I have this program called Prutsct. Does anybody know what it is. It is in my Close Programs Box twice. Can't get rid of it by "end task". any suggestions?

Are you spelling this correctly??

" IF IT AINT BROKE - LEAVE IT ALONE "

Never heard of this file. Three mentions in Google but none helpful.

Set yourself up to show all files and NOT to hide file extensions (two entries in Start/Settings/Folder Options/View).

Now do a Find for Prutsct

Let us know the file extension and the exact path to where it is located. Also right click the file and see if it gives any clue about what it is in Properties.

It could be a virus or malware. Update and run virus checker plus any anti-spyware/malware programs you have on board. If you haven't got it already download Ad-Aware SE (free), update it and run it.

Derek.W

After doing some more poking around, i have 3 of these files in the computer and they all seem to be associated with the E2Give PlugIn (which i can't get rid of either). These are the paths:
C:\Windows\System\PRUTTCT.exe
C:\Windows\System\PRUTLCT.exe
C:\Windows|system\PRUTMCT.exe
I have Norton AntiVirus2004 , looked up the problem, deleted the registry like it said, and still it won't let me delete the file itself. What's up with that??? Any help would be nice!!!!!!!!!! Thanks a million

I am having the same problem. It won't let me delete it or take it off of the start up items. what the heck? I ran my spybot and norton and it didnt fix the problem. also, i did system restore and that didn't work either.
I have Windows XP, and My file is located C: WINNT/prefetch/PRUTSCT.EXE-019ED600.pf
any suggestions?

This seems to be malware/spyware that might not get detected by "virus" checkers.

Worth trying the usual malware/spyware checkers,
"Ad-Aware" (already mentioned) and "SpyBot Search & Destroy". Well respected freebies. You have to be a tad careful of "wonder fixes" available from websites who have some axe to grind (like wanting your money).

This freebie trojan finder might also be of value (one I like):
A2FREE - SEE DOWN PAGE

You can also search and find the latest version of CWShredder (single file that removes a particular nasty).

If all else fails download Hijack this and copy and paste its log onto the following auto-analysis websites:

HJT DETECTIVE

HJT ANALYSIS

Try the first link first, which I think can be easier because the "nasties" are made very obvious and can be deleted immediately, thereby shortening your log, which can be quite long. Then scan again and paste your new reduced log onto the second link. This link shows all running processes (good or bad). Google often helps with the debateable ones.

Derek.W

Had the same problem (well, only the prutsct.exe) on my XP-PC at one o'clock a.m. CET this night and google returned zero results.

The fastest solution for me was to enter c:\windows\system32 (got this path by scanning the registry) and renaming the file instead of deleting it. The annoying popups stopped immediately.

I'm no profesional, so this solution should only be considererd at first help.

egemini

Hey, don't be so coy. You don't necesarilly have to be a professional around these parts to come up with a good idea or something worth considering.

If something worked for you, and lasted, it is well worth knowing. Thx for input.

Derek.W

HAs anyone else tried the renaming solution? Successful?

The rename worked for me!

I deleted the file (located in c:\windows\system32) and that seemed to work.

Whitslady1

As you can see from these late posts there seems every possibility that if you delete all copies of these files then it will cure your problem.

May I suggest just a little caution though. There are some nasties around that cause problems by simply deleting their files.

You have a note of their locations and exact names (which is great). First rename all of their extensions to .ex- so that they are deactivated.

You cannot obviously do it from normal Windows so start by trying it from Safe Mode. Usually you can get to Safe Mode by holding down the Ctrl key while booting but sometimes you have to resort to tapping F8 while booting.

This will lead you to the startup menu and you select Safe Mode at the top. It will look like a rather poor copy of Windows (with the word safe mode at each corner).

Once you have renamed as many as possible then power down and reboot. There might be some error message - we shall see.

If essential we can rename them using DOS, similarly if there should be some problem we can rename any of them back that way too. We'll avoid DOS unless the need should arise.

Derek.W

Whitslady1

Further to #11. I was assuming you are still in trouble. Did you try my suggestions in #5?

Reason you could not delete the files was because Windows thought they were in use.

Any feedback about this problem, good or bad, would be of interest.

When cured download and Run SpywareBlaster. Uses no resources and prevents nasties getting in rather than fixing them afterwards.

Derek.W

thank you guys SO much for these posts. i had the exact same problem. i had all the exact same problems listed. i renamed the file (and added the .ex extension) and then deleted that file and emptied the recycle bin. (i was able to do all of this in windows normal mode). i renamed the file first and that made the annoying pop-ups to go away and then added the extension and deleted.

i looked at the properties of the file and it was created yesterday at 9:25 am (i was on the internet for just a few minutes and did not open any email). norton/symantec didn't have the definition since it didn't recognize it when i did the scan. is this a new virus that popped up yesterday? (several tech support threads had this issue and they all seemed to have popped up at the same time.) anywho, i just wanted to give as much info as i could. and thanks again so much for the help!

Grace

Glad it was of some use.

Derek.W

Thanks Derek - my saviour

Renamed the file as you had indicated in response #11 no more nasty pop-ups.

Once again Thank You... :)

Ilandgal

I HAVE THIS SAME prutsct POP-UP OVER AND OVER!! CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME TO GET RID OF ITBY EMAILING ME AT SWEETGURL107@MSN.COM PLEASE MAKE THE SUBJECT "POP UP HELP" SO I WONT DELETE IT!
tHANKS

I'm so glad I found this website. I was saved from the prutsct fiasco. I got rid of it by renaming it and deleting it...what I'm still confused about is the extensions...can someone explain this to me...(i'm not very computer savvy...so please use lamence terms)

tlowery88
I try to keep to the forum rather than email (that way we all benefit from discussions). Have you tried the suggestions given on here (seems #11 is favorite)? If, having tried this, you are still in trouble pop back and I'll have a look at your particular issue.

littlecassy
All files have an extension which is what comes after the name. It is a dot followed by three letters. Suppose you had a picture of yourself. When you file it you give it the name Cassy, but it appears on the system as Cassy.jpg

Aha, but ONLY if you are set to show ALL file extensions. Only MS know why the default is to hide so much from us. As long as you don't go around deleting files you don't understand then it is quite safe show them all.

I don't know your operating system but on W98 you go to Start/Settings/Folder Options/View. You then put in a blob against "Show All Files". After that you clear the tick from "Hide file extensions for known file types". You are now a complete person LOL. If you are an XP type then there is something very similar on there too.

These extensions help you understand what a file "does". Here's some examples:

Compressed Picture = .jpg (popular)

Picture = .gif (often animated)

Program = .exe

Music = .mp3 (compressed)

Music = .wav (not compressed BIG)

Word Document = .doc

Simple text file = .txt

Temporary file = .tmp

The list is much longer but it helps if you are trying to associate some file with a particular program in order to open it or run it. The only alternative to this is to memorise icons which can vary from program to program anyway.

Very basic stuff, but sad if it gets forgotten because of over-doing the "user friendly" approach - not helped by XP. With experience it makes things "more" user friendly (because folk then know more about what they are doing).

Shout back if anything (or everything LOL) is not clear. No problem I had to learn this in the past, just before my 123rd birthday.

Derek.W

Hi everyone, just wanted to add some info.

My problem was with pruttct.exe, I wasn't getting ad popups. I have popup blockers to prevent popups, but it was causing my system to bogg down and run slower while blocking all the popups.

I was getting an anti-virus popup everytime I went to use AOL or went into WinNT/System 32 and my anti-virus could not quarantine or delete the file.

When I tried to manually delete the file, I couldn't because it was running on my system.

I have XP for a system. I could not delete it or change its name.

I came up with the conclusion that I had to stop the process from running before I could do anything to the file. If you press ctrl/alt/delete you will bring up the Windows Task Manager. From there goto the Process tab, find pruttct.exe, highlight it and end the process. After you end the process you can goto C:/WinNT/System32/pruttct.exe and delete the file. Make sure to goto your startup registry and delete it there also.

Walla, no more problems with that file.

Good Luck,
Darren

ok i found a way of deleting it and stopping it ^^.

ok download HEdit then open and save it and everything then close HEdit now locate ur prutsct and right click it then click HEdit its on the top then u will see like

000000 ############### blah blah blah

ok now copy this:

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

and click the first line in HEdit and then pres Ctrl+v and it will start pasting zero's then when the whole thing is zero's then click the save button
and now delete ur prutsct.

btw i dont think any of u guys even thought about this even though im only 15.

BLeMS

Forum is very happy to get inputs from any age group.

Any approach that helps others is welcome. It's not a competition - the more ideas the merrier.

Derek.W

lol srry but for me to make me do anything i have to think its a competion its how i am lol ^^

BLeMS

Thx for adding your bit. Good to have your more novel idea on here.

Good luck

Derek.W

ok, I have tried all of these and I still have this stupid thing popping up. My task manager won't stay open so I can end the process, nor will msconfig when I hit startup. HELP!!!!!!

Wowee, this post is collecting Google-in'ers.

Sam
Usually best to start your own thread but....

Did HJT Detective find any "Malicious" items?
If not did HJT Analysis do any better?

Need more info than "stupid thing popping up". Did anything method find this nasty or not, did any method attempt to remove it and then fail, or what. I appreciate you still have the problem but we need more on how it reacted to attempts to find/deal with it. That way maybe we can see a way forward.

Folks, please remember I, for example, am in the UK in front of a computer screen. All I can go on is what you "SAY". Bags of info needed if you are still stuck with this thing.

Derek.W

Hi

I have had this irritating problem too.

If you rightclick/properties for PRUTTCT.EXE with Trend Micro Internet Security installed, looking at the tab about virus, Trend Micro finds a virus, ADW_EGIVE.C wich isn´t mentioned anywhere on their website. Only ADW_EGIVE.A and .B

I tried the removal procedure for ADW_EGIVE.B
and it worked just fine with this variant.
http://dk.trendmicro-europe.com/consumer/security_info/ve_detail.php?id=86477&VName=ADW_EGIVE.B

So in short txt:
Disable System Restore
and run the following in Start>Run :
regsvr32 /u "%ProgramFiles%\E2G\Iebhos.dll"

No more of this ....

Greetings

WellNow

Thx for input. I assume you are on XP.

Seems this works for 95/98 etc too (just ignore bit about system restore).

For convenience here's an active link:
ADW_EGIVE.B - TREND MICRO

Derek.W

I had the dreaded prutsct pop up. I went into safe mode as directed, renamed the files, then deleted them and emptied my recycle bin. My teenage children would be so proud of me. I think you are all awesome for helping us out. Thanks so much!