[notsosmart1]

First, finding this site is a great Christmas present.

Please excuse the ignorance. Background Information: (a) My high speed internet provider is a cable modem. (b) I am not connected to any other PC. © In order to learn XP, I have played (and probably screwed up some folders and files or they got placed in different location than their original one. (d) I have run CHKDSK, error checking (w/ fixing bad files), and Sfc /scannow. (e) The laptop runs great. (f) I use Trend Micro PcCillin antivus 2007)

1st Question: Is there a list of XP folders and files that are part of XP? For example, under Network Places, I have a folder titled:

developers.soliddb.com with the following folder:

pub with the following folders:

beta -0020
beta2-0024
beta3-0027
and on until:
beta6-0046

Under each of the above is:

Authorization.xml (zipped files)

With the following folder following:

pub-latest

When I unzip the Authorization files, I receive a notepad that speaks of microsoft updates.

any insights?

2nd question:

Under my docs., I have the following:

mauth
mauth.cabwith a file:

Authorization.XML

Any help is appreciated. It's difficult to know what folders/files are needed and which are not. I do not wish to send them to recycle bin and see whether the laptop continues to function.

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Firstly, I always do a google search for anything that crops up as a mystery to me. Once I have a handle on what I am dealing with...then I move on to the next step of attacking the problem...http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=developers.soliddb.com&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

On first blush, a search for "developers.soliddb.com" turned up some interesting stuff ...check out this URL... http://www.google.ca...e...earch&meta=

I then went to the first suggested link: http://www.dbms2.com...s-mysql-engine/

It talks about "Solid Information Technology is making the beta of its MySQL engine ..."

If it is a malware issue, then you go to the malware forum for help...

If not...

As you say, there are no other computers on hand "I am not connected to any other PC." But, if you have these thinks in your network folder, then somehow you or someone has activated some sort of networking function... Otherwise, move all of the referenced folders to a safe place on your desktop...remembering where they went...and write down where they came from and where they went to in your note book that you always keep at the side or your computer As they are not system files, there should be no worry about everything blowing up on you...

Operate your computer as usual to see if the absence of these files and folders spark any error messages...this may identify the prog that is searching for them...

If the prog is reconized as a needed one, then put every thing back as it was.

Decide whether it is REALLY a necessary prog. If not, delete it.

Q1 How much of what you have on board can be lost with no tears? ...i.e. can you affford to reformat and reinstall XP? This may be the ultimate undesired end to your issues...but to be avoided at all costs, if possible.

Q2 How much of what is there, can be deleted and then reinstalled later, to reduce the clutter?

Q3 You say that you ran sfc_/scannow...this would have put everything back in order, re: what were the install files for XP.

Get back to "us" on what steps you took toward a solution...then "we'll" go from there...

Edited by b1caez01, 15 December 2006 - 09:47 AM.

[b1caez01]

Firstly, I always do a google search for anything that crops up as a mystery to me. Once I have a handle on what I am dealing with...then I move on to the next step of attacking the problem...http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=developers.soliddb.com&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

On first blush, a search for "developers.soliddb.com" turned up some interesting stuff ...check out this URL... http://www.google.ca...e...earch&meta=

I then went to the first suggested link: http://www.dbms2.com...s-mysql-engine/

It talks about "Solid Information Technology is making the beta of its MySQL engine ..."

If it is a malware issue, then you go to the malware forum for help...

If not...

As you say, there are no other computers on hand "I am not connected to any other PC." But, if you have these thinks in your network folder, then somehow you or someone has activated some sort of networking function... Otherwise, move all of the referenced folders to a safe place on your desktop...remembering where they went...and write down where they came from and where they went to in your note book that you always keep at the side or your computer As they are not system files, there should be no worry about everything blowing up on you...

Operate your computer as usual to see if the absence of these files and folders spark any error messages...this may identify the prog that is searching for them...

If the prog is reconized as a needed one, then put every thing back as it was.

Decide whether it is REALLY a necessary prog. If not, delete it.

Q1 How much of what you have on board can be lost with no tears? ...i.e. can you affford to reformat and reinstall XP? This may be the ultimate undesired end to your issues...but to be avoided at all costs, if possible.

Q2 How much of what is there, can be deleted and then reinstalled later, to reduce the clutter?

Q3 You say that you ran sfc_/scannow...this would have put everything back in order, re: what were the install files for XP.

Get back to "us" on what steps you took toward a solution...then "we'll" go from there...

Edited by b1caez01, 15 December 2006 - 09:47 AM.

[notsosmart1]

Thank you for your response.

I have googled the sites in your message. Can't say I understood evrything about "developers.soliddb.com", but let's table that for the moment. Before I move the folders to my desktop, I wish to provide the additional information, some of which may or may not be relevant.

1. I have 2 laptops: I one I use is wireless, the other is old and hardly used. They do not communicate to one another, but share the same e-mail address.

2. Under "My Network Places", there are 4 folders:

A. Microsoft Terminal Services
B. Microsoft Windows Network
b1. Mshome (cannot go anywhere with it - need permission?)
C. Web Client Network
D. developers.soliddb.com
d1. pub
d1(a)..d1(g) beta.. (files I mentioned)
d2. pub-latest

3. I do not believe they are malware. If they are, I'll fire PcCillin


Questions:

1. When you say, "move folders to desktop..., should I "send them" to Desktop, and delete them from under "My Network Places". If they are needed by some program (which I cannot imagine because the only thing I installed is Office), would that program not be able to access them on my Desktop?

OR

2. Should I create a folder on Desktop, then copy and paste them into it. Delete them then from "MNP"?

3. Should I do same for the first 3 Folders as well (Microsoft Trminal Services etc..)?

I believe that these were created by Dell through Dell connect a few months ago, but no need to give detail.

Thank you. ss

[notsosmart1]

THIS MATTER HAS BECOME URGENT. PLEASE HELP.

Here's what i discovered:

1. After hours of reading and researching, I found the company that makes the "soliddbmysql" software. Here's the link:

http://www.solidtech...ine/contact.asp

2. After contact by phone and e-mail, I am convinced they are a legitimate company.

4. Please note that 2 ADDITIONAL FILES were placed on my laptop today and on the 18th.

3. The following are e-mail responses with the last e-mail first:

4. If soliddb is correct, someone is penetrating my pcCillin firewall and has access to my PC. But why would they download THESE files?

Sam,

The ftp site you mention is our ftp site from which somebody in front of your PC can download files from. We cannot upload files from our ftp directory to your PC.

If you did not download anything, perhaps, there might be a virus on your PC, or smebody else within your firewall might be accessing your PC. I advise you to talk with your network administrator. We cannot have remote access to your PC from within Solid.

Regards,



Murat Demiroglu
Senior Product Manager
Solid Information Technology

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Sam
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 11:03 AM
To: Murat Demiroglu
Subject: Re: Please help


Murat:

i forgot to mention that you keep putting these files on my laptop. Look at the date of the last file from previous email. Please advise. if you have no knowledge of it, I am very concerned. It took me hours to find you. I downloaded nothing. IT HAPPENS AUTOMATICALLY DESPITE AN EXCELLENT FIREWALL.


Thank you very much.

Sam
(deleted address- Johanna)
----- Original Message -----
From: Murat Demiroglu
To: Sam
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 1:51 PM
Subject: RE: Please help


Sam, it sounds like these folders do belong to Solid products.

solidDB for MySQL is a database product. As far as I understand from your email, somebody installed during the last few months several (old) beta releases of the product on your PC.

I cannot think of any way Solid can have had access to your PC. To install these products, somebody has to download these products from our web site and install them on your PC.

If you'd like to get rid of them, you can simple delete the directories.

Kind regards,

Murat Demiroglu
Senior Product Manager
Solid Information Technology


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Sam
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 10:44 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Fw: Please help


I am re-sending the below message. Please respond.


Thank you very much.

Sam
(deleted address & phone- Johanna)
----- Original Message -----
From: Sam To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, December 18, 2006 5:22 PM
Subject: Please help


Under "My Network Places", a Folder "developers.soliddb.com" with a sub-folder tiled "pub", followed by 8 folders titled "beta..(2-6 and from 0020 to 0046)", followed by folder "prebeta-prototype", followed by folder "pub-latest" have recently appeared on my laptop.

In a readmefile, it states that the name of the folder is "solidfor my SQL server".

Could these folders be related to your company's products? If not, do you know where they are coming from? what they are? or any info. is appreciated. If related to you, how am I getting these and how do you have access to my PC? I am confused and puzzled.



Thank you very much.

Sam

[piper]

Sam,

Please go to the malware forum ASAP and follow the instructions at the top....Especially the CLICK HERE.

That will give you several steps that will help you clean up 70 percent of all problems by yourself. If at the end of the process you are still having difficulty (and you may not be) then post a hijackthis log in THE MALWARE FORUM forum.
(Posting HiJack This logs in any other forum other than the malware forum is forbidden. If you post an HJT log in any other forum, it will be removed and it will take you longer to get help, so please make sure you only post HJT logs in the malware forum)

If you are still having problems after getting a clean bill of health from the malware expert, please return to this thread.

[b1caez01]

I'd like to hear of the outcome on this issue...

As it appears that you have been given the o.k. to delete those files and then go malware huntin" The malware forum would be the place to go...

In the meantime, I'd be seriously considering stripping all of the most useful and most difficult to reload-apps...and personal files and data...and mail files, bookmarks, address books...and such... onto burned CDs with the unavoidable need of eventually having to f-disk the drive[s] if there is no other alternative. STAFF will advise...but you can get ready...sometimes doing something useful allays the fears of not being able to do anything...

Edited by b1caez01, 22 December 2006 - 07:09 PM.

[b1caez01]

Removed

Edited by OwNt, 14 January 2007 - 10:08 PM.