GTDownDE_87.OCX reported as a Generic PUP z by McAfee; info on Dell System Restore preload images; info on removing My Way Search Assistant
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Greg Kirkpatrick
Feb 8, 2009, 1:20:01 PM2/8/09
to PalmBeachIT
Researching the slowness on a Windows XP Professional desktop led me to use Dell's image restore (preloaded on this Dimension 3000), which corrected the problem. (If the option isn't broken, CTRL-F11 at Dell boot screen starts DSR.*) [Car's engine not running well? Put in a new one.]
Running the system for several hours (to download Windows Updates and defrag) resulted in McAfee VirusScan (which came with the Dell preload) reporting GTDownDE_87.OCX as a Generic PUP z.
Here's some research I found at linkedin.com on Gteko LTD, the company that apparently produced this file:
I could not access gteko.com -- Firefox said the "page was taking too long to load".
As I am not a fan of unannounced Browser Plug-ins, I removed this file.
I also found the Registry Search Tool ( http://www.billsway.com/vbspage/vbsfiles/RegSrch.zip ) -- which I used to remove the My Way Search Assistant that came preloaded (and partially removed) on this Dell. I searched for "Search Assistant" and "MyWay" (a subsequent search for "My Way" proved redundant), used the Replace option in the WordPad file presented by RegSrch to change "[HKEY" to "[-HKEY", saved the files as "Search Assistant removal.reg" and "MyWay removal.reg" (with the quotes, to avoid the .TXT extension) on the desktop, then ran them to remove the entries from the registry. I then deleted the files in C:\WINDOWS\SRHASSIST [spelling may not be correct on SRHASSIST, I forgot to save it] -- but when I tried to delete the folder, it said it was in use. I used Unlocker ( http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/ ) to unlock and delete the folder. The C:\Program Files\MyWaySA folder did not exist, which is why I think Dell partially removed it, and why there was no "Remove" option in its listing at Add & Remove Programs.
Greg Kirkpatrick
Microsoft Small Business Specialist
MCP, MCTS-Vista, MCITP-Vista
mailto:gr...@ComputerMagic.CC
561-212-6094
Greg Kirkpatrick -- "Like other states, Florida has a tax on stupid people. It's called "The Lottery".
*{For an explanation of the Dell System Restore image preloaded on Dell's Windows XP machines, see http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/ -- note that Windows Vista machines do not use the DSR format as described for XP, which is explained at http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/vista.htm}
Running the system for several hours (to download Windows Updates and defrag) resulted in McAfee VirusScan (which came with the Dell preload) reporting GTDownDE_87.OCX as a Generic PUP z.
Here's some research I found at linkedin.com on Gteko LTD, the company that apparently produced this file:
"Gteko, Ltd. offers networking and support software solutions for the
digital home market. Its products include Self-Help Suite, a resident
application that scans the end-user's computing environment, such as
personal computers, peripherals, and network devices for technical
support and security issues, sending an alert when an issue arises, and
offering an automated fix; Home Network Suite that manages home network
and connected devices; and Assisted Support Suite that provides chat,
mail, and phone support to remote users. The company offers its
eSupport solutions to personal computer and peripherals manufacturers,
Internet service providers, and software vendors. Gteko was founded as
GTek Technologies, Ltd. in 1992 and changed its name to Gteko, Ltd. in
May 2004. The company is headquartered in Ra'anana, Israel with
additional offices in New York and Tokyo. As of November 2006, Gteko
Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation."
I could not access gteko.com -- Firefox said the "page was taking too long to load".
As I am not a fan of unannounced Browser Plug-ins, I removed this file.
I also found the Registry Search Tool ( http://www.billsway.com/vbspage/vbsfiles/RegSrch.zip ) -- which I used to remove the My Way Search Assistant that came preloaded (and partially removed) on this Dell. I searched for "Search Assistant" and "MyWay" (a subsequent search for "My Way" proved redundant), used the Replace option in the WordPad file presented by RegSrch to change "[HKEY" to "[-HKEY", saved the files as "Search Assistant removal.reg" and "MyWay removal.reg" (with the quotes, to avoid the .TXT extension) on the desktop, then ran them to remove the entries from the registry. I then deleted the files in C:\WINDOWS\SRHASSIST [spelling may not be correct on SRHASSIST, I forgot to save it] -- but when I tried to delete the folder, it said it was in use. I used Unlocker ( http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/ ) to unlock and delete the folder. The C:\Program Files\MyWaySA folder did not exist, which is why I think Dell partially removed it, and why there was no "Remove" option in its listing at Add & Remove Programs.
Greg Kirkpatrick
Microsoft Small Business Specialist
MCP, MCTS-Vista, MCITP-Vista
mailto:gr...@ComputerMagic.CC
561-212-6094
Greg Kirkpatrick -- "Like other states, Florida has a tax on stupid people. It's called "The Lottery".
Steve Shelby
Feb 8, 2009, 1:32:40 PM2/8/09
to PalmB...@googlegroups.com
Wow, amazing that this crap came preloaded on a
Dell.
MyWaySeach shows up as malware in just about every tool I
own.
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From: PalmB...@googlegroups.com [mailto:PalmB...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Greg Kirkpatrick
Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2009 1:20 PM
To: PalmBeachIT
Subject: [PalmBeachIT Forum] GTDownDE_87.OCX reported as a Generic PUP z by McAfee; info on Dell System Restore preload images; info on removing My Way Search Assistant
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