From: andy on
i have a folder under c:\ called c:\c6995bb2dcf5148abddc850ab01fc8
but inside ther's only mrt.exe._p
$shtdwn$.req and mrtstub.exe, there's no MRT.exe, does that mean it's a virus?

"Ottmar Freudenberger" wrote:

> "alex" <alex(a)discussions.microsoft.com> schrieb:
>
> > When I periodically browse to my external hard drive, I see dozens strange
> > folders like:
> > H:/d8ec8985ea99734705
> >
> > My googling skills have led to forums saying these folders are created by
> > Windows Update, which uses the largest hard drive on the system (which is my
> > external hard drive) to create the temp folders.
>
> That's correct.
>
> > However, each folder has the exact same four files in them:
> > mrtstub.exe
> > mrt.exe._p
> > MRT.exe
> > $shtdwn$.req
>
> That's the "Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool" updated
> and release via AU/MU/AU every month: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/890830
> That may explain why you have different folders with the same file names
> (while the file dates should differ).
>
> Bye,
> Freudi
>
From: PA Bear [MS MVP] on
No.

Tip: Disconnect all external drives before downloading/installing Windows
Updates/


andy wrote:
> i have a folder under c:\ called c:\c6995bb2dcf5148abddc850ab01fc8
> but inside ther's only mrt.exe._p
> $shtdwn$.req and mrtstub.exe, there's no MRT.exe, does that mean it's a
> virus?
>
> "Ottmar Freudenberger" wrote:
>
>> "alex" <alex(a)discussions.microsoft.com> schrieb:
>>
>>> When I periodically browse to my external hard drive, I see dozens
>>> strange
>>> folders like:
>>> H:/d8ec8985ea99734705
>>>
>>> My googling skills have led to forums saying these folders are created
>>> by
>>> Windows Update, which uses the largest hard drive on the system (which
>>> is
>>> my external hard drive) to create the temp folders.
>>
>> That's correct.
>>
>>> However, each folder has the exact same four files in them:
>>> mrtstub.exe
>>> mrt.exe._p
>>> MRT.exe
>>> $shtdwn$.req
>>
>> That's the "Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool" updated
>> and release via AU/MU/AU every month:
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/890830 That may explain why you have
>> different folders with the same file names (while the file dates should
>> differ).
>>
>> Bye,
>> Freudi