This Null file (no extension) appeared in my C root after juggling with Display drivers. In Google most hits I found seemed to be to do with programming hence I'm posting it on here.

By juggling I mean that I updated to the latest ATI driver and then, for reasons of my own, uninstalled it and opted for a slightly earlier (smaller) version.

In Properties it is defined as:
ATI MPEG Acceleration (V4.13.4005).
Copyright© 1998-2001 ATI Technologies Inc.
Original file name ATIMCRAA.DLL
Product Name Microsoft® DirectX for Windows® 95.

I have a file ATIMCRAA.DLL (V4.12.3036) in c:\windows\system

It doesn't appear to be a virus and there is some reason to suspect it is associated with the higher ATI update I uninstalled.

I just wondered if someone could explain the purpose of a Null file and perhaps why it might have landed there.

I'd better add that the only thing I know about programming(?) is Gwbasic (1985) and .bat and .reg files, so don't expect me to know too much LOL.

Derek.W

By null file do you mean a file like "test" instead of "test.txt"?

Sord

Yes, it's just a file with the name "Null"

It has no extension.

Thx

Derek.W

The reason Google mentioned so many programming related hits was because, naturally enough, null is a return used in programming.

"I just wondered if someone could explain the purpose of a Null file..."

Probably not. It might have been a placeholder for an emergency memory dump which was never needed or used as a simple token (to signify that some action had been taken or record the return of a function). C:/ is a common place for temporary data in Win9x.

Sorry about delayed return. My mobo died.
Thanks for your info "anonproxy". As my new mobo doesn't use ATI I have now deleted that Nul file because it was obviously theirs.

Thx

Derek.W

Nul is a reservered word used in batch file redirection to throw away display

i.e.
dir >nul

would display nothing (not a good example but believe me it does have its uses.

A common error is to accidently add a second l thus creating a file null.

this is probably where your file came from, it can thus be deleted sagfely as nothing is likely to use it.

Thx gbbarry

As it happens, due to much of my W98SE software hating the onboard graphics on the new mobo, I ended up putting the old ATI graphics card back into it.

On reloading the ATI software, back came the Null file again. I'll try zipping it up and see if anything happens. From your explanation it will probably be fine without it.

Derek.W