Opera in my program files.. but not in my program files?

Firstly i would like to introduce myself and say how great of a site this is.. it seems to be something thats needed more on the net and something not enough people use.

Anyway Im not sure what kind of problem this is if it is one but Im just suspicious as to why Opera would be listed in my program files (even though i cant find it in there) when i had never even heard of the program until CyberScrub discovered it while i was playing around with the program?

I am fairly new to the fine details of computer software and the internet but I cant help but to see this as a security risk. All the same though with what knowlege i do have it seems very strange as to why a program like Opera would be hidden in my program files?

How could it be hidden in there anyway? How could have it got there? Why would it be there? And how can i find it and access it?

If it helps i run XP and Internet Explorer and have already done a deep search looking for it and come up with nothing. Thanx to anyone who replies

Cheers.. Huey.

 

hello Heuy and welcome!

Program Files is where Opera installs to if you've downloaded the browser (file itself is 11.0 MB) but are you saying there is just an empty folder in your Program Files called Opera with nothing in it?

if there is a file in there can you give the name of it and maybe list the properties, that would give the date it was d/l'ed and maybe enough that someone would recognize it. Even if you right-click on the folder, it would give you the date the folder was created, that might help in determining when it was installed.

it might be an ad file of some kind?

snap

*oh, just adding, do you have AdAware or Spybot Search&Destroy or any other kind of spyware/malware/adware detection program, and if so, have you done a full deep scan with them? Also, a full scan with an anti-virus and trojan detector would be a good thing too just to rule out anything else.

 

Hey snapdragin

Well this is the strange thing but the file doesnt exist anywhere to my knowelge and also hasent been downloaded by me or anyone else using this computer.

I only became aware of Opera being on my computer when playing around with CyberScrub and it asking me whether i wanted to delete the Opera internet browser traces.

The files it asks me whether i wanted to 'clean' are:
utopera.win
cookies4.dat
download.dat
global.dat
opera.dir
Opera.win
vlink4.dat

I am just totally confused because CyberScrub is telling me that these files and or program exists but they are nowhere to be found on my computer?

I do run adware regulary and havent found anything in relation to this problem. Im also running Norton and the trial version of Trojan Hunter and all seems to be good. I have a fair knowlege of computers but this has totally got me

 

Are you sure that CyberScrub identifies these file as actually existing on your machine?

It isn't just listing possible targets, independently of whether they exist?

 

I found this at Opera Support:

" This is a list of Opera files you might want to consider taking a backup of. All files and directories are located in the directory where you installed Opera:

Bookmarks (filename: "opera6.adr" for Opera 6)
Mail (the "MAIL" directory)
Contacts ("contacts.adr")
Instant Messenger settings ("im6.ini")
Window settings (saved windows - "opera.win")
Skins (the "Skin" directory)
Plugins (the "Program\Plugins" directory)
Personal certificates ("opcert6.dat")
Certificate authorities ("opcacrt6.dat")

The file opera.ini contains your general Opera settings, such as cache and plugin information. It is not recommended that you copy this file from a computer to another, as it contains a lot of paths that may be specific to your computer.

You might also consider backing up these files, but remember that they change on a daily basis, and that they contain information about which pages you have visited and files you have downloaded:
Cookies ("cookies4.dat")
Global history ("global.dat")
Visited links ("vlink4.dat")
Download history ("download.dat")."

Go to Folder Options > View. Is show all hidden/system files checked?

 

Hi Huey! Here's the link to get Spybot Search and Destroy. I think you'll like it. It complements Adaware--they complement each other.

http://patrick.kolla.de/spybotsd.html

Click the red cross Flag button on the left panel to have everything in English, unless you know German.

 

Hey Tony.. I think thats what im going to have to put it down to.. it was just a little confusing because it only listed 4 programs for cleaning, Opera being one of them, and while deleting files it listed the C:\Program Files\Opera ect. as only being able to be deleted by restarting the comp. So i guess i have to assume that there were no files to be deleted in the first place?

Sorry for wasting everyones time.. I think my new habbit with learning about internet security has made me a little biased maybe

Also thanx for the link Prince.. i will check it out and give it a wirl

 

If you can't find the files named anywhere on your computer, I can't really come to any other conclusion either.

Besides, I don't think you have could installed Opera inadvertently, you know...

Besides, these really aren't "super hidden" files, and should you have them, you'd certainly have found them.