[OT] Skype Phantom File

[Frank Bohan]

Can anyone suggest how to remove a file which has appeared in a data
folder completely unrelated to Skype, and has defied all my attempts to
remove it? The file cannot be run, deleted, copied, renamed or moved ("file
not found"). I cannot erase it with Eraser. I cannot delete it in DOS
("could not find" although it's shown in the directory). I cannot read it
with a hex editor, and
it is not seen by virus or trojan scanners.The file is just named Skype,
with no extension. There is an icon, not seen before, of a hand pointing to
the right with the palm upwards. Properties shows it as 0 bytes and
Extended File Info (using XYplorer) gives a blank for everything, as below,
despite the size being shown in the listing as 51KB.

Name:
DOS name:
Type:
Location:
Size:
Space used:
Created:
Modified:
Accessed:
Attributes:

Any ideas, anyone.

===

Frank Bohan
¶ Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?

 

[jmatt]

Download Pocket Killbox to remove that. May have to use in safe mode.

http://www.downloads.subratam.org/KillBox.zip

 

[Adam Piggott]

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Hash: SHA1

Can anyone suggest how to remove a file which has appeared in a data
folder completely unrelated to Skype, and has defied all my attempts to
remove it? The file cannot be run, deleted, copied, renamed or moved ("file
not found"). I cannot erase it with Eraser. I cannot delete it in DOS
("could not find" although it's shown in the directory). I cannot read it
with a hex editor, and
it is not seen by virus or trojan scanners.The file is just named Skype,
with no extension. There is an icon, not seen before, of a hand pointing to
the right with the palm upwards. Properties shows it as 0 bytes and
Extended File Info (using XYplorer) gives a blank for everything, as below,
despite the size being shown in the listing as 51KB.

Name:
DOS name:
Type:
Location:
Size:
Space used:
Created:
Modified:
Accessed:
Attributes:

Any ideas, anyone.

What operating system are you using? You say you can't run/delete/hex edit
it - what errors do such operations give? Do you get any more luck when in
Safe Mode?

If you're on Windows 2000/XP, are there any errors in the Event Log? Have
you tried running chkdsk on the volume? Has it been accidentally encrypted
by another user or with a previous installation? (This would show up in
Properties->Advanced) Also try "type Skype" or "more < Skype" from the
command line to see if they get anything.

You could also try running a rootkit finding program, such as the
SysInternals' product, to see if it mentions your phantom file.

HTH

Adam Piggott,
Proprietor,
Proactive Services (Computing)
http://www.proactiveservices.co.uk/
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[news.xmission.com]

Can anyone suggest how to remove a file which has appeared in a data
folder completely unrelated to Skype, and has defied all my attempts to
remove it? The file cannot be run, deleted, copied, renamed or moved
("file
not found"). I cannot erase it with Eraser. I cannot delete it in DOS
("could not find" although it's shown in the directory). I cannot read it
with a hex editor, and
it is not seen by virus or trojan scanners.The file is just named Skype,
with no extension. There is an icon, not seen before, of a hand pointing
to
the right with the palm upwards. Properties shows it as 0 bytes and
Extended File Info (using XYplorer) gives a blank for everything, as
below,
despite the size being shown in the listing as 51KB.

Name:
DOS name:
Type:
Location:
Size:
Space used:
Created:
Modified:
Accessed:
Attributes:

Any ideas, anyone.

===

Frank Bohan
¶ Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?

This may seem like an unlikely tool for removing "unremovable" files but I
use WS-FTP LE. I've been able to remove files with illegal names and/or
illegal characters from Win98, Win2K, WinXP, Linux and SCO Unix and the
success rate is 90%+. I don't know what's going on "under the hood" but it
gets the job done. Note: I haven't tried this with any other FTP clients.

Hope this helps.

 

[hummingbird]

Can anyone suggest how to remove a file which has appeared in a data
folder completely unrelated to Skype, and has defied all my attempts to
remove it? The file cannot be run, deleted, copied, renamed or moved ("file
not found"). I cannot erase it with Eraser. I cannot delete it in DOS
("could not find" although it's shown in the directory). I cannot read it
with a hex editor, and
it is not seen by virus or trojan scanners.The file is just named Skype,
with no extension. There is an icon, not seen before, of a hand pointing to
the right with the palm upwards. Properties shows it as 0 bytes and
Extended File Info (using XYplorer) gives a blank for everything, as below,
despite the size being shown in the listing as 51KB.

Name:
DOS name:
Type:
Location:
Size:
Space used:
Created:
Modified:
Accessed:
Attributes:

Any ideas, anyone.

1.does it perchance have an extra character or two at the beginning
or end which don't show up - eg ASCII 255?
2.have you tried a DOS command to add something to the file or to
create it - eg "c:\print AnoTxtFile.txt > drv:\foldername\skype"
or something along these lines.

 

[jmatt]

Pocket KillBox
http://www.majorgeeks.com/Pocket_KillBox_d4709.html
http://www.downloads.subratam.org/KillBox.zip
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/files/killbox.php
http://www.short-media.com/download.php?dc=69
May have to use in Safe mode.

 

[James]

leapt out of the bath and screamed "EUREKA!" before typing in
alt.comp.freeware:

Pocket KillBox
http://www.majorgeeks.com/Pocket_KillBox_d4709.html
http://www.downloads.subratam.org/KillBox.zip
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/files/killbox.php
http://www.short-media.com/download.php?dc=69
May have to use in Safe mode.

Thank you, looks like a keeper for the future.