Strange shortcut icon on desktop

[Bob338]

Several months ago this icon popped up on the desktop. It looks like a Microsoft icon with a "lazy S" under it, a modified infinity sign. Anyone know what it is and why it popped up? I've deleted it several times to the recycle bin. For no apparent reason it comes back at odd times with no pattern I can discern.

[Statica]

Instead of deleting it, right click on it and go to Properties .. then find out what the target is.

[Bob338]

I've done that. There isn't a "target". The Summary portion is totally blank. The Type of File is "File". The description is the lazy S. It showed 238KB for quite a while and yesterday it became 240KB when it reappeared. The location merely shows the drive and the desktop.

Any other way of checking the source or the target?

[azscary]

uh...

Have you tried clicking on it to see what happens??

[Bob338]

Thanks.

Lastly, I have tried clicking on it. Nothing happens. I'm told Windows can't open file and refers me to finding a program to open it.

As for right clicking on the Properties, there is no target and no source shown. The type of file shows "File". The description shows the "lazy S". The location shows the drive and Desktop. Yesterday it showed 238KB, which it has for sever weeks. Today it shows 240KB. The "Advanced" tab gives a totally blank screen. Just the blank spaces show.

Any other ideas as to the source? When I delete it stays gone a while then shows up for no reason.

I'll be away from the machine for 5 days. Doesn't mean my lack of interest. Thanks.

[sdkfz]

lazy s sounds like the ~ or tilda and if it is then most likely it si a temp file of some sorts

[azscary]

Notice any odd dialup connections appearing in the DUN section? It may be some sort of spyware or one of those nasty little (#&%( that try to dialup to a porn site everry time you boot up. Most of those are too stupid to recognize a broadband connection and may be failing to initialize. Just a guess.

[Bob338]

It is a tilde. Thanks for putting the right word on it.

What is the DUN section? I'm not real sharp on computers. I do delete my temporary files and cookies regularly but that doesn't have any effect apparently.

I'm trying to clean the machine up as I have another problem with a downloaded program that isn't reponding as it's supposed to, but that a whole different story and I'm sure is unrelated.

[azscary]

I am sorry for the acronym.
DUN = Dial Up Networking

Win 2K calls it Network and Dialup Connections and XP just Network connections.

[Bob338]

I sorta figured it out. I checked and only the two numbers for my ISP access are on there.

[FLG]

You might want to get norton anti virus, i got this info from mcaffe's website.


Lazy is a memory resident, file infecting virus. It infects .COM files, including COMMAND.COM.

Upon infection, the virus becomes memory resident in unreserved low system memory hooking interrupts 10 and 21.

Once Lazy is memory resident, it infects .COM files as they are executed.

Additional Comments:
The Lazy virus was isolated in February, 1991, and its origin is unknown. This virus is a memory resident infector of .COM files, including COMMAND.COM. The first time a program infected with the Lazy virus is executed on a system, the virus will install itself memory resident in unreserved low system memory hooking interrupts 10 and 21. The system processor will be significantly slowed down, resulting in very slow screen writes occurring. After Lazy is memory resident, it will infect .COM programs as they are executed. Infected .COM programs will increase in size by 720 bytes with the virus being located at the end of the infected file. The program's date and time in the disk directory will be updated to the current system date and time when infection occurred. Infected programs can be identified by the text string "lazy" which will occur near the end of all infected programs. Systems infected with the Lazy virus may experience unexpected system hangs. These hangs occur when some programs are executed which allocate and overwrite the memory where the Lazy virus resides in memory. For example, ViruScan will hang when it checks memory if Lazy is currently resident. Known variant(s) of Lazy are:

Infected files contain the text string "lazy" which is located near the end of all infected files.

The system processor is significantly slowed down, resulting in very slow screen writes occurring on infected systems.

Systems infected with the Lazy virus may experience unexpected system hangs. These hangs occur when some files are executed which allocate and overwrite the memory where the Lazy virus resides in memory.

Infected .COM files increase in size by 720 bytes. The virus is located at the end of the infected file. The file's date and time in the disk directory is updated to the current system date and time of infection.

Heres the link,
http://hq.mcafeeasap.com/dispVirus.asp?virus_k=700

[Miz]

It's most likely a misplaced backup file for your address book. It's a known bug, created with some MS update or other, which makes the usual backup file every time you make a change to your address book only it puts it on the desktop instead of where it belongs.

If that's what it is, you can safely delete it. I recall reading somewhere that a more recent update/patch corrected the problem.

[lexi]

I've had the exact same thing poping up on my desktop. I tried everything that Bob mentioned to figure it out and then would just delete it with the trash.

FLG thank you for the link - I guess this explains why my computer is so slow...unless I'm not understanding what you wrote. I'm going to check out the link and see about getting rid of it.

[ToyotaSupra]

If you delete, then send or reply to an email does it pop up again? This happens to me on WinME, and I dont know what it is.

[lexi]

ToyotaSupra,
I don't know about Bob, but when I delete it, the thing just comes back on my desktop. I can't say for sure but it seems to come back when I use certain programs like my scanner or printer.
I don't think it comes back anytime I'm using my email but I'll reply to one now just to be sure.

[FLG]

lexi yes the pc will slow down, theres different ways to remove it on the page off the link i posted, tell us how it goes.

[lexi]

FLG,
Ididn't have a virus program installed on my computer so I went to Norton's and downloaded the trial program. It ran a scan and said no viruses found...when that little icon pops up again I'll run the scan before putting it in the trash and see if Norton picks it up. Guess I'm back to just a slow running computer again lol.

[eldon]

It`s safe to delete it as you will notice it will return when you have made a change in your address book in outlook express.It`s just a temp file.

[DarkHorse]

It doesn't sound like you have totally ruled out a virus, see if there's another anti-virus software you can use.

In my experience, I've had temp files show up on my desktop when I had an application open. Usually these files are hidden, and should be typically closed when an application is terminated, but who knows what wonky crud could be going on with your computer.

You can check what programs are running with program manager (ctrl+alt+del) and see if that adds any insight.

[lexi]

Hi DarkHorse,

I'll take your advice and try another virus program...the only other one I know is Mcafee..so I'll give that one a try.

And wouldn't you know it ..I've been opening and using all my programs to see if the thing will pop out but so far it hasn't.

[Panama Red]

If you're sure it's a temp file, why not go to folder options and show hidden files, then just delete everything in the temp folder under Windows. Never had this problem, but it seems logical. And the last thing I'd do (right after swallowing the hemlock), is load MacAfee on my computer!!! Especially if you have any Norton or other AV remnants on there.

[lexi]

Actually I'm not sure that its a temp file...I know that each time it popped up I would just trash it and other than everything running slow on my system...it didn't seem to affect anything else.

I didn't download the macafee afterall because when I went to their site they want you to pay before you try, with a money back offer.

How come you don't like Macafee?

[ktkendall]

I get that little thing sometimes and I have scanned for virus and such and am clean. It seems to be when I use Microsoft Word and save or delete and attachment I opened....

[azscary]

And the last thing I'd do (right after swallowing the hemlock), is load MacAfee on my computer!!!

Having McAfee, IMHO, is worse than no anti-virus at all.

[Bob338]

Since I DO have McAfee I guess maybe I might be worse off.

I've never had a slow down in my machine at all and I've had no ill effects from simply deleting. It's just kinda like a wart on the end of your nose. Not really a problem but you'd like to be rid of it.

I've run the anti-virus program and nothing shows up. Actually, I'm even worse off. I got my computer from Dell with Norton installed. Several things I didn't like about it and the tech at Dell strongly suggested I go to McAfee when the update subscription expired. Go figure!

What I couldn't figure out is the increase in size of the file all of a sudden when it seemed to stay the same size for so long. I don't update address books frequently though from what has been said, I use Outlook Express and receive quite a number of new E-mails to which I respond. The address is then automatically included in my Address Book. But still no slowdown.

Maybe I'll try touching bases with McAfee and see what little bit of help I might get out of them. On a couple of questions I didn't even get a response so don't expect this to be any different, but then I had the same experience with Norton.

[azscary]

I use a little known but very reputable AV called Panda.

My little bear is a BIG GRIZZLY when it comes to stopping nasties. I don't even know it is there until it updates or stops a bug.

No performance slowdowns, no stupid splash screens at startup, no blocking my emali ports for no apparent reason like Norton does and the 2 times in 2 years I have had to contact them I got a reply email within minutes and the problem was solved.

They have a corporate version, a home version and a small business version. The plain antivirus is called Panda Titanium, the combination firewall, secuiryt center and AV is called Platinum. Online at www.pandasoftware.com the cost of the AV is $39.90 a year and they offer a 6 month for $19.90.

Edit:
Oh yeah and they have a free online scanner.