000
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100GB @ 4.76Mbps
Ok, thanks to all of you.
I am reassured; I thought it might have been some nasty progam someone installed on my computer.
Funny though that Goooogle does not give anything on it.
To JaidynM: I am using Linux Mint 10 in dual boot with W7, just for surfing. No mail program and no address book on it and it's amazing but I don't get any spam any longer.
Regards from rainy Holland ----------------------
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Acer Extensa 5235
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit, Linux Mint Julia, in dual boot mode
CPU
Intel Celeron 900 @2.2 GHz
Motherboard
Acer BA50-MV(U2E1)
Memory
DDR3 2048 Mbytes
Sound Card
Conexant HD Audio
FranzB said:
Windows 7 Home Premium
When I scan with MSSE a scanned element appears lately that takes quite some scanning time, viz. \\.\C:\
I googled and looked elsewhere but cannot find anything on it.
Does anyone know what this is?
Thanks.
Click to expand...


Hi FranzB,

\\.\C:\ is a Win32 Device Namespace for accessing physical disks and volumes directly without going through the file system, Information about it can be found on this document: Naming Files, Paths, and Namespaces (Windows)

You might want to skip to the 'Win32 Device Namespaces' section ;)
 
Hi FranzB,

\\.\C:\ is a Win32 Device Namespace for accessing physical disks and volumes directly without going through the file system, Information about it can be found on this document: Naming Files, Paths, and Namespaces (Windows)

You might want to skip to the 'Win32 Device Namespaces' section ;)[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the link, Aegis.
I checked again by running the MSSE quick scan: total time ~ 3'30", time to scan the \\.\C:\ 1'30" and I can't remember ever seeing it before. Might be due to a recent MSSE upate (?).
Thanks and regards ----------------
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Acer Extensa 5235
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit, Linux Mint Julia, in dual boot mode
CPU
Intel Celeron 900 @2.2 GHz
Motherboard
Acer BA50-MV(U2E1)
Memory
DDR3 2048 Mbytes
Sound Card
Conexant HD Audio
I was curious - thanks for the link Aegis23
 

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aegis23 said:
FranzB said:
Windows 7 Home Premium
When I scan with MSSE a scanned element appears lately that takes quite some scanning time, viz. \\.\C:\
I googled and looked elsewhere but cannot find anything on it.
Does anyone know what this is?
Thanks.
Click to expand...


Hi FranzB,

\\.\C:\ is a Win32 Device Namespace for accessing physical disks and volumes directly without going through the file system, Information about it can be found on this document: Naming Files, Paths, and Namespaces (Windows)

You might want to skip to the 'Win32 Device Namespaces' section ;)
Click to expand...

Great link, thanks.

FranzB said:
Ok, thanks to all of you.
I am reassured; I thought it might have been some nasty progam someone installed on my computer.
Funny though that Goooogle does not give anything on it.
To JaidynM: I am using Linux Mint 10 in dual boot with W7, just for surfing. No mail program and no address book on it and it's amazing but I don't get any spam any longer.
Regards from rainy Holland ----------------------
Click to expand...

Yes, Linux is great if you don't game. Web browsing, office, mail etc. are all good for Linux based operating systems. Anyway, I'm glad we were able to find what you were looking for.

See you around,
Jaidyn
 

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I've only noticed this C:\ since I updated and installed MSE Client update version 2.

Must be a change in the way MSE scans. I know that there is a blurb about the new features that v2 offers, perhaps the way it scans is changed to be more effective.

Actually the UI looks the same as v1 but I have noticed some definite changes in the way v2 operates. You can see them if you look hard enough.
 

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hp pavilion 6680t
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win 7 home premium 64 bit
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core i5 760
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iona (from MSI)
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6 gb
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ati 5450
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real tek 888
What Is \\.\C:\

Whenever I do a scan with MSE, Malwarebytes, or Hitman Pro, the scan stops on the above file or folder. It takes about 90 seconds for any of the scans to move on. I first noticed \\.\C:\ after using Macrium free so I'm thinking it might have something to do with a shadow copy that was created by Macrium during a system image. But I can't locate this file/folder through Windows Explorer, registry, or using the start menu search function. Couldn't find any info by Googling, either. Anybody have any ideas? And for confirmation it really is "backslash backslash dot backslash Cee colon backslash" with no spaces.
 

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Thanks for the quick response and that link, Golden. Figures I would have missed it!

So if \\.\C:\ is a Win32 Device Namespace for accessing physical disks and volumes directly without going through the file system, are these malware scans scanning my C: drive twice? Once by going through the file system and once by not going through the file system? If I remove Macrium from my computer, \\.\C:\ no longer appears as a scanned item by any of the antimalware programs. Just trying to wrap my head around this. :confused:
 

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Well, as far as i know I don't have Macrium installed and this \\.\C:\ still
pops up. So that cannot be an explanation.
Maybe the issue should be placed on the Malwarebytes Forum. I'll give it a try.
I have been there before with a question.
 

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Acer Extensa 5235
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Acer BA50-MV(U2E1)
Memory
DDR3 2048 Mbytes
Sound Card
Conexant HD Audio
Meanwhile i have checked my Malwarebyte's scans. The quick one as well as the
full scan (phew!). I do not see \\.\C:\
It was not there on MSE some time ago and then started appearing although i did not change anything on the computer.
So the only conclusion is that it must be due to something the programmers of MSE changed. I doubt they will tell why.

What \\.\C:\ is has been answered by Aegis23 in his post above.
 

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Acer Extensa 5235
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit, Linux Mint Julia, in dual boot mode
CPU
Intel Celeron 900 @2.2 GHz
Motherboard
Acer BA50-MV(U2E1)
Memory
DDR3 2048 Mbytes
Sound Card
Conexant HD Audio
Thanks, Franz. Still trying to figure out if the malware scans are scanning my C: drive twice ... once by going through the file system and once by not going through the file system. The scan on \\.\C:\ takes around 90 seconds. That's almost as long as the scan on the rest of the drive. So something fairly large is being scanned during those 90 seconds (probably the C: drive again) which seems a bit redundant.
 

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Sony Vaio VPCEB47GM Laptop
OS
Win 7 Pro 64-bit
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8GB DDR3
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Intel HD 3000
Sound Card
IDT High Definition
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15.6 WGXA Anti-Glare LED
Screen Resolution
1280x800
Hard Drives
640Gb 7200rpm
Antivirus
MSE
Browser
Opera (primary) with IE9 backup
The thread is marked as solved but.... rub your eyes: This \\.\C:\ has disappeared from the scene as
a fata morgana after i updated MSE today (to version 1.111.1162.0):
Go and figure that one out.
Sorry for all this commotion.
Cheers.
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Acer Extensa 5235
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit, Linux Mint Julia, in dual boot mode
CPU
Intel Celeron 900 @2.2 GHz
Motherboard
Acer BA50-MV(U2E1)
Memory
DDR3 2048 Mbytes
Sound Card
Conexant HD Audio
Franz....Your version of MSE is a little old. It is up to 2.1.1116.0 now.

Open MSE, Go to the little down arrow to the right of HELP and click on it.
Move cursor down to 'Check for Software updates' and click on that.

If you are using a browser other than IE, it, IE will open to the Windows Update Page and run for a few seconds.
Then your On-board Windows Update in Control Panel should open and tell you if there are any updates.

You may find that you have one for MSE, and maybe others as well.

If at any time the process asks you to upgrade, say yes/ok.
 

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