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-   -   Old files showing up now (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=24967)

  • Apr 20, 2006, 12:32 PM
    daxcor7
    Old files showing up now
    I used to download 'adult' files from the net... I have not done so for over a year... just today I found a folder titled 'metadata' and in it was several 'adult' titled files.

    Does anyone know where this metadata folder would have came from?

    It seems to be common with P2P file sharing programs.

    All th files are corrupt or only a fragment as they will not open. So I am guessing that this is some left over fragments

    Any help would be appreaciated
  • Apr 20, 2006, 12:42 PM
    NeedKarma
    Sounds like XML files. Safe to delete.
  • Apr 20, 2006, 01:26 PM
    daxcor7
    Yes they are all .xml files

    My questions is more concerned with 'why are they still on my computer'?

    I may have downloaded these files originally, but I have since deleted them. Could they just be some left over fragments or partial downloads?

    Maybe they were partial downloads that I didn't realize I had and was inadvertently sharing with others on the same P2P network

    Just baffled by this discovery...

    Thanks again
  • May 1, 2006, 03:45 PM
    zippygeek
    You have discovered an old metadata folder. If you have deleted the completed files, then there is a good chance that these xml files are only tracking the partial file. I have found a lot of these files to be corrupt and some can contain a bug or two. You say you deleted the originals, I would suggest you delete the xml files as well. Strange things can happen with xml files and file sharing progs. They always seem to be re writing one another every time there is an update. A lot of the file sharing progs cross reference the xml file data.

    Don't worry about being baffled. It is amazing how many things that we think we delete but in reality there is almost always a trial of bits and pieces.
  • May 2, 2006, 05:12 AM
    fredg
    HI,
    Have you ran Spyware and also Virus scans? In SafeMode?
    There is a good chance, whenever visiting or downloading from most "adult sites", that your computer might be infected.
    The following site contains some very good information and steps, about getting rid of, or checking for, Spyware and Viruses:
    Cleaning a Pest-Infested Computer

    I am not sure if your computer has been infected, but if you haven't done the above, then it's really worth the effort to check it out. Best of luck.
  • Jan 30, 2008, 12:40 PM
    interinfinity
    Make sure your temp dirctories are all deleted too

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