Huge file for no reason?

Sean_Grimes · 06-29-2008, 01:26 PM

Well I noticed that my computers % of memory left on the C: drive was down, way more than it should be. So i decided to get TreeSize and see what the problem was. I let it scan and it found an 80GB folder in C:\ ProgramData\AOL\AOLDiag\AOL\ServiceHostUSGM\Win32\15.5.1.2
I thought I deleted all the pre installed AOL crap but this seemed to still be on there. The only other AOL thing i have is the instant messenger. The 80GB folder is full of .pak and .nub files and there seems to be over 614148 items in there but it seems to get to around that number and start not responding. would it be ok if i just moved the entire AOL folder to the recycle bin from the ProgramData spot and remove it completely, or would my computer somehow suffer from that? Thanks for all your help, I really love this forum.

Sean

1972vet · 06-29-2008, 09:03 PM

You should be able to delete this folder:
C:\Program Files\AOL
...providing that you no longer use the game that created the folder containing those .ZIP (archive) files.

You may not be able to acess this file:
C:\ProgramData\AOL\AOLDiag\AOL\ServiceHostUSGM
...without some wrangling, but probably won't be necessary if you uninstall the game. The .pak files are probably archives created by some AOL game...the .nub files are a mystery to me I must admit. Have you had any other concerns that might indicate some malicious software?

Sean_Grimes · 06-29-2008, 11:10 PM

nope, been scanning everyday for a while now and no problems have popped up. But i don't really play any games so i don't know what would of created the file.

and C:\Program Files\AOL isn't there, I've deleted it a while back

1972vet · 06-30-2008, 08:59 AM

Is AOL your ISP? If not, try cutting the folder and pasting it onto your desktop...since, apparently you found how to get past the "no access" problem. After you've cut the folder and pasted it onto your desktop, leave it there for a couple days, or until you've tried opening the programs that you normally use, specifically the AOL messenger if you still use it.

As well, within that messenger, click to play any of the games you may have played before, or chatting as you may have before...once you're satisfied that there are no problems having cut that folder, then just delete it.

Sean_Grimes · 06-30-2008, 09:01 AM

Ok thanks, I will report back in a few days if I encountered any problems, if not then you can call this resolved. Thanks again, Sean

Sean_Grimes · 06-30-2008, 09:20 AM

Forgot in the last message, AOL was never my ISP and I have not played any games on the instant messenger.

Well I'm an administrator on my computer and it keeps saying I need to provide administrator permission to continue so I click continue and continue again and then it says "you need permission to perform this action" and I click try again but it does nothing and I'm left with pressing cancel and it not being able to move to the desktop. I'm at a loss, any ideas?

1972vet · 07-01-2008, 09:30 AM

Quote:

I'm an administrator on my computer and it keeps saying I need to provide administrator permission to continue so I click continue and continue again and then it says "you need permission to perform this action" and I click try again but it does nothing

You've described precisely what the user account control feature in Vista is supposed to do.

You can grant a "permission" change but be careful and pay strict attention to what you do here...Perhaps you should write down exactly what you do in each step you take below just on the outside chance that you may want to un-do the change rather than having to perform a system restore.

You can right-click on the file and select "Properties", then check the "Security" tab. From there Click the "Advanced" button. Now click the "Owner" Tab. From there, click "Edit".

Now you select the User Account you want to give the permission to. Next, click Apply. A message will pop up telling you that if you have just taken ownership...(you have to close and reopen the objects properties before you can view or change properties again).

Click "ok" and get back to the Computer screen. You should now have full authority to do what you wish with that file.

MusicMan374 · 07-01-2008, 10:43 AM

Also, if you have the built-in administrator account in vista enabled, that account is not subject to user account control, it has full control over everything.
To enable this account, ope an elevated command prompt

Code:

NET USER administrator /active:yes

then the admin account will be enabled but you have to set a password by opening the run command and typing

control userpasswords2

then from there, reset the administrator's password.

davehc · 07-01-2008, 11:34 AM

You can save yourself a few key strokes by going staight into the "passwords" suggestion.
Type Control userpasswords2 in the RUN
Open Advanced. The Advanced again.
Click users.and Adminstrator. Untick the Account is disabled entry.
You can select your password options whilst backing out of the windows.
You must log off. You will then see the option to logon as an Adminstrator.
This lowers your internet security, but with adequate anti-virus etc protection, you are at the same risk state as you have always experienced with ealier Windows.

MusicMan374 · 07-01-2008, 11:41 AM

Yes i know you can use local policy edit, but I have vista home premium sp1,
home versions dont support that snap in in MMC

its very annoying there are several policies i want to edit and i have to edit the registry for that.
If this guy has ultimate he can go your way, if he has a home version he has to use command prompt.

davehc · 07-02-2008, 05:36 AM

Sorry. I assumed when you referred him to that entry (Control userpasswords2) you were going along the same path, but duplicating the work.

Sean_Grimes · 07-02-2008, 01:17 PM

K I'm kinda at a loss. What does the userpasswords2 and stuff like that have to do with me deleting the file to the desktop?

davehc · 07-02-2008, 10:35 PM

You commented "Well I'm an administrator on my computer and it keeps saying I need to provide administrator permission to continue so I click continue and continue again and then it says "you need permission to perform this action" and I click try again but it does nothing and I'm left with pressing cancel and it not being able to move to the desktop."
You are, by default, only your local network Administrator, with limitations. The suggestions make you a "Power" administrator, with full permission, a situation you have been used to on previous OS's.

Going back to your first post, "and 1972vets first suggestion "You may not be able to acess this file:"
C:\ProgramData\AOL\AOLDiag\AOL\ServiceHostUSGM

This is how the thread led into the Administrator consideration
Otherwise, the answer to your first post is - Yes, you can delete it.

06-29-2008, 01:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
Sean_Grimes Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 24 OS: Vista home prem	Huge file for no reason? Well I noticed that my computers % of memory left on the C: drive was down, way more than it should be. So i decided to get TreeSize and see what the problem was. I let it scan and it found an 80GB folder in C:\ ProgramData\AOL\AOLDiag\AOL\ServiceHostUSGM\Win32\15.5.1.2 I thought I deleted all the pre installed AOL crap but this seemed to still be on there. The only other AOL thing i have is the instant messenger. The 80GB folder is full of .pak and .nub files and there seems to be over 614148 items in there but it seems to get to around that number and start not responding. would it be ok if i just moved the entire AOL folder to the recycle bin from the ProgramData spot and remove it completely, or would my computer somehow suffer from that? Thanks for all your help, I really love this forum. Sean

06-29-2008, 09:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
1972vet Analyst, Security Team Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Midwest, U.S.A. Posts: 565 OS: Dual Boot Setup, Vista SP2 and XPSP3	Re: Huge file for no reason? You should be able to delete this folder: C:\Program Files\AOL ...providing that you no longer use the game that created the folder containing those .ZIP (archive) files. You may not be able to acess this file: C:\ProgramData\AOL\AOLDiag\AOL\ServiceHostUSGM ...without some wrangling, but probably won't be necessary if you uninstall the game. The .pak files are probably archives created by some AOL game...the .nub files are a mystery to me I must admit. Have you had any other concerns that might indicate some malicious software? __________________ Disabled Veteran, U.S.C.G. 1972 - 1978 Windows XP Performance and Maintenance Windows Vista Performance and Maintenance

06-29-2008, 11:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
Sean_Grimes Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 24 OS: Vista home prem	Re: Huge file for no reason? nope, been scanning everyday for a while now and no problems have popped up. But i don't really play any games so i don't know what would of created the file. and C:\Program Files\AOL isn't there, I've deleted it a while back Last edited by Sean_Grimes; 06-29-2008 at 11:11 PM.

06-30-2008, 08:59 AM	#4 (permalink)
1972vet Analyst, Security Team Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Midwest, U.S.A. Posts: 565 OS: Dual Boot Setup, Vista SP2 and XPSP3	Re: Huge file for no reason? Is AOL your ISP? If not, try cutting the folder and pasting it onto your desktop...since, apparently you found how to get past the "no access" problem. After you've cut the folder and pasted it onto your desktop, leave it there for a couple days, or until you've tried opening the programs that you normally use, specifically the AOL messenger if you still use it. As well, within that messenger, click to play any of the games you may have played before, or chatting as you may have before...once you're satisfied that there are no problems having cut that folder, then just delete it. __________________ Disabled Veteran, U.S.C.G. 1972 - 1978 Windows XP Performance and Maintenance Windows Vista Performance and Maintenance

06-30-2008, 09:01 AM	#5 (permalink)
Sean_Grimes Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 24 OS: Vista home prem	Re: Huge file for no reason? Ok thanks, I will report back in a few days if I encountered any problems, if not then you can call this resolved. Thanks again, Sean

06-30-2008, 09:20 AM	#6 (permalink)
Sean_Grimes Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 24 OS: Vista home prem	Re: Huge file for no reason? Forgot in the last message, AOL was never my ISP and I have not played any games on the instant messenger. Well I'm an administrator on my computer and it keeps saying I need to provide administrator permission to continue so I click continue and continue again and then it says "you need permission to perform this action" and I click try again but it does nothing and I'm left with pressing cancel and it not being able to move to the desktop. I'm at a loss, any ideas?

07-01-2008, 10:43 AM	#8 (permalink)
MusicMan374 Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: Washington Posts: 212 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate x86 My System	Re: Huge file for no reason? Also, if you have the built-in administrator account in vista enabled, that account is not subject to user account control, it has full control over everything. To enable this account, ope an elevated command prompt Code: NET USER administrator /active:yes then the admin account will be enabled but you have to set a password by opening the run command and typing control userpasswords2 then from there, reset the administrator's password.

07-01-2008, 11:34 AM	#9 (permalink)
davehc Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: UK Posts: 21 OS: Vista 64 SP1	Re: Huge file for no reason? You can save yourself a few key strokes by going staight into the "passwords" suggestion. Type Control userpasswords2 in the RUN Open Advanced. The Advanced again. Click users.and Adminstrator. Untick the Account is disabled entry. You can select your password options whilst backing out of the windows. You must log off. You will then see the option to logon as an Adminstrator. This lowers your internet security, but with adequate anti-virus etc protection, you are at the same risk state as you have always experienced with ealier Windows.

07-01-2008, 11:41 AM	#10 (permalink)
MusicMan374 Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: Washington Posts: 212 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate x86 My System	Re: Huge file for no reason? Yes i know you can use local policy edit, but I have vista home premium sp1, home versions dont support that snap in in MMC its very annoying there are several policies i want to edit and i have to edit the registry for that. If this guy has ultimate he can go your way, if he has a home version he has to use command prompt.

07-02-2008, 05:36 AM	#11 (permalink)
davehc Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: UK Posts: 21 OS: Vista 64 SP1	Re: Huge file for no reason? Sorry. I assumed when you referred him to that entry (Control userpasswords2) you were going along the same path, but duplicating the work.

07-02-2008, 01:17 PM	#12 (permalink)
Sean_Grimes Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 24 OS: Vista home prem	Re: Huge file for no reason? K I'm kinda at a loss. What does the userpasswords2 and stuff like that have to do with me deleting the file to the desktop?

07-02-2008, 10:35 PM	#13 (permalink)
davehc Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: UK Posts: 21 OS: Vista 64 SP1	Re: Huge file for no reason? You commented "Well I'm an administrator on my computer and it keeps saying I need to provide administrator permission to continue so I click continue and continue again and then it says "you need permission to perform this action" and I click try again but it does nothing and I'm left with pressing cancel and it not being able to move to the desktop." You are, by default, only your local network Administrator, with limitations. The suggestions make you a "Power" administrator, with full permission, a situation you have been used to on previous OS's. Going back to your first post, "and 1972vets first suggestion "You may not be able to acess this file:" C:\ProgramData\AOL\AOLDiag\AOL\ServiceHostUSGM This is how the thread led into the Administrator consideration Otherwise, the answer to your first post is - Yes, you can delete it.