Help with removal of a desktop icon

[jhasty]

First hello I am new to the boards. i am running xp. Anyway i have a icon on my desktop named CA4J2P61 i dont know where it came from or anything. when trying to delete it rename it or anything else i get Cannot Rename or Delete File: Cannot read from source file or disk. in the properties is shows file type: file, open with: blank shows nothing, location: C: documents and settings\owner\desktop, size: 0 bytes, size on disk: 0 bytes and nothing in created of modified. i have tried safemode and several programs with no luck. any ideas? thanks

 

[kritius]

Have you done a full anti virus scan, spyware scan etc just in case? That would be my first thought if something like that showed up.

 

[jhasty]

yeah i have run virus scans spyware scans and everything else still no luck.

 

[kritius]

Do you know when the icon first appeared?

I think it might be a good idea to go through all the steps HERE and repost the findings in the Security and the web forum.

Somebody there will be able to read the logs and advise you if there is anything malicious happening on your PC.

 

[Bobbye]

Did you do the right click> Properties> Did that show a file extension? Did it give you a date? Did it give you any information which could help you ID the source?

It would be in your best interest to check the Startup menu using msconfig for anything that is new starting up:

Start> Run> type in 'msconfig' without the quotes> enter> Selective Startup> Startup tab>> the only processes you need to startup are: anti-virus program. firewall if you have one, the touchpad for the laptop and network process if you have a network- nothing else>> look for something you can't identify.

Expand the Command column holding the left mouse button down on top frame of column and moving to right until you note the double-ended arrow>> slide to the right until you expose enough in the column to ID.

If you need help identifying process:
STARTUP APPLICATION DATABASE LIST
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm
http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php

 

[jhasty]

in the properties is shows it as file type file. no date nothing else. i have recently tried using deleteng programs like avita and others. some of them say the file dosen't exist. so i don't know what the deal is.

 

[zipperman]

Install Tweakui and do a Repair Icons.
Get it at Microsoft.com

 

[jhasty]

tried tweakui and still nothing.

 

[CCT]

If you open Windows Explorer and then open Desktop, is that file listed?

 

[Bobbye]

When you did the right click> Properties, are you saying there was absolutely NO information, even date and that there was NO file extension at all?

What anti-virus program do you have an what spyware/adware cans did you run?

 

[jhasty]

it is listed on the desktop when using explorer. and in the properties it shows no info. the file type is file and the other things like date created and modified are blank. i have used norton and other av programs ive used ad aware pro and super antispyware and still nothing.

 

[CCT]

Right-click an empty area of the desktop and choose "Properties".

2. When the "Display Properties" multi-tabbed dialog box appears, click the "Desktop" tab.

3. Click the "Customize Desktop" button.

4. A "Desktop Items" dialog box will appear.

5. Click the 'Clean Desktop Now' button.

Any help?


edit:

Another method:

Start
Run
Enter 'cmd /k' (no quotes)
Enter 'cd\' (will get you the C:\ prompt)
Enter 'cd\Documents and Settings\{your user name}\Desktop'
Enter 'dir /w'
If you can see the item, Enter 'erase CA4J2P61'


If you had a folder to delete, you would use 'rmdir [folder name]'

 

[jhasty]

even the command prompt it says the file dosent exist. i am at a lost about this

 

[CCT]

To use HijackThis to remove a stubborn file:

Clearly identify the file(s) you want to delete and write down the COMPLETE path, eg, C:\Documents and Settings\MOM\Local Settings\Temp\filename


Start HijackThis,

click on the option 'Open the Misc Tools section'

click on the 'delete a file on reboot..' box

CAREFULLY work your way through the selection process to the file you want to delete and click on it

Shut down and Reboot

If the file doesn't appear, try renaming whatever it is to gone.txt and try again.

 

[jhasty]

didn't work. cant rename it or anything. the computer and other programs act like the file don't exist. it's not showing thats its a shortcut to anything and the path is to the desktop but most of the programs that i have tried to use have given a message saying that the file don't exist. i have tried to open it to alter or resave it nothing works.

 

[mailpup]

I've used this unlocker program successfully on files that I couldn't get rid of any other way. It's freeware.

 

[zipperman]

add

Use open with and select Notepad.
Does it not have an extension ? eg : .txt
It sounds like a cell phone camera name.maybe a jpg.
Please post an attachment to see the icon.
Look here for this icons use.

 

[CCT]

Can that item be dragged about on the Desktop?

 

[Bluemouse]

Have you tried booting in safemode and doing the steps suggested again?

You could also create a batch file to delete it (same as you would as from command prompt, but type it in notepad and save as a *.bat extension), and then stick it in the runonce directory so it runs at startup before other things boot.

 

[bushwhacker]

did you try the program from mailpup's post?

 

[jhasty]

Thanks mailpup the unlocker program worked. i still dont know what the file was or where it came from but its gone thank everyone for the help.