How can I delete a .exe file that has secretly been installed in my C: drive?

After visiting a website ZoneAlarm notified me that a .exe file in my C: drive was trying to access the internet. I know this is a foreign file b/c I never installed anything like that and nothing like that was ever there. Norton has not been able to quarantine the file b/c a message says the file is in use or write protected. I cannot delete the file for the same message. What can I do? This file is repeatedly trying to access the internet. I'm suspecting it's a malicious file.

How can I delete a .exe file that has secretly been installed in my C: drive?
Probably easiest to boot the system in safe mode (tap F8 every second or two while booting until you see the screen giving you the option to boot into safe mode). Once there, you can probably delete the file without any problems.





Failing that, try downloading Knoppix (http://www.knoppix.com). Boot off of that, and you'll definitely have the ability to delete it.





To make an effort to prevent this activity in the future, try downloading a free realtime spy/malware monitoring tool such as Windows Defender.
Reply:I had the same problem before - I honestly can't remember how I fixed it now but I would suggest you go into your task manager (ctrl-alt-del) and google each of your processes that you're not sure about - you should pick up a website that will have most of them and you can just search in there.





End any suspicious processes (the website will usually suggest whether it is recommended to end certain processes or not) and go back to the file you want to delete and try deleting it before it starts itself again.





Even if this doesn't solve your problems (there are some better solutions above), you should clear some of your ram and the pc will run faster.
Reply:write down the file name ... then click start and go to find or search, click on all files and folders then type in the file name.. let it search then right click any and all files one at a time and delete them empty your recycle bin and then rerun you virus and malwear protection
Reply:Put it on a different folder to the one it is on, and then quickly delete that folder.


If that doesn't work, you will have to boot in Safe Mode, run antivirus and antispyware software, and if the file is still there, delete it.


http://www.pchell.com/support/safemode.s...