Genghis the Engineer

Does anybody know what the heck this is?

I've got two Packard Bell PCs here, neither has ever run AOL, and the only software ever run on both has been the standard Microsoft stuff. Yet both always have this unidentified program running in the background.

I can't find any file on the HD which seems to relate to it, it's not listed in the "startup" folder but on occasion when my PC has been running particularly slowly I've deliberately closed it and the computer has improved.

What is it? Should it be there? Should I get rid of it? If so, how?

Needless to say both PCs are running AVG anti-virus (one previously Panda Platinum), and one is running Ad-aware, none of these packages have ever flagged it.

All advice gratefully accepted !

G

BLUE SKY THINKER

Genghis the Engineer . . . . .

Take a look at this; maybe some help (?).

As you will see, the actual spelling is relevant in differentiating between the real thing and something more sinister (see "General information"). ...Even if it's the former and you can't see how it could be there - having not used AOL - I would normally suggest a 'Search' on the computers for AOL, but you have obviously looked. ...That said, on uninstalling AOL some time ago a check on 'Search' gave a similar result, but related unflagged files were later found lurking in My Computer > C Drive > Windows, amongst all the odds and ends below the list of folders. ...Sounds unlikely though, perhaps the spelling is the key?

BLUE SKY THINKER

PS: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

If it is the genuine article (however unlikely/I know you are sceptical) you may find it lurking here:-

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AOL Spyware Protection] "C: \PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\aol\AOLSPY~1\AOLSP Scheduler.exe"





Take a look in 'Services' - via 'Aministrative Tools' (in XP) - and see if this is listed.....



.....if so 'Stop' service (via button) and 'Disable' (via drop down menu). I think all these AOL add-ons (above) are probably enabled via this.

Genghis the Engineer

Many thanks chaps,

On deeper investigation, the PC has the install files for AOL9, although not anything of that filename.

So, regarding AOL as only slightly more desirable on my PC than either Norton, or a good clean virus, I surgically removed it! One reboot later, and the programme had gone, and my PC seems much happier!

G