cannot delete

[rover2701]

Some one please help me. I have received some spam on my puter which I cant delete. Every time I try I get the following message.

ERROR DELETING FILE OR FOLDER
Cannot delete Winmuschi Access denied
Make sure the file or disk is not full or write protected and that the file is not in use.

Can someone please tell me how to delete this program/file. Its only taking a very minute amount of disc space but I dont want it and I am sure it cant be up to any good.

All suggestions gratefully received.

Incidently I am running Windows XP home edition

[PaperTiger]

Winmuschi is a dialler which self-installs from 'infected' emails. Not sure exactly what it does (seems to be German in origin), but you definitely don't want it. Unless you're a real whiz with regedit, try using RegCleaner ( http://www.webattack.com/get/regcleaner.shtml ) which is free to download. It will also detect and offer to delete any other trash/obsolete stuff on your system.

[Ausatco]

Try Spybot-Search & Destroy (http://security.kolla.de/)

When you install it use the Update function to get the latest data file.

It looks for and deletes nuisance diallers, as well as a lot of other garbage. While your problem file is not listed by name in the latest data file, if it is a relative of one that Spybot knows Spybot will remove it.

I had your problem with some un-needed files after some web page editing - same "Access denied" message that you received. I was able to delete them with CuteFTP, the program I use to administer my website. It allows access to both local and remote files and apparently did not see or recognise or over-rode whatever flags had been set that prevented access to the local files.

Hope this helps

AA

[rover2701]

Thanks for the info.

I downloaded Spybot and that did the trick.

Once again thanks for the info from both the posters.

[fobotcso]

It's worth remembering that items that you can identify but not delete can usually be attacked from the Command Prompt as long as you can navigate to it using DOS-like commands.

[solotk]

Or simply use CTRL-ALT-DELETE to being up the Task Manager. You may find the reason you can't delete, is the nasty is still running. END TASK then delete.

I use SpyBOT 'tis excellent. Can I also recommend ad-aware, Agnitum Outpost Firewall and Gladiator anti-virus. the last is still in Beta, but it's very promising, with built in anti-dialler and anti Trojan support