Confused by error message

Hello,

Every now and then when I am using my computer the following error
message pops up completely spontaneously:

"Windows cannot find ‘C:\Users\My Name\AppData\Roaming\5.exe. Make sure
you typed the name correctly and then try again."

I find this strange since I never typed anything in the first place.
There doesn't seem to be any other problem with my computer, and when
the error message pops up I just click on OK and then continue my work
but I would like to get to the bottom of this if possible and stop this
intrusive pop up appearing.

Any help here would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Hc wrote:
Hello,

Every now and then when I am using my computer the following error message pops up
completely spontaneously:

"Windows cannot find ‘C:\Users\My Name\AppData\Roaming\5.exe. Make sure you typed the name
correctly and then try again."

I find this strange since I never typed anything in the first place. There doesn't seem to
be any other problem with my computer, and when the error message pops up I just click on
OK and then continue my work but I would like to get to the bottom of this if possible and
stop this intrusive pop up appearing.

Any help here would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Virus.

On 17/10/2015 16:40, Paul in Houston TX wrote:
Hc wrote:
Hello,

Every now and then when I am using my computer the following error
message pops up
completely spontaneously:

"Windows cannot find ‘C:\Users\My Name\AppData\Roaming\5.exe. Make
sure you typed the name
correctly and then try again."

I find this strange since I never typed anything in the first place.
There doesn't seem to
be any other problem with my computer, and when the error message pops
up I just click on
OK and then continue my work but I would like to get to the bottom of
this if possible and
stop this intrusive pop up appearing.

Any help here would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Virus.

And how might I get rid of it?

Hc wrote:

Hello,

Every now and then when I am using my computer the following error
message pops up completely spontaneously:

"Windows cannot find ¡C:\Users\My Name\AppData\Roaming\5.exe. Make sure
you typed the name correctly and then try again."

I find this strange since I never typed anything in the first place.
There doesn't seem to be any other problem with my computer, and when
the error message pops up I just click on OK and then continue my work
but I would like to get to the bottom of this if possible and stop this
intrusive pop up appearing.

Any help here would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Does that file actually exist?

Or might something that runs be looking for that file (and finds it
missing)?

As Paul mentioned, smells of a virus. What anti-virus or anti-malware
do you have installed, updated, and used for a manual scan?

If the file exists, you could also submit it to virustotal.com to have
several AV programs scan that file to check if it is a virus.

On Sat, 17 Oct 2015 16:05:19 +0100, Hc wrote:

Hello,

Every now and then when I am using my computer the following error
message pops up completely spontaneously:

"Windows cannot find ‘C:\Users\My Name\AppData\Roaming\5.exe. Make sure
you typed the name correctly and then try again."

I find this strange since I never typed anything in the first place.
There doesn't seem to be any other problem with my computer, and when
the error message pops up I just click on OK and then continue my work
but I would like to get to the bottom of this if possible and stop this
intrusive pop up appearing.

Any help here would be appreciated.
Thanks.

I've found the best source of information is to google the topic. The
symptoms you describe are not unique and there are lots of articles.
I googled '5.exe file'. It seems to be a virus but maybe related to adware
rather than malicious. In any event, advice is given.

Hc wrote:
Hello,

Every now and then when I am using my computer the following error
message pops up completely spontaneously:

"Windows cannot find ‘C:\Users\My Name\AppData\Roaming\5.exe. Make sure
you typed the name correctly and then try again."

I find this strange since I never typed anything in the first place.
There doesn't seem to be any other problem with my computer, and when
the error message pops up I just click on OK and then continue my work
but I would like to get to the bottom of this if possible and stop this
intrusive pop up appearing.

Any help here would be appreciated.
Thanks.

It sounds like your AV software might have already
quarantined it. A good malware will put a copy of
a thing like that back, if the malware has multiple
infection paths (more than one process). If you could
find 5.exe on the machine, you could upload it to
Virustotal.com and have it analyzed. The purpose
of doing that, is to get a "name" for the malware.

The Sysinternals program "Autoruns" can help
you locate Run keys causing references to a missing
file. Your AV removes 5.exe, but they choose to leave
the associated Run key behind. "Autoruns" allows you
to roam through all of those, and "untick" the one causing
the message.

"Autoruns"
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/...rnals/bb963902

What you would expect to see, is a line which is mostly
blank, says a file is missing and so on. Unticking that
one, would then stop the nuisance message after the
next boot.

But really, a priority is to scan the machine and make
sure no other parts of the malware are present. Cosmetic
cleanup using Autoruns isn't worth doing, unless the
machine is otherwise cleaned up.

Paul

On 17/10/2015 16:50, Stormin' Norman wrote:
On Sat, 17 Oct 2015 16:05:19 +0100, Hc wrote:

Hello,

Every now and then when I am using my computer the following error
message pops up completely spontaneously:

"Windows cannot find ‘C:\Users\My Name\AppData\Roaming\5.exe. Make sure
you typed the name correctly and then try again."

I find this strange since I never typed anything in the first place.
There doesn't seem to be any other problem with my computer, and when
the error message pops up I just click on OK and then continue my work
but I would like to get to the bottom of this if possible and stop this
intrusive pop up appearing.


Your machine is most likely infected with Malware.

I urge you to immediately stop doing anything sensitive with your machine. Download, install and run the free
version of Malwarebytes. Also, make sure you have a decent antivirus product installed, up-to-date and
enabled. Personally, I recommend the free version of Comodo antivirus.


Ran Malwarebytes which found several threats and I have installed Comodo
Internet Security. Problem seems to be resolved for now. Thanks for the
advice.

On Sat, 17 Oct 2015 16:05:19 +0100, Hc wrote:

Hello,

Every now and then when I am using my computer the following error
message pops up completely spontaneously:

"Windows cannot find ?C:\Users\My Name\AppData\Roaming\5.exe. Make sure
you typed the name correctly and then try again."

This is an example of a good trouble report (as opposed to whining
about unspecified "problems"). And, as all can see, you've already
received helpful problems and have resolved the problem.

I find this strange since I never typed anything in the first place.

I don't think anyone answered this specific point. The message is
misleading in talking about "typed", and I think is a holdover from
the days when we actually did type program names on a DOS command
line. Most often now, when this message appears, it means some
_other_ program tried to access the named program. As you've already
discovered, the other program was a virus.

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://BrownMath.com/
http://OakRoadSystems.com/
Shikata ga nai...

On Sat, 17 Oct 2015 17:11:56 -0400, Stan Brown
wrote:

On Sat, 17 Oct 2015 16:05:19 +0100, Hc wrote:

Hello,

Every now and then when I am using my computer the following error
message pops up completely spontaneously:

"Windows cannot find ?C:\Users\My Name\AppData\Roaming\5.exe. Make sure
you typed the name correctly and then try again."

This is an example of a good trouble report (as opposed to whining
about unspecified "problems"). And, as all can see, you've already
received helpful problems and have resolved the problem.

I find this strange since I never typed anything in the first place.

I don't think anyone answered this specific point. The message is
misleading in talking about "typed", and I think is a holdover from
the days when we actually did type program names on a DOS command
line. Most often now, when this message appears, it means some
_other_ program tried to access the named program. As you've already
discovered, the other program was a virus.

Please don't take offense at a slight correction. This OP's problem
and others similar are not "a virus". They are malware inserted by,
for example, "Recommended Fix" offers. Watch the links before you
clidk on them. They often show "ad" in them. Usually on sites
offering free programs.

I'll recommend four remedies and await correction:

adwcleaner, CCleaner, Malwarebytes, Revo Uninstaller

OK?

masonc tipperte:


I'll recommend four remedies and await correction:

adwcleaner, CCleaner, Malwarebytes, Revo Uninstaller

I, personally, prefer "Total Uninstall" from Gavrila Martau...

Greetz,
Peter

Peter 'RofaPapa' Berger tipperte:

I, personally, prefer "Total Uninstall" from Gavrila Martau...

Greetz,
Peter

Instead of Revo Uninstaller i meant. Sorry. Forgot...

Stan Brown wrote:
On Sat, 17 Oct 2015 16:05:19 +0100, Hc wrote:

Hello,

Every now and then when I am using my computer the following error
message pops up completely spontaneously:

"Windows cannot find ?C:\Users\My Name\AppData\Roaming\5.exe. Make sure
you typed the name correctly and then try again."

This is an example of a good trouble report (as opposed to whining
about unspecified "problems"). And, as all can see, you've already
received helpful problems and have resolved the problem.

I find this strange since I never typed anything in the first place.

I don't think anyone answered this specific point. The message is
misleading in talking about "typed", and I think is a holdover from
the days when we actually did type program names on a DOS command
line.

The word "Windows" in the message indicates that "you typed" was a poor
choice at the time the message was written. IMO programmers should be
particularly careful when accusing users of making mistakes.

--
Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England

Wolf K wrote:

But I'm afraid majority usage has overtaken the original "correct"
meanings. Pretty well everybody outside computer geekdom (of which I am
a proud citizen ;-)) refers to any and all malware as "virus".

Except virus means it [attempts to] reproduce. Malware encompasses all
software with malicious intent, and includes viruses, trojans, worms,
exploitware, DNS changers, ransomeware, rogueware, etc. Malware is the
catch-all term. Viruses are a type of malware.

All viruses are malware. Not all malware are viruses. Misuse of the
terminology doesn't obviate the terminology but only exhibits that
ignorants don't understand the terminology. Since context is often
important regarding the connotative meaning of a word or phrase, and
since the context of this discussion is in Usenet and not addressed to
the general population of users, there should be no confusion between
malware and a sub-type of malware called virus.

Me and a buddy were in his car going to lunch while singing to a Roxette
song on the radio. I sang "Dressed for success" while he sang "Dressed
for some sex". Although I liked his lyrics better, he was wrong. There
are lots of folks that say "cold slaw" for coleslaw and "budder" for
butter. Eventually some folks might think "lite" is a valid spelling
for "light".

On Sun, 18 Oct 2015 08:38:06 +0100, Mike Barnes wrote:

Stan Brown wrote:
On Sat, 17 Oct 2015 16:05:19 +0100, Hc wrote:
"Windows cannot find ?C:\Users\My Name\AppData\Roaming\5.exe. Make sure
you typed the name correctly and then try again."

I find this strange since I never typed anything in the first place.

I don't think anyone answered this specific point. The message is
misleading in talking about "typed", and I think is a holdover from
the days when we actually did type program names on a DOS command
line.

The word "Windows" in the message indicates that "you typed" was a poor
choice at the time the message was written. IMO programmers should be
particularly careful when accusing users of making mistakes.

You may be right. The explanation I was thinking of (which also may
or may not be right): the actual message may be something on the
order of

%1 cannot find '%2'. Make sure you typed the name correctly
and try again.

with OS name and missing file location filled in at run time. If the
message was truly new with Windows, "typed" would be an obvious
error, as you say. If it dates back to the DOS error, the
programmers' mistake would be in not reviewing all old messages when
the new Windows OS was introduced.

Either way, it's misleading now!

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://BrownMath.com/
http://OakRoadSystems.com/
Shikata ga nai...

Stan Brown wrote:
On Sun, 18 Oct 2015 08:38:06 +0100, Mike Barnes wrote:
Stan Brown wrote:
On Sat, 17 Oct 2015 16:05:19 +0100, Hc wrote:
"Windows cannot find ?C:\Users\My Name\AppData\Roaming\5.exe. Make sure
you typed the name correctly and then try again."
I find this strange since I never typed anything in the first place.
I don't think anyone answered this specific point. The message is
misleading in talking about "typed", and I think is a holdover from
the days when we actually did type program names on a DOS command
line.
The word "Windows" in the message indicates that "you typed" was a poor
choice at the time the message was written. IMO programmers should be
particularly careful when accusing users of making mistakes.

You may be right. The explanation I was thinking of (which also may
or may not be right): the actual message may be something on the
order of

%1 cannot find '%2'. Make sure you typed the name correctly
and try again.

with OS name and missing file location filled in at run time. If the
message was truly new with Windows, "typed" would be an obvious
error, as you say. If it dates back to the DOS error, the
programmers' mistake would be in not reviewing all old messages when
the new Windows OS was introduced.

Either way, it's misleading now!


It's easy for something like that to happen, if the
shell is being used to execute something. The assumption
might be a Run box was used, or perhaps a DLL that
mimics the Run box (rundll32) had something to do with it.
I'm sure there is a rational explanation for where the
unusual error message came from. Some might say the
unusual message might even have diagnostic value (for
tracking down in Autoruns, where the errant item is
located). It might help define a subset of things
to be looking for.

Some error messages are inadvertently of diagnostic value.
For example, a programmer at Microsoft made a spelling
mistake in a diagnostic message, making it super-easy to
find in Google. Thanks to that dude! :-)

Paul