Mysterious files.
 

Clicked Start, Run, typed msconfig, clicked Startup. Found oodles of programmes that start up on their own every time I switch on the computer.

Heavy clicking of mouse has reduced this number....BUT...who or what is the file "isdbc" and I seem to have two files called "Vshwin32EXE". Can I nuke any of these without having to go back to the computer fixers shop afterwards?

Oh...also got "bpcpost exe"

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Hunting is bad!!
Support the right to arm Bears!!

You might want to first try out Startup Manager from
http://www.startupmgr.com/

(they have a free trial period). If you decide then there is no harm done by deleting the files you named, you could then nuke them anyway you feel. (I'd recommend renaming them and keeping them for a while before deleting them).

Do you have McAfee anti virus? I think vshwin32.exe is the anti virus engine.

I do indeed...but why is Vshwin32EXE there twice?

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Hunting is bad!!
Support the right to arm Bears!!

While messing around with my system, I managed at one stage to get three copies of LoadPowerProfile running at startup. I unchecked two of them in msconfig/startup with no ill effect.

Sometimes there are command-line switches on those startup entries. Make sure the entries are identical before you uncheck one of them, otherwise you may be disabling something you really want enabled.

Not sure about the wisdom of having all that stuff there and then switching it off in MSconfig/startup. Would it not be better to uninstall what you don't want any more? (Assuming that the uninstaller is well behaved and removes auto start entries from the registry and/or Start Up folder.)

Just a thought.

AA

[This message has been edited by Ausatco (edited 18 July 2000).]

Ah...but that brings us back to the first posting...what the hell do the names mean? What do the files do?

Just what is Vshwin32EXE? Is it something that someone could live without? If it's supported by Windows98 (which it is) why doesn't it have an intelligent name that everyone can understand?

I'd really like to know what is the "bpcpost exe" file about. It might be the king pin for a software programme - it might be a deadly virus.

I haven't a clue...so how do I decide to turn it off or uninstall it?

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Hunting is bad!!
Support the right to arm Bears!!

Ummm.....

I don't know! http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/redface.gif

AA

OK, OK.
The bpcpost.exe is a file used for Microsoft Webcast TV Viewing.

Is that enough?

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400 Hertz but DC is easy

Yep, that's enough, thanks.

Nuke it!!

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Hunting is bad!!
Support the right to arm Bears!!

"Just what is Vshwin32EXE? Is it something that someone could live without? If it's supported by Windows98 (which it is) why doesn't it have an intelligent name that everyone can understand?"
The answer is, although win 95/98 etc can handle long file name extensions certain file types still have to use the 8.3 file protocol i.e .exe files. As far as I know this is still a throw back to the days of dos, it just makes things easier and neater in the operating system. Having said that I don't know what will happen with Windows ME as there is no dos support in that. Hope that helps.

[This message has been edited by spannersatcx (edited 18 July 2000).]

Vshwin32.exe is Mcafee Viruscan firing up. I'm sure this is done in the Autoexec.bat file by the program installation inserting 2 relevant lines. If you disable it by "msconfig" or by "rem"ing out the lines, you won't get your Virus scanner working.

Bear Cub,

There is a cure for all WIN-related problems. Install and use Linux. (I did and it knocked WIN95a into a cocked hat!)

"Anyone can make a mistake; it takes a computer to have a catastrophe."

Critmass
Out of interest which distribution and what is your machine spec?