what is aecache.dll doing in the root of my system drive?

[karlsnooks]

What is aecache.dll doing in the root of my system drive?

The details tab says it is from microsoft. But the location is very unusual.

My searches have produced a long list of hits but no concrete info.

Does anyone truly know what this program is and why it is where it is?

 

[Corrine]

aecache.dll is the "AECache Sysprep Plugin", so tied in with Sysprep. It is located on my computer in System32, which, according to what I found is the correct location. From TechNet: How Sysprep Works

Note: aecache.exe is not related, is located in startup and is detected as Trojan.Win32.Obfuscated.gp by F-secure.

 

[karlsnooks]

Corrine,
Thanks for the reply. The only thing that bothers me is I don't remember having installed anything related to sysprep except for installing the WAIK.

Did that install result in aecache.dll being there? I did rename it to aecache.lld (had to give ownership to administrators first as before I think it was the built-in administrator that had permission by not the Administrator group.)

 

[Corrine]

The aecache.dll in System32 has a Created date of July 13, 2009, which is also the same as the last modified and last accessed date. I don't recall if that was when I installed Windows 7 on that partition but guess it probably is since there are numerous dll's with the same modified date.

 

[karlsnooks]

Mine in \windows\system32 has the same date info as yours.
Thanks, Karl

 

[Corrine]

So, process of elimination, the second copy at the root of your system drive must be from the installation of the installation kit.

 

[karlsnooks]

Don't really know. It's just a possibility. That's not the only software that has been installed and I just noticed its presence by accident when I was doing some testing.