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Thread ID: 51474	2004-11-22 01:14:00	system 32 folder on desktop?	J ZEP (336)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
294841	2004-11-22 01:14:00	Hi, got a friends puter here, which is a - Hp pavilion a220a, 2 . 66Ghz, 256mb ram- however has intergrated grapics using 64mb, 40gig, XP home . Anyway it is taking a bit to load on startup, i have scanned for and with "everything" literally . Comes up all clean for Virus and spyware . Ive removed everything from starting (apart from the "hp recovery guard") and its a "little" better . . . Next thing: It has a "system32" folder on the desktop?? The original "sytem32" folder is still in place and appears uncorrupted? The one on the desktop is not as large as the origninal in "C:WINDOWS", is only about 780mb . The thing is the "System32" folder on the desktop doesn't appear to be doing anything? The guy doesn't know how/when it got there?? He tells me a guy from a puter repair shop told him this was the reason behind it being slow?? The duplicate "system32" folders? Thing is, in my opinion :^O, there is nothing being used from the desktop version folder of it? Also he had another 2 "folders" appear - one on the desktop and duplicated again in his documents - these folders named "w", contain a file called "alg . exe", i have looked and the original alg . exe file, is were it is supposed to be in "system32" (C:WINDOWS) . A search told me that if these files appear elsewhere than "system32", they are most likely sypware, so i was able to delete them, and this has solved that problem for now . Basically would love some feedback on this :-) - and wether i should just delete the desktop "system32" folder - or is it somehow realated to the HP Recovery Patition? It appears i will have to try deleting it in safe mode as it won't let me delete it under norm boot? But will wait for some nice F1 assurance before i do go "deleting" it, just in case!! Cheers Guys, would appreciate any help/advice on offer :-) p . s a search didn't render any results on duplication of "system32" folders, lots on the usual "files being changed in "system32" by virus", but not a thing i could find on this ?:| . p . p . s aside from this "system32" folder saga, do you think a bit more ram may help with the loading at startup? as after the grapics takes 64mb it really only leaves 192mb ram - which apparently doesn't even meet the min . specs for installing SP2 .	J ZEP (336)
294842	2004-11-22 01:28:00	Right click the folder on the desktop and select properties and see when it was created?? hth	johnboy (217)
294843	2004-11-22 01:30:00	Also look at this page System32 Folder Opens When Logging on to Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows NT 4.0 here (support.microsoft.com) hth	johnboy (217)
294844	2004-11-22 01:50:00	Hi Johnboy:-) That was fast;-) ,yes tried that earlier, it was created in August. However dont' really know what that means or tells me either,lol. Also found lots of links referring to that problem too ;-), but it doesn't really fit the bill for this prob i don't think ?:| - as this folder is just "on" the desktop, it doesn't try and open or the likes. I have searched and searched and not found one item relating to anything along these lines, its weird... Thanks Johnboy :-) Actually i am starting to think that it was just accidentally copied there perhaps, no surely not :O, anyway it would be the same size as the orig. i presume? The main thing i am a little worried about it it has something to do with the "Hp Recovery Patition" - as i don't fully know the ins and outs of how they work.	J ZEP (336)
294845	2004-11-22 04:10:00	It won't have anything to do with the HP recovery partition . That partition will be self-sufficient . Delete it from the desktop . :D (Leave it in the recycle bin for a while, just in case, of course) . It probably won't have anything to do with a slow start up . . . the system shouldn't ever be looking for system files in the Desktop .	Graham L (2)
294846	2004-11-22 04:33:00	> It won't have anything to do with the HP recovery > partition . That partition will be self-sufficient . > Delete it from the desktop . :D (Leave it in the > recycle bin for a while, just in case, of course) . Hi Graham, thats exactly what i was thinking;-), that anything to do with the recovery patition - will/should be on it (the patition) so to speak . > It probably won't have anything to do with a slow > start up . . . the system shouldn't ever be > looking for system files in the Desktop . Totally agree there, as it doesn't appear to be doing anything!!! Nothing is trying to access it that i can see and as you say theres no reason it would be looking for sys files there . Next problem - I CAN'T delete it, have tried in safe mode, through command prompt, which usually works on tough files ;-), however this time it tries and then returns access denied to several or all of the files as it tries to delete them from within the folder ?:| - i wouldn't have a clue how to try deleting the folder now ?? :_| Thanks :-) ** Also tried putting in another 256mb stick of RAM out of my system, that definately seemed to help the slow loading/startup ;-) .	J ZEP (336)
294847	2004-11-22 04:36:00	Once i installed a DOS program on my XP and it somehow created a second Program Files folder somewhere - when i restarted XP went beserk and said "oh no you have two of these folders and this will cause your computer to go insane and not work" - it may be similar to your problem. also the desktop one will be smaller as the original system 32 will have had things added to it in the course of using windows. I suspect that windows is somehow trying to work out which one of these system 32 folders to use and may possibly be scanning each one to see.	agent_24 (4330)
294848	2004-11-22 04:45:00	Adding more ram is a good way to increase speed - I was quite surpized myself when i upgraded from 256 to 512. (on 512 desert combat plays fine, but on 256 it wouldn't even load the maps!) To delete the folder I would try booting off a win XP CD and using recovery console (I don't think you'll be able to get it back though if you use this method).	agent_24 (4330)
294849	2004-11-22 04:57:00	You might have to go through file by file, changing attributes where necesary. It all looks a bit suspicious. ;-) Did you really mean 780MB in thsi directory? Seems a bit execssive.	Graham L (2)
294850	2004-11-22 05:33:00	The probable reason you cant delete it is because being a system folder it is protected or in use. Try expanding the tree and try deleting files and folders further down the tree. Ive had success using this method before. You probably have to change the properties from "read only". If you get to a point tha you cant delete anymore then reboot and try again.	i-gordon (962)
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