2 Weird problems

[lumis]

Okay, there are odd issues I just can't figure out, maybe you guys can help me out.

1) Whenever I start my computer a folder is made on my C: drive called "Program" and I get a message from Windows telling me that the folder could interfere with "Program Files" and that it needs to rename it (Program1). I've checked my startup properties but can't find anything that might be causing this.

2) I can't view/open/cut/copy any type of file from my E: drive unless it is inside of a folder and I share the folder, and files on the root of the E: drive are hit and miss.

Hopefully the collective genius of these forums can help me out.

[redwudz]

Just more questions.

Installed any new software lately?
Kept up your antivirus/antitrojan software? Done a full scan or one from Trend Micro or similar?
Checked your startup folder for anything odd? Same thing with the Task Manager>Processes.
Tried booting in safe mode to see if the folder shows up the same way?
Tried a system restore to an earlier date if this problem just cropped up recently?

The problem with the E: drive sounds more like a malware problem or something that Windows is doing that it shouldn't be.

Ran error checking on the E: drive?
Have any programs that are associated with file sharing or changing the drive parameters other than the Windows programs? I'm thinking of something like Ghost or similar.

Is the computer part of a network?

I've ran out of ideas for now.

[Bjs]

If only this had been asked last year ... I copped this problem ... what a pain .

Mine was as simple as a new program I had installed ... it played havoc ... uninstalled it , rebooted , fine .

Took the product back and told them where they could shove it , and got my money back .

Trojan's and malware are a problem , run ad-aware se first ... avgfree antivirus next ... should be ok form here .

Forget the startup group from typing msconfig ... some item's may not even be listed .

You should check out the registry "run" area's ... Hit start , run , type this word and hit ok

Regedit

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You will have a two paned program running now .
In the left are 5 or more main section's .
Forget HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT

Go here :

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Run

You need to know what you are doing here ... so backup this area first
Right click on that run folder and choose export ... save it a reg1 .

You can now safely remove key's from this area that should not be listed .. such as quicktime , nero's incd ... and other's .

Do not remove item's related to you current anitvirus or firewall software ... do so at you own risk ... it's why we back this crap up .. better safe than sorry .

Once key's have been removed , those that should not be listed ... check out

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Run

Same thing here , backup first , then kill the rubbish out .

Then here .... HKEY_USERS

Check out those only with + on them ... you need to see if they contain this area

SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run ... thing's can also be repeated in this area ... so backup , then kill .

As there may be several folder's with + here , you must once more check and see if they contain any "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "

Remember to backup key's before editing ...

Once you are sure all thing's that should not run at startup time have been removed , close the registry editor , and reboot the pc ... this help flush out those thing's already running in the background ... system should be running a little faster after the reboot .

Should something go wrong ... boot into safemode ... and double click those registry backup's ... this will restore these key's that had been removed ... one of these key's may have been important , and you removed it .

Remember I said backup before editng ... if you dont ... you will create your own headache's .

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Do a registry search for "program1" , and for "program" .
This will take time as there will be many .

Read what each found key has to say for itself ... program's that point to this folder will show up ... when found , you know what program is causing this issue ... uninstall it when you find out who it is (close registry first before doing this) .

It's how I found my issue .

Export the whole registry .
Open this reg backup file in developer's notepad (freeware) and run the search for this folder problem ...
In regedit , navigate to those key's that developer's notepad found ... back them up and edit after .
When completed , close developer's notepad , close registry editor , reboot pc .

Again , if issue , boot into safe mode , add backup reg file's back to registry by double clicking on them ... reboot pc .

Remember to be carefull as to what key's are removed from the registry ... do not remove those related to antivirus or firewall program's .

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For those with duel identities under user account's ... this is a rare issue where user account has same name and password .

Download puppy iso ... burn to cd ... nero work's fine with linux bootable iso image's .
Reboot pc and boot from this disc .

Mount the first hd ... navigate to user account's .

Go into first shown user account ... check content's ... then go back and check the second user account with same name .

The first account is valid , the second is not ... if file's exist in secondary user account they must be moved to the first user account folder asap .

When done , DELETE this second user account ... eject puppy cd , restart pc ... and this secodary user account problem has dissappeared .

See how that gose ...

[lumis]

I was able to solve weird problem #2 by copying everything from the drive (which involved sharing the whole drive first), formatting it, deleting the partition & formatting it again.

Bjs, I'll check out your suggestions for the rogue "Program"/"Program1" folder later on.

Thanks!