Win7 folder specific error. PLEASE HELP!

[--Fire--]

Hi

I have been at my wits end to solve the problem but to no avail. I need to fix my laptop as soon as possible, need it for some official work, so please help fast!

I recently formatted my PC and installed a fresh copy of Win7 in C:

When I copied my stuff from my external hard drive ( I took a backup earlier), I suspect there was a virus/trojan etc in it.

My PC runs absolutely fine/smoothly until I open C:\users\abc\Downloads

My PC stops responding as soon as I open the folder. I used the command prompt in Windows installation DVD to delete everything in the Downloads folder. Then I ran scans using AVG, MalwareBytes and SuperAntiSpyware but found nothing.

My downloads folder is empty but during the scan, I noticed a folder.jpg file was being scanned in the Downloads folder. But I didn't see any such file there. So I went to registry and found a registry entry by the name folder.jpg with the C:\Users\abc\Downloads\folder.jpg as its location value.

I deleted the registry entry. I know it might be nothing but I thought it was worth a mention. I have ran the scans over but to no avail. My PC is running fine until I do anything. As soon as I open that folder, it stops responding and becomes super laggy.

I am assuming, its a rootkit which runs as soon as I open the folder but I am not sure since good softwares such as MalwareBytes are unable to detect any. ( Its a fully updated and registered version).

ComboFix doesn't work with Win7 and 64 bit, hence I couldnt use that.

Any cure to the problem ( except re-formatting ofcourse because I will eventually need to copy the data from my backup again, so I need a cure) and/or an explanation to the same would be greatly appreciated.

I have Win7 64 bit.

Thanks in advance!

[apines]

It might sound really stupid, but something like this happened to me once and I simply renamed the folder, and it helped (Windows, go figure). Can't you just copy all the relevant material besides the problematic folder?

[caperjack]

folder.jpg is created for the folder thumbnail or as in the music folder for album cover art and other such thumbnails

in windows explorer go to tools /folder optiond /view ,check of show hidded files and folders

haven said that im not sure why trying to open download folder would lock computer ,is that the only folder that does it

[--Fire--]

I know what folder.jpg folder is or what it does. Never said that it was the problem. Just mentioned it because the scanner was picking up the file even though it wasn't there.

And I think I should have specified it, sorry for that, when I said, the folder.jpg is not there, I meant not a hidden file as well. There doesn't exist a file like that. ( double checked with command prompt to list all files)

Yes, that is the only folder that does it. As soon as I open up that folder, the computer stops responding.

Any ideas?

@apines: I can't rename the folder. Its the default Downloads folder of windows. I can copy the relevant material, but that would be a workaround to never use the folder and not a cure to the problem. I want the problem fixed because IF in fact its a rootkit, it might start corrupting other files as well.

[apines]

First of all, you can change your default downloads folder to something else, and you'll never know the difference nor miss not using your old downloads folder. If you define the default downloads to "abc\downloads2" you might solve the problem, even though I admit in a stupid way. Since the folder is empty, deleting it and re-creating it does not help?

The best way to do this thing is to manually copy the folders after the format, and check which folder causes the problem, meaning after which folder the bug starts. I know, it's an unbelievably annoying task, but this way you'll know for sure where is the rotten folder located, delete it from the backup, and never have to worry about something like that happening again.

[Lopht]

I suggest you stop opening that folder and voila - problem solved. :-)

[caperjack]

try root kit revealed to scan comp.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897445.aspx

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