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Odd, weird, strange file names on hard drive

For the last several months, I have had odd file names showing up on my hard drive. I click on the file to open it and "text edit" opens to a blank page. I delete these files but within a few days they are back again. Does anyone know where these are coming from and how to make them stop appearing?

Examples of the names are: %90, %90%E0%FF%BF7', %A0%E0%FF%BF7', and p%E0%FF%BF7', they all say "zero KB" under size, and "plain text" under kind.

I attempted to post a pic of my HD below but am not sure if it will work.

Thanks,

Dan

/Users/Dan/Desktop/Picture 1.jpg

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.5), 2 GHz Intel Core Duo, 2 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM

Posted on Dec 6, 2008 10:30 AM

30 replies

Dec 6, 2008 8:22 PM in response to joshz

If that is his command prompt, it's missing a user. Shouldn't it be *Comp-Name:working_dir Curr_User*?

The output is still odd. There's so second line. I usually see a line that says *com.apple.FinderInfo #here*

joshz

Level 4

3,290 points

Dec 6, 2008 8:21 PM in response to dmn48312

dmn48312 wrote:
I have plenty of non-Apple software installed, but nothing too recent.

That's probably what I should have asked from the start.

What have you changed recently, especially around the time the problem started?

dmn48312 Author

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Dec 6, 2008 8:26 PM in response to joshz

I'm thinking the latest software added was probably Norton AV, and that was several months ago. I don't add alot, but I do subscribe to version tracker, so the stuff I have installed is updated frequently.

joshz

Level 4

3,290 points

Dec 6, 2008 8:34 PM in response to dmn48312

dmn48312 wrote:
I'm thinking the latest software added was probably Norton AV, and that was several months ago.

GET RID OF IT. NOW.

You are
1) Throwing your money away.
2) Messing with your mac-Norton products are notoriously unreliable on macs.

Commercial AV software is COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY ON MACS. If you really want something to stop yourself from passing on windows viruses to your friends, get the free ClamXav.

Good luck!

Message was edited by: joshz

joshz

Level 4

3,290 points

Dec 6, 2008 8:35 PM in response to Community User

macwiz1220 wrote:
If that is his command prompt, it's missing a user. Shouldn't it be *Comp-Name:working_dir Curr_User*?

The output is still odd. There's so second line. I usually see a line that says *com.apple.FinderInfo #here*

It's probably either some customization, or just an incomplete copy-and-paste.
Either way, it's irrelevant.

Dec 6, 2008 8:36 PM in response to dmn48312

If I remember correctly, Norton AV on W-W-Windoze *cowers in fear* did this also. But like Josh has said, dump it. Use ClamXav if you really want.

dmn48312 Author

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Dec 6, 2008 8:38 PM in response to Community User

Do u think the Norton could be causing this problem? Maybe I'll un-install and see what happens.

Dec 6, 2008 8:39 PM in response to dmn48312

I almost guarantee you the problem is Norton.

joshz

Level 4

3,290 points

Dec 6, 2008 8:40 PM in response to dmn48312

dmn48312 wrote:
Do u think the Norton could be causing this problem?

Yes, almost certainly.

Maybe I'll un-install and see what happens.

You definitely should — you DON'T NEED IT. You're WASTING YOUR MONEY, as well as your mac's processor cycles, RAM, and hard disk space.

dmn48312 Author

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Dec 6, 2008 8:43 PM in response to joshz

Thanks for your advice, I'll try to uninstall early this week and see if those files re-appear. (going to bed now!) I mainly had it to prevent me from passing a virus to PC users, but I'll look into that clamx program instead.

Kevin Horn

Level 4

1,836 points

Dec 6, 2008 8:49 PM in response to joshz

GET RID OF IT. NOW.

Words of wisdom, and never put a Norton product on your Mac again.

You don't need anti-virus software because there are no viruses for Macs. And if there were you still shouldn't use Norton.

There will probably come a time when there will be viruses for Macs to deal with but until then don't worry about it.

joshz

Level 4

3,290 points

Dec 8, 2008 4:18 AM in response to dmn48312

Oddly enough, Macworld just ran a story on this exact thing. See: http://www.macworld.com/article/137303/2008/12/uninstallnortonantivirus.html?lsr c=rss_main for details.

dmn48312 Author

Level 1

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Dec 8, 2008 6:31 AM in response to joshz

ARRRGH! I uninstalled NAV, but the problem is still there! I believe I have narrowed it down. The files seem to be created upon a re-start of the computer. PS: It does seem to run faster with NAV gone.

foureyed

Level 1

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Feb 11, 2009 8:13 AM in response to dmn48312

I just found about 20 similar files, all plain text files that are 0 kb, on my hard drive, too. Apparently they were all made about 2 weeks ago, at almost the same time. I haven't used Photoshop in the last month, and I've never had Norton anything on this machine.

Could it be related to StuffIt somehow, as in something went wrong?

There's also a single file called "stream" made at the same time. Could it be an audio stream that went crazy?

Thanks for helping me figure this one out - and hopefully this helps the original poster, too!

Mar 15, 2009 10:07 AM in response to foureyed

I have the same exact problem as foureyed. Except I'm up to over 130 files. I just discovered this yesterday but it started Jan 2,09. They seem to be created in batches. For example, the first series of files were all made at the same exact day & time. 88 files!

I've tried to used Time Machine to go back and see what I may have installed or used around that time but very hard to pinpoint that way.

Has anyone figured out what the cause is?

I too have never had any Norton Software on this machine. Thanks to all here!

Odd, weird, strange file names on hard drive