Hi Anthony.

This is probably not a virus, but may be a leftover artifact from a virus
or piece of spyware that you had in the past that was removed by your virus
checker or spyware scanner.  More than likely, if you do not see a
reference to the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 folder in your StartUp group, then you
have a registry key pointing to that folder.  I know of one person locally
who had the exact same symptoms after getting hit with a virus.

Just to be on the safe side, you might check to make sure that your virus
program is still updating its virus definition files, and if it looks like
it is not, you should go to www.networkassociates.com and download a virus
removal tool called Stinger, which removes the type of viruses that
typically damage a antivirus program.  If it is necessary to download
Stinger, you will want to look at the directions on their web site and note
the command line switches for initiating a scan as the software isn't
keyboard friendly.  You can operate the software with the JAWS cursor (or
the Window-Eyes mouse cursor), but that is a pain in the neck, and the
command line switches are easier.

If Stinger finds something, you will need to uninstall and reinstall your
antivirus software afterwards.  Make sure you are disconnected from the
Internet when you uninstall the antivirus software if this step becomes
necessary.  Only reconnect to the internet when you are ready to download
the antivirus updates.

My suspicion isthat the virus or spyware  is long gone, but there is a
registry key pointing to the SYSTEM32 folder that is making the folder open
on boot up.  If this is the case, it is harmless but annoying.  You may
want to try to get together with someone who is good at editing Windows
registries, and is knowledgeable with using the REGEDIT program to go in
and remove unneeded registry keys.

Good luck and 73,
--Lou K2LKK





At 07:25 AM 6/1/2004 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi Everyone;
>
>
>When I boot up my COMPAQ laptop, with xp home, a window comes up and it
>contains virtually all the files that are on my laptop.
>
>The title of the window is:
>
>"system 32"
>
>I close the window but, I want it to stop coming up.
>
>I don't know if its a virus or just something I may have enabled by
>accident.
>
>I ran add aware and spybot and NAV and updated windows and I can't get rid
>of it.
>
>Please help.
>
>73 De Anthony W2AJV
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>ECHOLINK NODE NUMBER: 74389

Louis Kim Kline
A.R.S. K2LKK
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