Need help finding a file in computer

Post Reply New Topic

I downloaded a file under suspicious circumstances and I can't find it.

I'm practically computer illiterate (one thing I really need to change asap).

It's an .avi file, 5,69 MB and 30 or 31 seconds long. I downloaded it just now.

The file name (at least when I downloaded it) is "to Silver Proteus.avi" and I downloaded it from www.mediasharez.com

I was told it was a video file, but when I played it on Realplayer there was no video. I don't know if this has to do with codecs or something.

Is there any way I can find this file based on just this information?

I can't re-download it to see where it's being downloaded, the site won't permit it.

Can someone transmit a virus through Real player?

try -- go to start - search - under files type - *.avi - see if it turns up there may be more than one avi file but you can tell from the date and size

some browsers will catalog your downloads; I know Firefox will. If you have it, it's under Tools, downloads...

These are really suspicious circumstances...I can't find it.

I don't know if it's a virus or something else.

Is it possible to send a virus through an .avi file?

Internet explorer doesn't.

I agree this is probably your best shot.

I have no idea. I hope not.
Yes, it should be a video file. And my McAffee computer monitoring software says that website if okay, not a risky one.

Here's partly the story behind these very suspicious circumstances:

I'm being harassed online by some people (you know who you are). When asking one (who I highly suspect) to offer some filmed proof that he/she was, infact, who he/she said he/she is, he uploaded a file through the site I posted above.

I think this file contains a virus or something worse.

I can't find the file on my computer anywhere under the original name.

Antiviruses haven't found anything.

Can someone download a corrupted .avi file through the internet?

I just asked my daughter (the nerd) to take a look at this thread. She should be able to help, but she is not at the computer just now (at work, nerding for the college.)

Pops

The file might be hidden. If serach-*.avi doesn't show it, see if the search function offers "show hidden" or "show all" This might hop it up.

There might be a file folder on your computer called "recent (files or downloads)" peek in there and set display to show hidden.

Pops

Thanks, I appreciate it.



I tried that, and found nothing.

I have a few stupid questions, if somebody didn't mind answering them I'd be greatly gratified:

Does a file with 5,69 MB of space which lasts 31 seconds (of neither sound or video) seem corrupt?

Is it possible it's not an .avi file even though it says .avi?

Is it possible to download a virus through an .avi file?

Scumsuckingdouchbag, what was in that file?

I've downloaded (and lost) things before, the name it says it's going to be and the name of whatever actually downloads don't always match.
I don't really know if it could be a virus, but maybe it's a corrupt file that just doesn't work.
Looking this up...... stuff I found, don't know how accurate it is:

Most say yes it can have a virus. But most say that anti-virus software will catch it if it does. You do have anti-virus software, don't you? If not, get some.

Is it weird that I can't find the file under its original name anywhere? It doesn't seem to be in temporary files where supposebly it was downloaded.



I have two anti virus software and I ran them both on my computer. They didn't find anything.

I think it might be a corrupted file more than anything, but would 5,69 MB of nothing running for 31 seconds be corrupted?

Well, Realplayer is infamous for being a Trojan infested virus carpetbag, so I would kill realplayer and if you have some patience, go Wikipeda: Spybot Search and Destroy, and download that and let it run, but you might have to wait. Also recommending VLC, and Windows Media Player does AVI files if I remember correctly. Winamp is also a choice, but I really would call it GlitchBugAmp (Or CrashAmp). This is only my advice, so do what you will.

The file may have been automatically deleted or it's hidden under Temporary Internet Files. Try using a file recovery utility (like the one at http://www.undelete-plus.com). Or search for files with creation time similar to the time you downloaded the file.

As far as I know, a avi video cannot ship with a "gift" virus. What somebody can do is create a malformed .avi file that exploits a buffer/heap overflow bug on the media player software, resulting in execution of malicious code (that's the same sh!t in the end)