New File appears named "~"

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jason
  • Start date Start date
J

Jason

Greetings,

I was working on my Win2kSrv at home and noticed a new file in the top
portion of the start menu. The file was not put their by myself and I am
the only person that uses the srvr machine. The File was simply named "~"
(without quotes of course). I thought this was odd and deleted the file.
It was approximately 180k. When I came into my office this morning which is
on a completely different network not in any way connected with mine at
home. I sat down at a Win98 machine which is a "guest" machine and found a
file with the same name "~" but this time on the desktop. There are no
roaming profiles involved and the two computers are not networked or linked
in any way. What is this? should it be of any concern? I looked at the
file with both Wordpad and a HexEditor and found nothing to identify what
type of file it should be....???????

Thank You

Jason
(e-mail address removed)
 
Oh oh... do you use the Windows (Outlook Express) Address Book and do you work
with contacts therein and have you applied the latest cumulative patch for
Internet Explorer?


----------------------------

Greetings,

I was working on my Win2kSrv at home and noticed a new file in the top
portion of the start menu. The file was not put their by myself and I am
the only person that uses the srvr machine. The File was simply named "~"
(without quotes of course). I thought this was odd and deleted the file.
It was approximately 180k. When I came into my office this morning which is
on a completely different network not in any way connected with mine at
home. I sat down at a Win98 machine which is a "guest" machine and found a
file with the same name "~" but this time on the desktop. There are no
roaming profiles involved and the two computers are not networked or linked
in any way. What is this? should it be of any concern? I looked at the
file with both Wordpad and a HexEditor and found nothing to identify what
type of file it should be....???????

Thank You

Jason
(e-mail address removed)
 
Hi Jason,

When you open the file, does it have anything in it that looks like
anything other than gibberish?

--
Tim Newton [MSFT]
(e-mail address removed)

Search our Knowledge Base at http://support.microsoft.com/directory
Visit the Windows 2000 Homepage at
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/default.asp
See the Windows NT Homepage at http://www.microsoft.com/ntserver/

NOTE: Please reply to the newsgroup and not directly to me. This allows
others to add to and benefit from these threads and also helps to ensure a
more timely response. Thank you!

This posting is provided "AS IS" without warranty either expressed or
implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of
merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The views and opinions
expressed in this newsgroup posting are mine and do not necessarily express
or reflect the views and / or opinions of Microsoft.
 
Greetings,

Looks mostly gibberish. I have antivirus installed on the srvr and
wrkstations at home and we have NAV here in the office. Would it help if I
were to include the file in an attachement? I'm just wondering how it got
there and what it is. It didn't set off any alerts on either machine.

Thanks
jason
: Hi Jason,
:
: When you open the file, does it have anything in it that looks like
: anything other than gibberish?
:
: --
: Tim Newton [MSFT]
: (e-mail address removed)
:
: Search our Knowledge Base at http://support.microsoft.com/directory
: Visit the Windows 2000 Homepage at
: http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/default.asp
: See the Windows NT Homepage at http://www.microsoft.com/ntserver/
:
: NOTE: Please reply to the newsgroup and not directly to me. This allows
: others to add to and benefit from these threads and also helps to ensure a
: more timely response. Thank you!
:
: This posting is provided "AS IS" without warranty either expressed or
: implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of
: merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The views and
opinions
: expressed in this newsgroup posting are mine and do not necessarily
express
: or reflect the views and / or opinions of Microsoft.
:
:
:
: : > Greetings,
: >
: > I was working on my Win2kSrv at home and noticed a new file in the top
: > portion of the start menu. The file was not put their by myself and I
am
: > the only person that uses the srvr machine. The File was simply named
"~"
: > (without quotes of course). I thought this was odd and deleted the
file.
: > It was approximately 180k. When I came into my office this morning
which
: is
: > on a completely different network not in any way connected with mine at
: > home. I sat down at a Win98 machine which is a "guest" machine and
found
: a
: > file with the same name "~" but this time on the desktop. There are no
: > roaming profiles involved and the two computers are not networked or
: linked
: > in any way. What is this? should it be of any concern? I looked at
the
: > file with both Wordpad and a HexEditor and found nothing to identify
what
: > type of file it should be....???????
: >
: > Thank You
: >
: > Jason
: > (e-mail address removed)
: >
: > --
: > ---------------------------------------------------------
: > I am a dislexic, agnostic insomniac.
: > I stay awake all night contemplating
: > the existence of DOG
: > ---------------------------------------------------------
: > __O
: > _-\<,_ Why drive when you can bike?
: > (_)/ (_)
: >
: >
:
:
 
Hi Jason,

It is nothing to get upset about. Microsoft knows about the
bug. All it amounts to is a copy of your present Address
Book.
Try renaming it to Jason.wab, and open it after. It might
squawk about changing the name, but don't worry.You actually
can delete it without effecting anything. I hope that helps
alleviate your worries.

--
Best regards,
don
Please reply in the NG
Email on auto delete,

" Do a kind deed for someone less fortunate everyday."
"When you do, it will warm God's heart"
============



Greetings,

I was working on my Win2kSrv at home and noticed a new file
in the top
portion of the start menu. The file was not put their by
myself and I am
the only person that uses the srvr machine. The File was
simply named "~"
(without quotes of course). I thought this was odd and
deleted the file.
It was approximately 180k. When I came into my office this
morning which is
on a completely different network not in any way connected
with mine at
home. I sat down at a Win98 machine which is a "guest"
machine and found a
file with the same name "~" but this time on the desktop.
There are no
roaming profiles involved and the two computers are not
networked or linked
in any way. What is this? should it be of any concern? I
looked at the
file with both Wordpad and a HexEditor and found nothing to
identify what
type of file it should be....???????

Thank You

Jason
(e-mail address removed)
 
Greetings,

So this is present in Win98 as well???? since I found it here at the office
on our guest machine. I did a search and located one other file in the C:\
dir that is dated July of 2003.

Thanks for the info.

jason
: Hi Jason,
:
: It is nothing to get upset about. Microsoft knows about the
: bug. All it amounts to is a copy of your present Address
: Book.
: Try renaming it to Jason.wab, and open it after. It might
: squawk about changing the name, but don't worry.You actually
: can delete it without effecting anything. I hope that helps
: alleviate your worries.
:
: --
: Best regards,
: don
: Please reply in the NG
: Email on auto delete,
:
: " Do a kind deed for someone less fortunate everyday."
: "When you do, it will warm God's heart"
: ============
:
:
:
: : Greetings,
:
: I was working on my Win2kSrv at home and noticed a new file
: in the top
: portion of the start menu. The file was not put their by
: myself and I am
: the only person that uses the srvr machine. The File was
: simply named "~"
: (without quotes of course). I thought this was odd and
: deleted the file.
: It was approximately 180k. When I came into my office this
: morning which is
: on a completely different network not in any way connected
: with mine at
: home. I sat down at a Win98 machine which is a "guest"
: machine and found a
: file with the same name "~" but this time on the desktop.
: There are no
: roaming profiles involved and the two computers are not
: networked or linked
: in any way. What is this? should it be of any concern? I
: looked at the
: file with both Wordpad and a HexEditor and found nothing to
: identify what
: type of file it should be....???????
:
: Thank You
:
: Jason
: (e-mail address removed)
:
: --
: ---------------------------------------------------------
: I am a dislexic, agnostic insomniac.
: I stay awake all night contemplating
: the existence of DOG
: ---------------------------------------------------------
: __O
: _-\<,_ Why drive when you can bike?
: (_)/ (_)
:
:
:
 
It's a bug in Outlook Express update 330994 (and 331923 before it).
If you rename that file and give it a wab extension you will discover, much to
your amazement that it is a copy of your Address Book.

Due to a rather minor glitch in the update to Outlook Express it is creating the
file in the wrong location and to add insult to injury it is not even giving it
the proper name. The file is created whenever you edit the Address Book and then
close the program you were using (Outlook Express or any other program that uses
your Address Book).

There are three avenues of attack open to you.
1) Delete it. (it's really the backup copy so this may not be a good choice)
2) Ignore it (not my favorite but it might work for you)
3) R-click the file, choose "Properties" and place a check in "Hidden" then
"Apply". This will only work if your system is not set to show hidden files and
depends entirely on the theory that "What you don't see, won't bother you". It
also has the benefit of still keeping a current backup of your Address Book on
the system.

Before you ask: Yes, Microsoft is aware of the problem and they are currently
trying to fit a solution into the schedule.


--
George (Bindar Dundat ©) MS-MVP

For Windows Troubleshooting Tips see;
http://aumha.org/win4/a/tshoot.htm

| Greetings,
|
| I was working on my Win2kSrv at home and noticed a new file in the top
| portion of the start menu. The file was not put their by myself and I am
| the only person that uses the srvr machine. The File was simply named "~"
| (without quotes of course). I thought this was odd and deleted the file.
| It was approximately 180k. When I came into my office this morning which is
| on a completely different network not in any way connected with mine at
| home. I sat down at a Win98 machine which is a "guest" machine and found a
| file with the same name "~" but this time on the desktop. There are no
| roaming profiles involved and the two computers are not networked or linked
| in any way. What is this? should it be of any concern? I looked at the
| file with both Wordpad and a HexEditor and found nothing to identify what
| type of file it should be....???????
|
| Thank You
|
| Jason
| (e-mail address removed)
|
| --
| ---------------------------------------------------------
| I am a dislexic, agnostic insomniac.
| I stay awake all night contemplating
| the existence of DOG
| ---------------------------------------------------------
| __O
| _-\<,_ Why drive when you can bike?
| (_)/ (_)
|
|
 
yw
thx for the feedback

--

thanks,
don
==============


Greetings,

So this is present in Win98 as well???? since I found it
here at the office
on our guest machine. I did a search and located one other
file in the C:\
dir that is dated July of 2003.

Thanks for the info.

jason
: Hi Jason,
:
: It is nothing to get upset about. Microsoft knows about
the
: bug. All it amounts to is a copy of your present Address
: Book.
: Try renaming it to Jason.wab, and open it after. It might
: squawk about changing the name, but don't worry.You
actually
: can delete it without effecting anything. I hope that
helps
: alleviate your worries.
:
: --
: Best regards,
: don
: Please reply in the NG
: Email on auto delete,
:
: " Do a kind deed for someone less fortunate everyday."
: "When you do, it will warm God's heart"
: ============
:
:
:
: : Greetings,
:
: I was working on my Win2kSrv at home and noticed a new
file
: in the top
: portion of the start menu. The file was not put their by
: myself and I am
: the only person that uses the srvr machine. The File was
: simply named "~"
: (without quotes of course). I thought this was odd and
: deleted the file.
: It was approximately 180k. When I came into my office
this
: morning which is
: on a completely different network not in any way connected
: with mine at
: home. I sat down at a Win98 machine which is a "guest"
: machine and found a
: file with the same name "~" but this time on the desktop.
: There are no
: roaming profiles involved and the two computers are not
: networked or linked
: in any way. What is this? should it be of any concern?
I
: looked at the
: file with both Wordpad and a HexEditor and found nothing
to
: identify what
: type of file it should be....???????
:
: Thank You
:
: Jason
: (e-mail address removed)
:
: --
: ---------------------------------------------------------
: I am a dislexic, agnostic insomniac.
: I stay awake all night contemplating
: the existence of DOG
: ---------------------------------------------------------
: __O
: _-\<,_ Why drive when you can bike?
: (_)/ (_)
:
:
:
 
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