autorun.inf

[NigelC]

Anyone had a problem with this worm/virus or whatever it is?

If so, any ideas/assistance would be gratefully accepted.

Nigel C

[Garry Russell]

Hi Nigel

How, where, when does it show up?

Garry

[NigelC]

It shows up when I do a virus scan, try and get rid but next time it's back again. Think it's also opens the door to a couple of trojan horses that keep cropping up now and again.

I had a prob with FS9 keep crashing to desktop a wee while ago and I tried allsorts of things to sort it, and eventually cured that accidentally by downloading XP SP3. I think it may have crept in around this time, but didn't seem to be doing much. However, last night I had a problem when I knocked my wireless adapter out and lost internet connection. It couldn't seem to find the drivers again, and when I inserted the install disk to reload them, it starts to remove the software to then reinstall it, but the remove hangs halfway, so I've no net connection at home at the mo. Now, of course, this install disk "autoruns". So I was wondering if autorun.inf was causing the hang. Hang occurs at (bear in mind I'm at the office, not home so haven't got it in front of me) "c/......./libeay32.dll" or something similar.

Nige C

[Garry Russell]

Hi Nigell

There are a lot of hits on Google

Quick glance at one doesn't sy it's bad

Garry

[NigelC]

One of the problems is there are so many hits :brick:

Which one to trust? So many want you to download their software, but is there a risk of frying pan to fire?

I may well take it to my local PC store, because I want to upgrade memory soon anyway.

N

[Garry Russell]

The number of hit's might just be beacuse so many query it.

Garry

[briwith]

Perhaps I am missing something but, as far as I am aware, autorun.inf is a little batch file added to CD ROMs to make them autorun by pointing to the appropriate .exe programme. You should be able to open and read autorun.inf in Notepad etc.

ATB,

Brian W

[Garry Russell]

Hi Brian

That's basically what it said on the hits I read.

I don't think it's anything bad

Garry

[DaveB]

I think it might be possible that autorun.inf has been corrupted and since repatched with the installation of SP3. I've had it happen once.. years ago.. and all it meant was that I had to select the cd drive and find the run.exe/setup.exe file and make em go manually. It's not a virus.. unless some git has sent one out with nasties in!

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[ianhind]

There has been one with nasties in apparently - early this year according to a Google search.

That is why it is important to see what the contents are. In Notepad, it should look something like this:
[autorun]
OPEN=Utility\Setup.exe
ICON=ps.ico

And if you cannot find the autorun.inf file, it may be hidden - search from Explorer using the Advanced options and tick "search for hidden files and folders".

I think that there should not be one in the root directory of a hard disk (ie C:\, D:\). What's the point? I have several in directories off the root (eg C:\Netgear) where I have temporary installation files because they have come off a CD. CDs or USB pen drives are the places where autorun.inf usually lives.

Ian