Funky file in C? How to ascertain safety to delete?


  1. Posts : 740
    Windows 10 x64 Pro
       #1

    Funky file in C? How to ascertain safety to delete?


    So many moons ago ive had something similar bite me in the tail. Not immediately but down the line somewhere in which it was already too late to fix.

    Nowadays I know where most eveyrthing came from but having just added a macrium PE boot menu, some files were added to my C drive and I noticed something that had been there that escaped me.

    The file has no extension and is just called E3083D9DB0B3.

    Its 40 bytes in size and owned by SYSTEM.

    If i open it with notepad, all it has is 74563B95405AC195C1994F826B99030D51810E2C

    Thats it.

    What are my options? It was created 3 months ago and modified/accessed last the same exact day and time. Its hidden but not of the superhidden OS variety. Just plain jane hidden.

    Advise!
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 4,752
    Windows 11 Pro 64 Bit 22H2
       #2

    If you don't have it already, download WinRAR. Right click the file and choose to Add to Archive, put a check in the box Delete Files after archiving. This will remove the file from the directory, but it will still be in a WinRAR archive. Use your computer normally for a few weeks, if you don't see anything that needs this file, you can safely delete the archive. If it is needed, extract the file to the previous location,
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 430
    Windows 10 Pro
       #3

    I would exercise caution if deleting the system file. 40 bytes won't hurt anything. This may help?

    MacriumDisk Images
    are purged if they contain exactly the same Partitions as the current Image. Partitions are identified using the unique Disk ID stored in sector 0 of the disk and the Partition sector offset.
    Note: For GPT disks the unique GPT disk GUID is used instead of the Disk ID

    Backing up files and folders - KnowledgeBase - Macrium Reflect Knowledgebase
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 1,248
    Windows 10 Pro (Build 19043.1110)
       #4

    I would just make a copy of it somewhere and then delete it. If there are problems, boot to a Live USB or rescue disk of your choice, and put it right back. I have noticed that Macrium leaves lots of dropping here and there.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 740
    Windows 10 x64 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #5

    sgage said:
    I would just make a copy of it somewhere and then delete it. If there are problems, boot to a Live USB or rescue disk of your choice, and put it right back. I have noticed that Macrium leaves lots of dropping here and there.
    yes that it does, trying to minimize it where possible. Already found out u can hide the boot folder and bootmgr file it puts in C without issue, but that file i have no idea where it came from.

    Dont thiink macrium is the source considering i didnt use it way back in march or whenever its dated.

    I did consider deleting/moving/archiving it and watching and waiting but my luck it'll get me right after i think im "ok" cause thats how things go.

    I didnt know if processmon or something had a means of seeing what accesses it or what created it or anything of the sort. SLightly above my paygrade.

    Regardless, thank you very much for the input gentlemen.
      My Computer


 

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