Random network/internet IMG saving issue!! Need some problem solving help.

[Morcheeba]

My friends computer has some process running (most likely in the background) that has random internet and network related IMG files being saved to her hard drives.

And I did look at the processes in Task Manager to try to filter out some mystery programs but was unable to confidently find a problem program.

Info

Windows 98, yeah
IE was her choice browser
3 Hard Drives (D/E back ups no larger than 40 GB)

What is happening;

Let me explain in detail the way I know best. Every little image file that is loaded when... lets say you visit Google (or any other site for that matter)..., So the Google banner and every little colour banner, icon etc that may be visible during that visit is then saved as an img file (pick any ie. jpg, file type). So with sites such as this one, she'd have every banner ever visiable at any time, which would be every one if she hit refresh enough times. As well as EVERY emote face shown as an option when in edit mode etc... know what I'm saying? Everyone's signatures... she'd have those imgs saved too! EDIT - and it doesn't just save the 'Google Banner' img file once, no no, it saves THOUSANDS of them. The exact same img. So every visit.

Her 40GB D drive was FULL, containing 2 queerly named folders and thousands upon thousands of random, completely unfuckingneccessary img files.

Her 40GB E drive was 90+% full with the exact same thing, 2 queerly (either identically named or similar folders) full of bs files.
Everytime someone sent her an email that contained some img source, like an img file for someone's signature, THAT signature pic would also save itself on her hard drives.

I have scoured her computer as best I know looking for some setting, whether it be temporary internet files to cookies and allowing third party shit (to avoid viruses) as well as system settings etc. I've looked at both hard drive settings and am just at a loss.

I cannot figure out for the life of me where her computer is being told to index all these useless files.

Anyone have any idea what I'm talking about or what to do?

I have deleted both folders on both hard drives and they're now both completely empty less a few files she intentionally saved.

help.

I had told her to consider it may be a virus. I couldn't tell you if some annoying little twat virus attached itself to her system files and it's purpose is none other than to annoy the shit out of us...

 

[Cherron]

Don't suppose you remember the name of the 2 folders that had all the images saved in it?

 

[Morcheeba]

Don't suppose you remember the name of the 2 folders that had all the images saved in it?

Not exactly no. Nothing like I've ever seen before. And they weren't connected to any other file path, their own entity sitting in limbo. They were something like RTMSART0 - RTMSART1 etc...

 

[CidBahamut]

I remember internet surfing back in the Windows 98 era actually did save a copy of just about every image file locally on your harddrive, but multiple copies sounds a bit fishy to me.

My laundry list of suggestions would be:
* Run msconfig and see if there's anything shady under the startup tab.
* Try a browser other than IE and see if it still happens.
* Backup all their important files because you'll probably need to transfer them when they get a new PC.
* Apply some anti-virus goodness on the machine if you haven't already.

This is definitely an odd problem. Keep us posted on what you find out.

 

[Lucki]

Reimage the machine to XP.

 

[Morcheeba]

Thanks guys. Basically she uses her comp very little as it is and isn't the least bit savvy. She was afraid to delete cookies thinking it would royally fuck her computer up because 'someone told her so'.

Her system is barely capable of running 98, so an upgrade at this point to me would be scrapping this one for parts and buying new. That and her port is actually physically busted so internet has been out of the question for a while now.

Cid- a few image files here and there I could see, but this is definitely a substantial amount, and I'm leaning towards virus.

I'll poke around as you mentioned and see what I find.

 

[Lucki]

Also check her IE settings

 

[Morcheeba]

Also check her IE settings

Been there done that. Settings are fine. Trust me, it really left me scratching my head. That's why I was leaning towards a retarded virus. Her nephew used to surf porn years ago and she never had a decent anti-virus and was using IE.

I was thinking if it was a system setting, someone who knew the backend in and out (har har) would be best because I poked through the more obvious possibilities.

 

[CidBahamut]

No, 98 and IE were pretty dumb back then. It logged damn near everything. I distinctly remember digging through the image folders while offline for hours on end back when we had dial up and one phone line. It laved all the little button icons, custom scrollbars, banners, proper images and little animated stuff. At some point they stopped doing it because I've gone looking for that folder more recently and been unable to find it.

I'd agree with Lucki, you might want to poke around in her browser settings and see if it's clearing out temorary stuff on a regular basis or not.

Oh and the full file path to those folders wouldn't hurt either.

 

[Morcheeba]

No, 98 and IE were pretty dumb back then. It logged damn near everything. I distinctly remember digging through the image folders while offline for hours on end back when we had dial up and one phone line. It laved all the little button icons, custom scrollbars, banners, proper images and little animated stuff. At some point they stopped doing it because I've gone looking for that folder more recently and been unable to find it.

I'd agree with Lucki, you might want to poke around in her browser settings and see if it's clearing out temorary stuff on a regular basis or not.

Oh and the full file path to those folders wouldn't hurt either.

If it is the OS and browser, that's an easy enough fix. And judging by the sounds of it, it very well could be. She is so intimidated by computers and doesn't trust ANYONE to know what they're talking about. I had to almost hog tie her last night to dig around and when it came to deleting the BS folders with all that jazz she had a coronary.

On the downside, I don't think her pc is up to hosting a newer OS. And for what she wants to do, she'll need some decent progs that will take a chunk of memory.

oh well

Thanks guys! Much appreciated. (good to know I'm not completely clueless with this stuff.)

 

[Lucki]

I'd agree with Lucki

After those other threads, I bet you never thought you'd say that

If it is the OS and browser, that's an easy enough fix. And judging by the sounds of it, it very well could be. She is so intimidated by computers and doesn't trust ANYONE to know what they're talking about. I had to almost hog tie her last night to dig around and when it came to deleting the BS folders with all that jazz she had a coronary.

On the downside, I don't think her pc is up to hosting a newer OS. And for what she wants to do, she'll need some decent progs that will take a chunk of memory.

oh well

Thanks guys! Much appreciated. (good to know I'm not completely clueless with this stuff.)

Depending on what she uses the computer for (I'm guessing surfing and word processing since she's slumming on 98), reimage her to Ubuntu. It's free and one of the easier Linux distros there is. Also, it may be able to run it without any hardware upgrades (but you'd have to double check that).

 

[Morcheeba]

After those other threads, I bet you never thought you'd say that



Depending on what she uses the computer for (I'm guessing surfing and word processing since she's slumming on 98), reimage her to Ubuntu. It's free and one of the easier Linux distros there is. Also, it may be able to run it without any hardware upgrades (but you'd have to double check that).

Yeah she's not running much on it really. Surfing and mostly work/media use. Photo uploads and edits, movie burning etc. I have half a mind to bring my OS and install but I don't think she's a fan of vista.

 

[Lucki]

Give her Ubuntu. OpenOffice for word processing and Gimp for photo editing. It should be easy enough for you to setup, but complicated enough for her not to be able to fuck things up.

If she doesn't want Linux, give her XP. Vista isn't that great, and 7 would be too much for her ancient computer.

 

[Morcheeba]

Give her Ubuntu. OpenOffice for word processing and Gimp for photo editing. It should be easy enough for you to setup, but complicated enough for her not to be able to fuck things up.

If she doesn't want Linux, give her XP. Vista isn't that great, and 7 would be too much for her ancient computer.

Thanks man.

 

[Lucki]

Thanks man.

YOU'RE WELCOME

Spoiler:

 

[Taurothar]

Go to this page: http://support.kaspersky.com/faq/?qid=208282173

Download the .iso file and burn it to a CD.
Boot to the disk, like you would any other bootable cd.
It's a dedicated linux environment virus scanning program, which means it will scan your friend's HD without possibility of being locked out by the actual virus. After that, you should make sure to use a very light weight anti-virus program like avg or nod32, both free.

Alternatively, you could get a linux install for her computer from Peppermint or something that is notably light on system resources. I have several old machines that were made for win 98 and run linux extremely well when you choose the right build. If she just does basic computing, it's a great alternative for her.