Strange System Process

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

Been stuck on this for a while.

I've got a system process that I can end, but keeps popping up. The system
process is plays.exe

When I do a Windows Search the only results that come up are in
C:\WINDOWS\security

Is this a general system process that I'm just not aware of, or is it
something that is potentially harmful.

It's been on there for a while and no tech forums I've gone to have come up
with anything. Nobody I know has this process either. So I figured I'd
check here.

Any help?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software
http://support.microsoft.com/?­id=827315

Download Ad-aware SE and scan your PC for the presence of sp­yware:
http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button

Symantec Security Check
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym&plfid=23&pkj=YVXRORVWHFHMFNZMBBX

Install Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Serdash" wrote:

| Been stuck on this for a while.
|
| I've got a system process that I can end, but keeps popping up. The system
| process is plays.exe
|
| When I do a Windows Search the only results that come up are in
| C:\WINDOWS\security
|
| Is this a general system process that I'm just not aware of, or is it
| something that is potentially harmful.
|
| It's been on there for a while and no tech forums I've gone to have come up
| with anything. Nobody I know has this process either. So I figured I'd
| check here.
|
| Any help?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

M'kay maybe I should be more clear.

I use Ad-Aware, Spyboy Search & Destroy, AVG, Trend Micro House Call and
Microsoft Anti-Spyware.

None of them pick it up as anything suspicious.

Microsoft Anti-Spyware allows me to attempt to block the process from
running, but when I block it, it just comes through anyways and runs normally.

I'm not looking for a program to help me figure out of it's harmful. I've
tried that with multiple ones. Now I'm looking for people to help me, maybe
someone has had a similar problem.

So technically you were of no help to me.

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" wrote:

> Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software
> http://support.microsoft.com/?­id=827315
>
> Download Ad-aware SE and scan your PC for the presence of sp­yware:
> http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button
>
> Symantec Security Check
> http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym&plfid=23&pkj=YVXRORVWHFHMFNZMBBX
>
> Install Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=321cd7a2-6a57-4c57-a8bd-dbf62eda9671&displaylang=en
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows XP - Shell/User
> Microsoft Newsgroups
>
> Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Serdash" wrote:
>
> | Been stuck on this for a while.
> |
> | I've got a system process that I can end, but keeps popping up. The system
> | process is plays.exe
> |
> | When I do a Windows Search the only results that come up are in
> | C:\WINDOWS\security
> |
> | Is this a general system process that I'm just not aware of, or is it
> | something that is potentially harmful.
> |
> | It's been on there for a while and no tech forums I've gone to have come up
> | with anything. Nobody I know has this process either. So I figured I'd
> | check here.
> |
> | Any help?
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

plays.exe is not an XP file.

A google search turns up nothing, this usually indicates virus or spyware.

My C:\WINDOWS\security contains no *.exe files at all.

Right click plays.exe and select Properties. Look at everything.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:7F26E9D7-C85C-4D87-AAC3-4BF86A4A9533@microsoft.com,
Serdash <Serdash@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
> Been stuck on this for a while.
>
> I've got a system process that I can end, but keeps popping up. The
> system process is plays.exe
>
> When I do a Windows Search the only results that come up are in
> C:\WINDOWS\security
>
> Is this a general system process that I'm just not aware of, or is it
> something that is potentially harmful.
>
> It's been on there for a while and no tech forums I've gone to have come
> up with anything. Nobody I know has this process either. So I figured
> I'd check here.
>
> Any help?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

Yeah. I tried that. It came up with nothing.

Tried booting into safe mode and getting rid of it, but when I got into safe
mode it turns out it was still there, chugging away.

Hopefully I can find a way to get rid of it.

"Wesley Vogel" wrote:

> plays.exe is not an XP file.
>
> A google search turns up nothing, this usually indicates virus or spyware.
>
> My C:\WINDOWS\security contains no *.exe files at all.
>
> Right click plays.exe and select Properties. Look at everything.
>
> --
> Hope this helps. Let us know.
>
> Wes
> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
>
> In news:7F26E9D7-C85C-4D87-AAC3-4BF86A4A9533@microsoft.com,
> Serdash <Serdash@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
> > Been stuck on this for a while.
> >
> > I've got a system process that I can end, but keeps popping up. The
> > system process is plays.exe
> >
> > When I do a Windows Search the only results that come up are in
> > C:\WINDOWS\security
> >
> > Is this a general system process that I'm just not aware of, or is it
> > something that is potentially harmful.
> >
> > It's been on there for a while and no tech forums I've gone to have come
> > up with anything. Nobody I know has this process either. So I figured
> > I'd check here.
> >
> > Any help?
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (More info?)

Serdash,

plays.exe is probably running.

Start in Safe Mode

Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc)

Click the Processes tab

Locate plays.exe

Right click plays.exe

Select End Process

Answer YES

Now go to C:\WINDOWS\security
and try to delete plays.exe


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:3D1C1230-53CB-4723-921A-4D1369EE960D@microsoft.com,
Serdash <Serdash@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
> Yeah. I tried that. It came up with nothing.
>
> Tried booting into safe mode and getting rid of it, but when I got into
> safe mode it turns out it was still there, chugging away.
>
> Hopefully I can find a way to get rid of it.
>
> "Wesley Vogel" wrote:
>
>> plays.exe is not an XP file.
>>
>> A google search turns up nothing, this usually indicates virus or
>> spyware.
>>
>> My C:\WINDOWS\security contains no *.exe files at all.
>>
>> Right click plays.exe and select Properties. Look at everything.
>>
>> --
>> Hope this helps. Let us know.
>>
>> Wes
>> MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
>>
>> In news:7F26E9D7-C85C-4D87-AAC3-4BF86A4A9533@microsoft.com,
>> Serdash <Serdash@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
>>> Been stuck on this for a while.
>>>
>>> I've got a system process that I can end, but keeps popping up. The
>>> system process is plays.exe
>>>
>>> When I do a Windows Search the only results that come up are in
>>> C:\WINDOWS\security
>>>
>>> Is this a general system process that I'm just not aware of, or is it
>>> something that is potentially harmful.
>>>
>>> It's been on there for a while and no tech forums I've gone to have come
>>> up with anything. Nobody I know has this process either. So I figured
>>> I'd check here.
>>>
>>> Any help?