Another Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5

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I am from the keypunch error but that's another story. I am an amateur geek who supposedly fixes friend's kid's infested computers.
I have a threefold question, but really it is one, as without figuring out the answer to the first question, the answers to the others will take forever.

I worked on this computer at nights for a week, removing an amazing amount, etc.

In the end I have one major problem. The scans take hours. This is because they spend much of those hours searching Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5

These are in alphanumeric files that are not in the directory of 10 alphanumeric temporary internet files found for the user name in DOS, in cdm etc.; in the directory. They are the same user name (he used administrator !) but are not the ones one sees in the DOS window. How is this possible? How are they there? How can one access them? I am unsure of how to view the entire string of each object to identify the alphanumeric file; the only one I was able to del was one with that insidious Trojan Horse Downloader.Generic3.QFH that AVG found; so I could identify that alphanumeric file in the direction string and delete that file. (the file did delete in DOS but the trojan downloader file reappears anyway).

I notice that to get rid of the above trojan and also Win32.Agent.At which also persists and is annoying, I would have to run many scans. It would be better if they didn't all take 5 or 6 hours due to this crammed to the gills set of unbelievably hidden Temporary Internet Files. How caan I view these extra ones if the directory doesn't show them and how are there more than 10? Would the LInux thing rid me of these useless files (I think)

PCPitstop found that the cache was overflowing and it is set too high as it is. Does anyone know how to locate these Temp Internet files that are in addition to the 10 ones listed?
 
I assume you have done the normal - in IE selected tools / delete internet cache?

In most cases, CCLEANER (a free download) will do what you need, but it is not for the complete beginner, though I don't suggest you are.

The ten alphanumeric files are actually directories, and the content (hundreds or thousands of files) is not visible by any normal means. I suspect the PC used by a thick kid is VERY likely to be full of viruses, trojans, keyboard loggers, and other noxious rubbish. As such, you are unlikely to clean this up very easily. It could take days of downloading and running various tools, such as spybot search, adaware, hijackthis, Microsoft malware detector and so on. This site has many recommendations on cleaning a PC. Also try housecall from trend micro.

At least the good news is, all you need to use is free.

Actually, although I sympathise with your desire to help others, I can only tell you it is an extremely time-consuming, thankless, frustrating, unpaid and unrewarding activity. You would be far better off learning a few standard tricks (see this site), and teaching these kids to learn to do it for themsleves. What are you, a nursemaid?
 
The ten alphanumeric files are actually directories, and the content (hundreds or tho

Yes I know this, what I am saying is that the scans are going through differenet alphanumerics, not the 10 in the directory. I have done this before, it is not really new to me. Has anyone ever had this where there are additional directories other than the ten. The scanners are taking forever going through teh files in these additional directories which seem to be in addition to the ten that show up when you open the dir

I am willing to use how many software I need to use. I may only have the two I mention Win32.Agent.At and Trojan Horse Downloader.Generic3.QFH

I started out there were 900 detected infected files, trojans, etc, found. I used spybot, adaware and the normal free AVG.

You list what I should do and I will do it, unless you think reformatting is a better idea. But this horridly messed up computer is a challenge now to me.

It would be rewardng to me to succeed. To get rid of these unfindable directories (I did explain how it found this trojan in an alphanumeric in the same user name, same Temp Internet...IE5 string, but that it wasn't on the list but it did delete that directory when I put in the alphanumeric..) this would be rewarding. I know there are 15 step procedures I wil follow after,,,,This kid will just mess it up again, he used to turn off the ant-virus and press ignore on the warnings because teh warning windpws ignored him, it may be impossible for him to bother with even the simplest procedures.

If they weren't using me they were going to pay someone at Best Buy or wherever to do thism so not exactly a nursemaid; closer to an outside remedial tutor you can cal me.

I have used those 3 scanners and PCPitstop online which mainly found that the cache was overflowing, which I know, it is due to these temp files stuck in tehse inaccessable directories...

If you can lead me to or relate the procedures to find these additional directories jammed with crap including perhaps the exe for this trojan downloader, these that are in addition to the 10...I HAVE SEEN NOTHING ON LINE about this, about additional directories undfer same user name that don't show up in the table in DOS.

Please go on
 
Are we talking Win XP here?

Have you gone into folder properties and chosen 'show all hidden files and folders' and unchecked 'hide protected operating system files'. Are you using safe mode while you attempt to delete files?

Are we talking about things under c:\documents and settings\admin\user data or elsewhere? What about \local settings\temporary internet files?

In all these cases, even if you open a dos box you are still under the systems security access rules, but less so in safe mode.

What you really need is unfetterd access under a non-windows operating system. This is possible with a small version of Linux which you can download (never done it, but I do know it is possible) to get read-write access to a NTFS volume, then go happy with delete. Dont worry too much about deleting important directories, as Windows will simply rebuild anything it needs. You sound like someone who is happy to experiment and learn so go for it. Do a bit of research on 'non-windows access to NTFS' which will get you started. good luck
 
deleting files

I will do that...I was surprised that where I couldn't find these files in the directory listing in DOS, they show up in the View Files by adding \content.ie5

That was quite ridiculous. Anyway there were three of tehse extra files which in my mind seem more like folders, that would not delete as there was one file in two of them and 3 in one of them which said it couldn't delete because it didn't know where it was, which I though ridiculous, so I manually deleted each by opening it and batching files, deleting, emptying the recycle bin, repeat. I think one had near 150,000 files.

Why in the world does Windows clog everything up by saving worthless old files?

Yes, it's XP.

This kid is so in a daze about this that he might IM in safe mode.

Sometimes the simplest things give me teh problems...I have been trying to keep the administrator but give him a user name, but nothing has worked...what in teh world could I be doing wrong

Not getting paid while helping friends is not wrong, it is my old hippie ethic, perhaps, but ok with me. I am not a nursemaid, but i am not Lord of the Flys either
 
Update XP to SP2. you will automatically be upgraded to IE6. Then do all the critical updates from Windows Update to IE7. If you don't want to do this switch to Linux or something else besides XP
 
well, you should persevere in setting up IE in a locked-down manner. First upgrade to IE7, then go into tools/internet options. On the general tab click browsing history settings and set a value about 250Mb.

On the security tab, set level high. On the privacy tab set level medium high.

Create a windows user with limited rights, and password protect your Admin user. Make sure the PC is up-to-date on all Microsoft security patches. Load an up-to-date anti-virus and firewall application.

Scan the PC with every malware-detecting package you can lay your hands on.

Finally make it clear to the kid that you will do nothing more if any settings are changed.
 
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