detect x -swift

[lori5060]

after reading in other forums that this would be a good thing to run in addition to malwarebytes and virus barrier scanner...which I have and use.

I downloaded, installed and ran detect x - swift... a screen popped up with 9 locations. I dont know what I am supposed to do now.

one has to do with Wondershare... I had downloaded that at one time and have deleted it... tho maybe some misc files were left behind.
another is MacKeeper.... which I had also downloaded and have deleted.

I have no idea what the long string of numbers relates to:

I see that I can check off and delete but not sure if that will make another file not work. not fully understanding what lists means... am hesitant to do any deleting!

 

[chscag]

You should delete all those files. None are harmful but were once part of the installation files for Wondershare and MacKeeper.

 

[lori5060]

ok thnks

 

[harryb2448]

What it means lori some Mackeeper and Wondershare files have continued to live 'after death' or after the programs have been uninstalled. Any files bearing those names deserve to be deleted a.s.a.p.

 

[lori5060]

What it means lori some Mackeeper and Wondershare files have continued to live 'after death' or after the programs have been uninstalled. Any files bearing those names deserve to be deleted a.s.a.p.

I have deleted all those files with exception of one which as a string of numbers. clicked on it and it revealed ... see image. here were many more of the same com.adob... etc

OK to delete that also?

 

[MacInWin]

Just delete the one DetectX found. That format for filename is used by lots of perfectly valid software. All the numbers are to guarantee (sort of) a unique name.

 

[lori5060]

the long string of numbers was found by DetectX.... so even tho you explained the file format... still delete?

 

[MacInWin]

The file name that DetectX found with the long list of numbers as the name can be deleted, but leave the rest of the stuff in that folder alone. As I said, lots of applications use long strings of numbers to identify files internally that the user should never see, so the complexity doesn't matter. Those are hexadecimal strings, probably associated with some date/time reference to when the file was created or the update was applied, or just about anything, including just random. But the ONE file DetectX found was linked to one of the two nasty apps (wondershare or MacKeeper) and should be trashed.

 

[lori5060]

The file name that DetectX found with the long list of numbers as the name can be deleted, but leave the rest of the stuff in that folder alone. As I said, lots of applications use long strings of numbers to identify files internally that the user should never see, so the complexity doesn't matter. Those are hexadecimal strings, probably associated with some date/time reference to when the file was created or the update was applied, or just about anything, including just random. But the ONE file DetectX found was linked to one of the two nasty apps (wondershare or MacKeeper) and should be trashed.

now I surely feel dense.... all the folders found by DetectX were deleted except the one with string of numbers... which was also found by DetectX....
so I am understanding it is OK just to leave that file there??

what actually is DetectX finding and why??

 

[harryb2448]

MacKeeper can be the very devil to uninstall. If problems continue you may have to re-install and uninstall again using the uninstaller. Have you been dragging the apps toithe Trash which can leave junk files behind?

How to uninstall MacKeeper from your Mac

Some people regret installing MacKeeper but can't figure out how to remove it. We're here for you.

www.macworld.com

 

[MacInWin]

DetectX is looking for any file that is related to malware. It looks both at filenames and at files referenced within those files. So somewhere in some file it found that filename with all of the letters and numbers. So just run DetectX and then delete what it finds from there. Don't mess with the other files in the folder you showed, as a lot of software uses the same approach to file names. Using random letters and numbers is not the problem, it's that THAT particular file is associated with something bad in your system and can be safely deleted.

 

[lori5060]

MacKeeper can be the very devil to uninstall. If problems continue you may have to re-install and uninstall again using the uninstaller. Have you been dragging the apps toithe Trash which can leave junk files behind?

there is no sign of mackeeper or any other app names... only the long string of number and I dont know what they all refer to.
I do have an app "app cleaner' whereby one drags the app there to be deleted in total. usually I try to remember to use that...so there are no lingering files. tho guess I did not do that when deleting those other apps.

 

[MacInWin]

BTW, the filename with all the letters and numbers starts with a "." you can see in your screenshot of what DetectX found. That "." makes the file "hidden" from your view, but not from DetectX. So that is why I said run DetectX, let it find that file again and delete it from within DetectX. If you go to the Library folder where it is located, you won't see it because it is hidden by that "." That is another sneaky way the malware tries to hide from users.

 

[Slydude]

BTW, the filename with all the letters and numbers starts with a "." you can see in your screenshot of what DetectX found. That "." makes the file "hidden" from your view, but not from DetectX. So that is why I said run DetectX, let it find that file again and delete it from within DetectX. If you go to the Library folder where it is located, you won't see it because it is hidden by that "." That is another sneaky way the malware tries to hide from users.

Good catch Jake. I missed that detail when I read the thread earlier.