These files might be harmful to your computer message(desktop)

Hello and welcome

What files are it? What does "Show details" say? What happens if you press "OK"?

General files being deleted.....jpgs, notepad, word, pfd.
Show details reveals C:\Users/Dave\Favourites\Desktop.
When I drag and go to drop and click OK, the file drops into the chosen target.

I've been getting this message for a few months in both Windows 10 and Windows 7 whenever I use File Explorer/Windows Explorer to copy or move any file or drawer to/from the Favorites drawer, or any subdrawer within it.

The warning message doesn't appear when re-organising Favorites from within Internet Explorer.

I'm guesstimating this extra unwanted security feature was installed with Internet Explorer 11. You're correct, it doesn't relate to any malware scan. I'm not sure what useful purpose it's meant to accomplish. Basically just more nanny-like hand-holding from Microsoft.

I haven't found a way to turn off this 'feature,' so I generally I just click OK every time. If you do a lot of Favorites re-arranging, you could install a button-clicking program like PTFB Pro (trialware/payware), or use a third party twin-pane file manager such as Saladin for it instead of File Explorer

In case you don't know the following, and if it's pertinent: the Favorites drawer, should basically only be used to store Internet Shortcut files and subfolders. Though I do break the rule a bit with the occasional non-internet shortcut (.lnk) to personal documents in some of my Favorites subdrawers. It's definitely not a good place to store 'general files'.

Cheers for your reply Steve.
You quote "I remember correctly on the file having been downloaded from somewhere other than a site you've specified as a Trusted Site in Internet Explorer". ......... these files aren't being download from the internet. These are my current jpegs, pdf's and word documents that I have created and placed on the desktop.

darbs9172 said:

Cheers for your reply Steve.
You quote "I remember correctly on the file having been downloaded from somewhere other than a site you've specified as a Trusted Site in Internet Explorer". ......... these files aren't being download from the internet. These are my current jpegs, pdf's and word documents that I have created and placed on the desktop.

Yeah sorry I just edited out that bit. I forget the exact details of why Microsoft give a security warning, except that it was useless and definitely unrelated to malware scanning.

The example you gave included 'Favorites' in the pathname. Are you saying that you get the warning message when you're moving files on the Desktop (i.e. icons on your wallpaper), and not to or from Favorites?

The files I am moving are on the desktop.
I am being prompted when I move these files to either recycle bin, user folder or other folders created on ,my desktop. Even when manually moving shortcuts to the bin, I am being prompted.
Yes I could highlight and select a few and press delete and that would be OK. But I like to drag and drop

If you haven't already set the User Account Control slider to minimum you should, details here.

First thing I did

Sorry, I missed you having said that.

Would you please create a text document on your desktop via rightClicking on the desktop then ->New->Text Document.

Then drag it to the bin and let me know whether you get the "These files might be harmful to your computer" warning message.