The online McAfee Scan tells I have bad files in "Downloaded Program Files" but when I try to delete or view I cannot.I have the show hidden files option ticked.Following advice on this forum I also tried unticking the *hide protected operating system files* and got a strong no no (error warnings+general protection fault) from Windows ending up with having to restart in safe mode where I saw my tinkerings had been overridden.I feel like I can't try it again or my PC might break down but I do want to get at and delete those files.I think there is a barhelp.dll and a ATPartners.inf - as well as one or two others -in "Downloaded Program Files"

Have a look in Add or Remove Programs & see if any of the names you / hav'nt mentioned are there, if so Remove. For barhelp.dll Click Start > Run, copy & paste > regedit & press Enter. Any of these you find, delete. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{56A7DC70-E102-4408-A34A-AE06FEF01586} HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{B1D147E7-873E-4909-8127-695D9BB78728} HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DownloadBHO.T2BHO HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DownloadBHO.T2BHO.1 HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HDT_BAR.HDT_BARObj HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\HDT_BAR.HDT_BARObj.1 HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{691CC615-CD3F-41FF-920D-60769D3DCF5B} HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{9AAABFE1-22A9-4E0D-8F4A-48B9696A199B} HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{1F77F67E-BD08-4932-AF5A-15FD532EEDB1} HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{E35306D7-B44C-4530-A2CE-94C60F8CC4DC} HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\HDT\HDTBar HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{B1D147E7-873E-4909-8127-695D9BB78728} HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\{56A7DC70-E102-4408-A34A-AE06FEF01586} HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\HDTBar ========================================== Here are the files to search / find for ATPartners.inf removal. Install AdAware ( free ) & they have a plugin VX2 cleaner which may clean them all out. http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button http://www.lavasoft.de/ http://updates.ls-servers.com/vx2cleaner_inst.exe VX2/Favoriteman VX2F-01 C:\winnt\downloaded program files\ATPartners.inf VX2F-02 HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\F1.Organizer VX2F-03 HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\F1.Organizer.1 VX2F-04 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Code Store Database\Distribution Units\{00000EF1-0786-4633-87C6-1AA7A44296DA} VX2F-05 C:\winnt\downloaded program files\bundle_101.inf VX2F-06 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Code Store Database\Distribution Units\{EBBD88E5-C372-469D-B4C5-1FE00352AB9B} VX2F-07 C:\winnt\system32\ATPartners.dll VX2F-08 HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{00000EF1-0786-4633-87C6-1AA7A44296DA} VX2F-09 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{00000EF1-0786-4633-87C6-1AA7A44296DA} VX2F-10 C:\winnt\system32\im64.dll VX2F-11 C:\winnt\system32\mmview_101.dll VX2F-12 HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{EBBD88E5-C372-469D-B4C5-1FE00352AB9B} VX2F-13 HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\NewFavorite.FavoriteMan VX2F-14 HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\NewFavorite.FavoriteMan.1 VX2F-15 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{EBBD88E5-C372-469D-B4C5-1FE00352AB9B}

Lavasoft´s Project ECO, which aims to evolve our environment towards safer computing, gives you an updated version of the Lavasoft VX2 Cleaner. This is an add-on to Ad-Aware SE and downloadable at our site completely free of charge. Lavasoft's rapid response to menacing VX2 applications shows a genuine commitment to our corporate mission--to protect users' against intrusive privacy threats. What is VX2? VX2 is one of the most problematic applications to remove from your computer. While Ad-Aware SE effectively deals with most VX2 variants, there are a few that none of today's available antispyware application can detect or remove. What does VX2 Cleaner V2.0 do? Until the release of Ad-Aware 2006, we will continue providing protection against threats such as certain VX2 variants through the add-on functionality of Ad-Aware SE. Ad-aware 2006 will tackle threats such as VX2 without the need for add-ons. Note that VX2 Cleaner 2.0 works with all editions of Ad-Aware SE. Installing VX2 Cleaner 2.0 Close Ad-Aware, if it is currently open. Download the VX2 Cleaner 2.0 Plug-in here. After installing, restart Ad-Aware before running the VX2 Cleaner. Using VX2 Cleaner 2.0 NOTE: If you have earlier attempted to run Ad-Aware to remove VX2, you may need to run the VX2 Cleaner several times to remove possible VX2 remains. If you have already attempted to remove VX2 with Ad-Aware, do the following: Before running the VX2 Cleaner, make sure other anti-virus or anti-spyware applications are closed. Run the VX2 Cleaner. If you computer is infected with VX2, a dialog box with text such as “New VX2 variant found” or “VX2 variant 1 found” will appear. Press "Clean" and a dialog box with text “The first phase completed. Please reboot and perform a Smart Scan" will appear. After saving your work, reboot your system manually. Repeat this until the VX2 Cleaner reports "System clean". Press "Close” to exit. Run Ad-Aware one more time and scan your computer to make sure VX2 has been found and removed.

thanks I will get to work on the registry (I already looked in the add/remove programs and there was nothing there) I am a bit surprised my computer freaked when I tried to uncheck *hide protected operating system files* Maybe I will retry that when the pc has fewer windows open after a restart ......

Here are 2 other utilities to run, once you have finished the above. ================================= BHODemon http://www.definitivesolutions.com/bhodemon.htm BHODemon scans your Registry for BHOs, and presents any it finds in a list. By highlighting a BHO in this list, and clicking the "Details" button, you can see information about this BHO, and even disable it if you wish. BHOs are disabled by simply renaming the DLL that houses them. By renaming the DLL, instead of deleting it, you have the option of enabling it later if you wish. Why would you want to do that? Because the program that installed the BHO will not run if it can't find the DLL: Go!Zilla, for example, won't run if you remove its BHOs. Windows 9x, ME, NT 4.0, 2K, XP ================================== RegAuditor http://www.nsauditor.com/freeware/index.html RegAuditor gives you a quick look at the Adware, malware and spyware installed on your computer including parasites and trojans. RegAuditor tells you by colored icons ( green icon - safe, yellow icon - unknown, red icon - harmful ) whether specific Objects are known to be safe or harmful, also the program searches the registry for entries including filenames that aren't present on and allows you to delete unwanted registry entries. The tool is designed with a user-friendly interface and is easy to use.