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My Problem with Nuisance Temp Files



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 31st 06, 09:42 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsme.general
caroloyl
External Usenet User
 
Posts: 22
Default My Problem with Nuisance Temp Files

Hi Good Folk! So glad you're still here ))

I see this has been addressed very recently but I've a new twist:

Yesterday--while removing a puzzle file I'd erroneously saved in the Windows
folder (I'd made it from a desktop wallpaper '-)--I found three hundred and
forty eight empty "fff {...}.tmp" files in there. I was shocked!

I vaguely remembered reading something about them before so did some
Googling and visited MS for the poop about Word 2000 being their creator and
details for putting an end to the glitch. But, but, but . . . and here's
the twist . . . I don't have Word 2000 installed--in fact, I've never had
it! I have Word 97 which I installed last January 17 on the heels of a new
hard drive--and a computer-wide search for the culprit Mdm.exe file comes up
empty! There's no entry for it in msconfig and no entry in the registry
under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr ent
Version\RunServices to delete. I've disabled 97's Find Fast (through the
Control Panel); disabled script debugging in IE; disabled PCHealth by way of
msconfig (and also disabled its scheduled task); and I deleted all the
hundreds of fff tmps--but each boot still gets me two fresh ones :-(

I did notice, however, that the first instance of an fff tmp was dated
April 19th--the day after I installed an updated version (6.0.1.1091) of the
Acrobat Reader (I keep records '-). Is it possible that AcroRd32 is
creating the fff files???

Insights, ideas much appreciated :-)

carol
















  #2  
Old July 31st 06, 11:35 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsme.general
Mike M
External Usenet User
 
Posts: 2,047
Default My Problem with Nuisance Temp Files

The fff temp files are not created by Word nor do they have anything to do
with the useless FindFast or Acrobat.

It appears that you may have Microsoft's Machine Debug Manager (mdm.exe)
loading at startup. MDM is installed by default when you install MS
Office and perhaps also by VisualStudio. If you don't need MDM to debug
script problems then I would recommend a) killing mdm.exe in the Task
Manager, b) removing mdm.exe from Startup in MSConfig, c) in Internet
Explorer, go Tools | Internet Options | Advanced and make certain that
"Disable script debugging" is checked in the "Browsing" section, and d)
renaming mdm.exe to something like mdm.old. This can be a pretty
persistent little program and unless one renames the file you will find it
added to startup again behind your back - for example when adding a
service pack to O2K.

Once you have killed mdm you can delete all the fff??????{?????}.tmp files
it will have created in your ..\windows folder.

See also MS KB Q221438 - "OFF2000: Files Whose Name Begins with "fff"
Appear in Windows Folder"
(http://support.microsoft.com/support...Q221/4/38.ASP).

Look again for mdm.exe making sure first that you have enabled the viewing
of all hidden files (Folder Options | View, two places).
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



caroloyl wrote:

Hi Good Folk! So glad you're still here ))

I see this has been addressed very recently but I've a new twist:

Yesterday--while removing a puzzle file I'd erroneously saved in the
Windows folder (I'd made it from a desktop wallpaper '-)--I found
three hundred and forty eight empty "fff {...}.tmp" files in there.
I was shocked!

I vaguely remembered reading something about them before so did some
Googling and visited MS for the poop about Word 2000 being their
creator and details for putting an end to the glitch. But, but, but
. . . and here's the twist . . . I don't have Word 2000
installed--in fact, I've never had it! I have Word 97 which I
installed last January 17 on the heels of a new hard drive--and a
computer-wide search for the culprit Mdm.exe file comes up empty!
There's no entry for it in msconfig and no entry in the registry
under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr ent
Version\RunServices to delete. I've disabled 97's Find Fast (through
the Control Panel); disabled script debugging in IE; disabled
PCHealth by way of msconfig (and also disabled its scheduled task);
and I deleted all the hundreds of fff tmps--but each boot still gets
me two fresh ones :-(

I did notice, however, that the first instance of an fff tmp was dated
April 19th--the day after I installed an updated version (6.0.1.1091)
of the Acrobat Reader (I keep records '-). Is it possible that
AcroRd32 is creating the fff files???

Insights, ideas much appreciated :-)


  #3  
Old August 1st 06, 04:34 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsme.general
caroloyl
External Usenet User
 
Posts: 22
Default My Problem with Nuisance Temp Files

Hi Mike

Thanks for responding :-) . . . but as I said I just don't have Mdm.exe
anywhere--not in the task manager, not on the startup tab of msconfig, not
in the registry, not in the startup folder, not on any of my three hard
drives. Two full searches have come up empty and I do have all hidden files
visible (because I like to delete the old bloated Thumbs.db's whenever I
prune the contents of image folders). "Show hidden files and folders" is
ticked and "Hide protected operating system files" is unchecked. I've never
installed Office 2000--only have Word 97 and Works 4.0.3.458. I don't have
VisualStudio whatever that is--but . . . I do have the PowerPoint Viewer
version 11.0.5703.0 and four new fff files in my Windows folder with today's
date on them (powered up twice).

Of the hundreds of fff files I've removed from the Windows folder (but
haven't permanently deleted) two are dated a few minutes after I installed
the PPViewer on January 18. All of the others began appearing April 19 and
are continuing to be created even today (I did receive a PowerPoint
presentation as an attachment from a relative on April 7th--don't know when
I viewed it though). But I do not have the Mdm.exe program anywhere on my
computer, honest!--unless it's part of PPTVIEW.EXE? Should I maybe
uninstall the PPV and see if the fff's go away? If Mdm.exe is the only
program that creates those files then something baffling is going on!

carol


"Mike M" wrote in message
...
The fff temp files are not created by Word nor do they have anything to do
with the useless FindFast or Acrobat.

It appears that you may have Microsoft's Machine Debug Manager (mdm.exe)
loading at startup. MDM is installed by default when you install MS
Office and perhaps also by VisualStudio. If you don't need MDM to debug
script problems then I would recommend a) killing mdm.exe in the Task
Manager, b) removing mdm.exe from Startup in MSConfig, c) in Internet
Explorer, go Tools | Internet Options | Advanced and make certain that
"Disable script debugging" is checked in the "Browsing" section, and d)
renaming mdm.exe to something like mdm.old. This can be a pretty
persistent little program and unless one renames the file you will find it
added to startup again behind your back - for example when adding a
service pack to O2K.

Once you have killed mdm you can delete all the fff??????{?????}.tmp files
it will have created in your ..\windows folder.

See also MS KB Q221438 - "OFF2000: Files Whose Name Begins with "fff"
Appear in Windows Folder"
(http://support.microsoft.com/support...Q221/4/38.ASP).

Look again for mdm.exe making sure first that you have enabled the viewing
of all hidden files (Folder Options | View, two places).
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



caroloyl wrote:

Hi Good Folk! So glad you're still here ))

I see this has been addressed very recently but I've a new twist:

Yesterday--while removing a puzzle file I'd erroneously saved in the
Windows folder (I'd made it from a desktop wallpaper '-)--I found
three hundred and forty eight empty "fff {...}.tmp" files in there.
I was shocked!

I vaguely remembered reading something about them before so did some
Googling and visited MS for the poop about Word 2000 being their
creator and details for putting an end to the glitch. But, but, but
. . . and here's the twist . . . I don't have Word 2000
installed--in fact, I've never had it! I have Word 97 which I
installed last January 17 on the heels of a new hard drive--and a
computer-wide search for the culprit Mdm.exe file comes up empty!
There's no entry for it in msconfig and no entry in the registry
under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr ent
Version\RunServices to delete. I've disabled 97's Find Fast (through
the Control Panel); disabled script debugging in IE; disabled
PCHealth by way of msconfig (and also disabled its scheduled task);
and I deleted all the hundreds of fff tmps--but each boot still gets
me two fresh ones :-(

I did notice, however, that the first instance of an fff tmp was dated
April 19th--the day after I installed an updated version (6.0.1.1091)
of the Acrobat Reader (I keep records '-). Is it possible that
AcroRd32 is creating the fff files???

Insights, ideas much appreciated :-)












  #4  
Old August 1st 06, 09:33 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsme.general
Mike M
External Usenet User
 
Posts: 2,047
Default My Problem with Nuisance Temp Files

Carol,

Have you tried disabling script debugging as I suggested?

Should I maybe uninstall the PPV and see if
the fff's go away?


That rather depends on which is the more inconvenient, not being able to
view PowerPoint files or having to occasionally delete the unwanted fff
tmp files. A decision only you can make. vbg.
--
Mike Maltby



caroloyl wrote:

Hi Mike

Thanks for responding :-) . . . but as I said I just don't have
Mdm.exe anywhere--not in the task manager, not on the startup tab of
msconfig, not in the registry, not in the startup folder, not on any
of my three hard drives. Two full searches have come up empty and I
do have all hidden files visible (because I like to delete the old
bloated Thumbs.db's whenever I prune the contents of image folders).
"Show hidden files and folders" is ticked and "Hide protected
operating system files" is unchecked. I've never installed Office
2000--only have Word 97 and Works 4.0.3.458. I don't have
VisualStudio whatever that is--but . . . I do have the PowerPoint
Viewer version 11.0.5703.0 and four new fff files in my Windows
folder with today's date on them (powered up twice).

Of the hundreds of fff files I've removed from the Windows folder (but
haven't permanently deleted) two are dated a few minutes after I
installed the PPViewer on January 18. All of the others began
appearing April 19 and are continuing to be created even today (I did
receive a PowerPoint presentation as an attachment from a relative on
April 7th--don't know when I viewed it though). But I do not have
the Mdm.exe program anywhere on my computer, honest!--unless it's
part of PPTVIEW.EXE? Should I maybe uninstall the PPV and see if
the fff's go away? If Mdm.exe is the only program that creates those
files then something baffling is going on!


  #5  
Old August 2nd 06, 05:56 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsme.general
caroloyl
External Usenet User
 
Posts: 22
Default My Problem with Nuisance Temp Files

Hi Mike

Yup, "Disable script debugging" is checked on IE's Internet Options/Advanced
tab.

Since I rarely receive PowerPoint files, I uninstalled the PowerPoint Viewer
yesterday via Add/Remove but it made absolutely no difference--I'm still
getting two new fff files with every boot. So if the PPV is the culprit
it's made some change that doesn't revert! Am I stuck with this?
Certainly can't restore to January 18th :-b

carol



"Mike M" wrote in message
...
Carol,

Have you tried disabling script debugging as I suggested?

Should I maybe uninstall the PPV and see if
the fff's go away?


That rather depends on which is the more inconvenient, not being able to
view PowerPoint files or having to occasionally delete the unwanted fff
tmp files. A decision only you can make. vbg.
--
Mike Maltby



caroloyl wrote:

Hi Mike

Thanks for responding :-) . . . but as I said I just don't have
Mdm.exe anywhere--not in the task manager, not on the startup tab of
msconfig, not in the registry, not in the startup folder, not on any
of my three hard drives. Two full searches have come up empty and I
do have all hidden files visible (because I like to delete the old
bloated Thumbs.db's whenever I prune the contents of image folders).
"Show hidden files and folders" is ticked and "Hide protected
operating system files" is unchecked. I've never installed Office
2000--only have Word 97 and Works 4.0.3.458. I don't have
VisualStudio whatever that is--but . . . I do have the PowerPoint
Viewer version 11.0.5703.0 and four new fff files in my Windows
folder with today's date on them (powered up twice).

Of the hundreds of fff files I've removed from the Windows folder (but
haven't permanently deleted) two are dated a few minutes after I
installed the PPViewer on January 18. All of the others began
appearing April 19 and are continuing to be created even today (I did
receive a PowerPoint presentation as an attachment from a relative on
April 7th--don't know when I viewed it though). But I do not have
the Mdm.exe program anywhere on my computer, honest!--unless it's
part of PPTVIEW.EXE? Should I maybe uninstall the PPV and see if
the fff's go away? If Mdm.exe is the only program that creates those
files then something baffling is going on!




  #6  
Old August 2nd 06, 07:57 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsme.general
Mike M
External Usenet User
 
Posts: 2,047
Default My Problem with Nuisance Temp Files

Am I stuck with this?

Yes until you remove the program that is creating these files which 99.9%
of the time is the machine debug manager (mdm.exe). What do you have
listed and checked in MSConfig | Startup?
--
Mike Maltby



caroloyl wrote:

Hi Mike

Yup, "Disable script debugging" is checked on IE's Internet
Options/Advanced tab.

Since I rarely receive PowerPoint files, I uninstalled the PowerPoint
Viewer yesterday via Add/Remove but it made absolutely no
difference--I'm still getting two new fff files with every boot. So
if the PPV is the culprit it's made some change that doesn't revert!
Am I stuck with this?
Certainly can't restore to January 18th :-b

carol



"Mike M" wrote in message
...
Carol,

Have you tried disabling script debugging as I suggested?

Should I maybe uninstall the PPV and see if
the fff's go away?


That rather depends on which is the more inconvenient, not being
able to view PowerPoint files or having to occasionally delete the
unwanted fff tmp files. A decision only you can make. vbg.
--
Mike Maltby



caroloyl wrote:

Hi Mike

Thanks for responding :-) . . . but as I said I just don't have
Mdm.exe anywhere--not in the task manager, not on the startup tab of
msconfig, not in the registry, not in the startup folder, not on any
of my three hard drives. Two full searches have come up empty and I
do have all hidden files visible (because I like to delete the old
bloated Thumbs.db's whenever I prune the contents of image folders).
"Show hidden files and folders" is ticked and "Hide protected
operating system files" is unchecked. I've never installed Office
2000--only have Word 97 and Works 4.0.3.458. I don't have
VisualStudio whatever that is--but . . . I do have the PowerPoint
Viewer version 11.0.5703.0 and four new fff files in my Windows
folder with today's date on them (powered up twice).

Of the hundreds of fff files I've removed from the Windows folder
(but haven't permanently deleted) two are dated a few minutes after
I installed the PPViewer on January 18. All of the others began
appearing April 19 and are continuing to be created even today (I
did receive a PowerPoint presentation as an attachment from a
relative on April 7th--don't know when I viewed it though). But I
do not have the Mdm.exe program anywhere on my computer,
honest!--unless it's part of PPTVIEW.EXE? Should I maybe
uninstall the PPV and see if the fff's go away? If Mdm.exe is the
only program that creates those files then something baffling is
going on!


  #7  
Old August 4th 06, 07:21 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsme.general
caroloyl
External Usenet User
 
Posts: 22
Default My Problem with Nuisance Temp Files

Hi Mike

Thanks for sticking with me :-))

On the startup tab I have going:
$Volumouse$ (had this for a couple of years--great little app)
Desktop Architect (had this since 2001--ditto)
ScanRegistry
TaskMonitor
SystemTray
LoadPowerProfile
avast! Web Scanner
Tweak UI
LoadPowerProfile (again)
SchedulingAgent
*StateMgr
avast!
KB891711
DKService (Diskeeper)
Dialog Box Assistant (been using this handy app for years too)

Unchecked and disabled a
InstantAccess (TextBridge)
RegisterDropHandler (ditto TB)
C-Media Mixer
PCHealth
RegisterDropHandler(TextBridge again)
Microsoft Find Fast (installed with Word 97)
Office Startup (ditto)

These seven apps always show in the Close Program dialog:
Explorer
Osdex (another name for Dialog Box Assistant)
Datray (Desktop Architect)
Systray
Dkservice
Volumouse
Ashwebsv (avast! Web Scanner)

Nothing new or untested here :-\

carol


"Mike M" wrote in message
...
Am I stuck with this?


Yes until you remove the program that is creating these files which 99.9%
of the time is the machine debug manager (mdm.exe). What do you have
listed and checked in MSConfig | Startup?
--
Mike Maltby



caroloyl wrote:

Hi Mike

Yup, "Disable script debugging" is checked on IE's Internet
Options/Advanced tab.

Since I rarely receive PowerPoint files, I uninstalled the PowerPoint
Viewer yesterday via Add/Remove but it made absolutely no
difference--I'm still getting two new fff files with every boot. So
if the PPV is the culprit it's made some change that doesn't revert!
Am I stuck with this?
Certainly can't restore to January 18th :-b

carol



"Mike M" wrote in message
...
Carol,

Have you tried disabling script debugging as I suggested?

Should I maybe uninstall the PPV and see if
the fff's go away?

That rather depends on which is the more inconvenient, not being
able to view PowerPoint files or having to occasionally delete the
unwanted fff tmp files. A decision only you can make. vbg.
--
Mike Maltby



caroloyl wrote:

Hi Mike

Thanks for responding :-) . . . but as I said I just don't have
Mdm.exe anywhere--not in the task manager, not on the startup tab of
msconfig, not in the registry, not in the startup folder, not on any
of my three hard drives. Two full searches have come up empty and I
do have all hidden files visible (because I like to delete the old
bloated Thumbs.db's whenever I prune the contents of image folders).
"Show hidden files and folders" is ticked and "Hide protected
operating system files" is unchecked. I've never installed Office
2000--only have Word 97 and Works 4.0.3.458. I don't have
VisualStudio whatever that is--but . . . I do have the PowerPoint
Viewer version 11.0.5703.0 and four new fff files in my Windows
folder with today's date on them (powered up twice).

Of the hundreds of fff files I've removed from the Windows folder
(but haven't permanently deleted) two are dated a few minutes after
I installed the PPViewer on January 18. All of the others began
appearing April 19 and are continuing to be created even today (I
did receive a PowerPoint presentation as an attachment from a
relative on April 7th--don't know when I viewed it though). But I
do not have the Mdm.exe program anywhere on my computer,
honest!--unless it's part of PPTVIEW.EXE? Should I maybe
uninstall the PPV and see if the fff's go away? If Mdm.exe is the
only program that creates those files then something baffling is
going on!








  #8  
Old August 4th 06, 08:56 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsme.general
Mike M
External Usenet User
 
Posts: 2,047
Default My Problem with Nuisance Temp Files

Carol,

There's nothing there that is creating the ff tmp files you are seeing
despite you saying that they are created each time you boot your system.
Do a pair of these ff files get created if you boot your PC and then do
nothing more than let it run for five minutes and then shutdown? If no
then it isn't a start up entry that is creating the files but rather an
application that you use virtually every time you use your PC. Sorry not
to be able to finger the culprit and I feel you are going to have to do
the detective work yourself to establish which of your applications is
creating the files. I'm inclined to think that it might be Internet
Explorer or that you have a process running that you aren't aware of.

You might want to try using a process viewer such as the old WinTop (part
of the equally old Win95 Powertools available from
http://www.microsoft.com/windows95/d...oy/Default.asp)
or SysInternals Process Explorer (www.sysinternals.com to enable you to
see all the processes that are running on your PC at any time.
--
Mike Maltby



caroloyl wrote:

Hi Mike

Thanks for sticking with me :-))

On the startup tab I have going:
$Volumouse$ (had this for a couple of years--great little app)
Desktop Architect (had this since 2001--ditto)
ScanRegistry
TaskMonitor
SystemTray
LoadPowerProfile
avast! Web Scanner
Tweak UI
LoadPowerProfile (again)
SchedulingAgent
*StateMgr
avast!
KB891711
DKService (Diskeeper)
Dialog Box Assistant (been using this handy app for years too)

Unchecked and disabled a
InstantAccess (TextBridge)
RegisterDropHandler (ditto TB)
C-Media Mixer
PCHealth
RegisterDropHandler(TextBridge again)
Microsoft Find Fast (installed with Word 97)
Office Startup (ditto)

These seven apps always show in the Close Program dialog:
Explorer
Osdex (another name for Dialog Box Assistant)
Datray (Desktop Architect)
Systray
Dkservice
Volumouse
Ashwebsv (avast! Web Scanner)

Nothing new or untested here :-\

carol


"Mike M" wrote in message
...
Am I stuck with this?


Yes until you remove the program that is creating these files which
99.9% of the time is the machine debug manager (mdm.exe). What do

you have listed and checked in MSConfig | Startup?
--
Mike Maltby



caroloyl wrote:

Hi Mike

Yup, "Disable script debugging" is checked on IE's Internet
Options/Advanced tab.

Since I rarely receive PowerPoint files, I uninstalled the
PowerPoint Viewer yesterday via Add/Remove but it made absolutely no
difference--I'm still getting two new fff files with every boot. So
if the PPV is the culprit it's made some change that doesn't revert!
Am I stuck with this?
Certainly can't restore to January 18th :-b

carol



"Mike M" wrote in message
...
Carol,

Have you tried disabling script debugging as I suggested?

Should I maybe uninstall the PPV and see if
the fff's go away?

That rather depends on which is the more inconvenient, not being
able to view PowerPoint files or having to occasionally delete the
unwanted fff tmp files. A decision only you can make. vbg.
--
Mike Maltby



caroloyl wrote:

Hi Mike

Thanks for responding :-) . . . but as I said I just don't have
Mdm.exe anywhere--not in the task manager, not on the startup tab
of msconfig, not in the registry, not in the startup folder, not
on any of my three hard drives. Two full searches have come up
empty and I do have all hidden files visible (because I like to
delete the old bloated Thumbs.db's whenever I prune the contents
of image folders). "Show hidden files and folders" is ticked and
"Hide protected operating system files" is unchecked. I've never
installed Office 2000--only have Word 97 and Works 4.0.3.458. I
don't have VisualStudio whatever that is--but . . . I do have
the PowerPoint Viewer version 11.0.5703.0 and four new fff files
in my Windows folder with today's date on them (powered up twice).

Of the hundreds of fff files I've removed from the Windows folder
(but haven't permanently deleted) two are dated a few minutes
after I installed the PPViewer on January 18. All of the others
began appearing April 19 and are continuing to be created even
today (I did receive a PowerPoint presentation as an attachment
from a relative on April 7th--don't know when I viewed it
though). But I do not have the Mdm.exe program anywhere on my
computer, honest!--unless it's part of PPTVIEW.EXE? Should I
maybe uninstall the PPV and see if the fff's go away? If Mdm.exe
is the only program that creates those files then something
baffling is going on!


  #9  
Old August 5th 06, 05:35 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsme.general
caroloyl
External Usenet User
 
Posts: 22
Default My Problem with Nuisance Temp Files

Hi Mike

You're spot on! Working with your idea, I cold booted and waited five
minutes before running anything. Then I opened the Windows folder to see if
the fff files were in there but found nada. Then I opened a few programs
one at a time refreshing the Windows folder immediately after each loaded to
see if the fff's had appeared--but there were still none after running a
search, looking at pictures with PicaView, opening OE and running a scripted
stationery, and invoking the dial-up. However, once online, as soon as I
loaded IE there they were!

Strange that I'd have had two fff's in January then no more until the middle
of April (and then a number of them every day since!) I think my three-year
old modem is on it's way out--very slow downloading of late--sometimes
stalling to a complete standstill, with heaps of disconnects these last few
months too. I know it's affected the performance of IE and OE--especially
after it's disconnected itself and I've reinvoked it. Once that's happened
both programs sometimes lock up/misbehave until I shut down completely and
reboot (a simple restart doesn't fix). Could the modem be causing IE's
response?

carol


"Mike M" wrote in message
...
Carol,

There's nothing there that is creating the ff tmp files you are seeing
despite you saying that they are created each time you boot your system.
Do a pair of these ff files get created if you boot your PC and then do
nothing more than let it run for five minutes and then shutdown? If no
then it isn't a start up entry that is creating the files but rather an
application that you use virtually every time you use your PC. Sorry not
to be able to finger the culprit and I feel you are going to have to do
the detective work yourself to establish which of your applications is
creating the files. I'm inclined to think that it might be Internet
Explorer or that you have a process running that you aren't aware of.

You might want to try using a process viewer such as the old WinTop (part
of the equally old Win95 Powertools available from

http://www.microsoft.com/windows95/d...95KernelToy/De
fault.asp)
or SysInternals Process Explorer (www.sysinternals.com to enable you to
see all the processes that are running on your PC at any time.
--
Mike Maltby



caroloyl wrote:

Hi Mike

Thanks for sticking with me :-))

On the startup tab I have going:
$Volumouse$ (had this for a couple of years--great little app)
Desktop Architect (had this since 2001--ditto)
ScanRegistry
TaskMonitor
SystemTray
LoadPowerProfile
avast! Web Scanner
Tweak UI
LoadPowerProfile (again)
SchedulingAgent
*StateMgr
avast!
KB891711
DKService (Diskeeper)
Dialog Box Assistant (been using this handy app for years too)

Unchecked and disabled a
InstantAccess (TextBridge)
RegisterDropHandler (ditto TB)
C-Media Mixer
PCHealth
RegisterDropHandler(TextBridge again)
Microsoft Find Fast (installed with Word 97)
Office Startup (ditto)

These seven apps always show in the Close Program dialog:
Explorer
Osdex (another name for Dialog Box Assistant)
Datray (Desktop Architect)
Systray
Dkservice
Volumouse
Ashwebsv (avast! Web Scanner)

Nothing new or untested here :-\

carol


"Mike M" wrote in message
...
Am I stuck with this?

Yes until you remove the program that is creating these files which
99.9% of the time is the machine debug manager (mdm.exe). What do
you have listed and checked in MSConfig | Startup?
--
Mike Maltby



caroloyl wrote:

Hi Mike

Yup, "Disable script debugging" is checked on IE's Internet
Options/Advanced tab.

Since I rarely receive PowerPoint files, I uninstalled the
PowerPoint Viewer yesterday via Add/Remove but it made absolutely no
difference--I'm still getting two new fff files with every boot. So
if the PPV is the culprit it's made some change that doesn't revert!
Am I stuck with this?
Certainly can't restore to January 18th :-b

carol



"Mike M" wrote in message
...
Carol,

Have you tried disabling script debugging as I suggested?

Should I maybe uninstall the PPV and see if
the fff's go away?

That rather depends on which is the more inconvenient, not being
able to view PowerPoint files or having to occasionally delete the
unwanted fff tmp files. A decision only you can make. vbg.
--
Mike Maltby



caroloyl wrote:

Hi Mike

Thanks for responding :-) . . . but as I said I just don't have
Mdm.exe anywhere--not in the task manager, not on the startup tab
of msconfig, not in the registry, not in the startup folder, not
on any of my three hard drives. Two full searches have come up
empty and I do have all hidden files visible (because I like to
delete the old bloated Thumbs.db's whenever I prune the contents
of image folders). "Show hidden files and folders" is ticked and
"Hide protected operating system files" is unchecked. I've never
installed Office 2000--only have Word 97 and Works 4.0.3.458. I
don't have VisualStudio whatever that is--but . . . I do have
the PowerPoint Viewer version 11.0.5703.0 and four new fff files
in my Windows folder with today's date on them (powered up twice).

Of the hundreds of fff files I've removed from the Windows folder
(but haven't permanently deleted) two are dated a few minutes
after I installed the PPViewer on January 18. All of the others
began appearing April 19 and are continuing to be created even
today (I did receive a PowerPoint presentation as an attachment
from a relative on April 7th--don't know when I viewed it
though). But I do not have the Mdm.exe program anywhere on my
computer, honest!--unless it's part of PPTVIEW.EXE? Should I
maybe uninstall the PPV and see if the fff's go away? If Mdm.exe
is the only program that creates those files then something
baffling is going on!









  #10  
Old August 5th 06, 10:34 AM posted to microsoft.public.windowsme.general
Mike M
External Usenet User
 
Posts: 2,047
Default My Problem with Nuisance Temp Files

Carol,

Could the modem be causing IE's response?


I really don't know and its a bit hard to diagnose what might be happening
with your connection without actually observing the fluctuations in speeds
and then checking with a second set of hardware to determine if the
problem is with your line or the hardware on your PC. Is there a chance
that you could borrow another modem from a friend to check this out?

I'm unclear as to why or how your disconnects then leads to other programs
locking up. This sounds awfully like unwanted malware of some sort but I
think not and am sure there is some other simpler explanation however as
to what that might be is beyond me. g

Returning to your fff tmp files. It would seem then that these are being
created by IE in some way and that this is probably controlled by some
Advanced setting or other. I thought that disabling script debugging was
all that was required but you have proven me wrong so some other setting
has to be involved as well. Out of curiosity what version of IE are you
running (Help | About should give you plenty of info here)?
--
Mike Maltby



caroloyl wrote:

Hi Mike

You're spot on! Working with your idea, I cold booted and waited five
minutes before running anything. Then I opened the Windows folder to
see if the fff files were in there but found nada. Then I opened a
few programs one at a time refreshing the Windows folder immediately
after each loaded to see if the fff's had appeared--but there were
still none after running a search, looking at pictures with PicaView,
opening OE and running a scripted stationery, and invoking the
dial-up. However, once online, as soon as I loaded IE there they
were!

Strange that I'd have had two fff's in January then no more until the
middle of April (and then a number of them every day since!) I think
my three-year old modem is on it's way out--very slow downloading of
late--sometimes stalling to a complete standstill, with heaps of
disconnects these last few months too. I know it's affected the
performance of IE and OE--especially after it's disconnected itself
and I've reinvoked it. Once that's happened both programs sometimes
lock up/misbehave until I shut down completely and reboot (a simple
restart doesn't fix). Could the modem be causing IE's response?


 




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