Windows 7 Suspicious temp files in default 'Downloads' folder

RezaKoochooloo

New Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2012
[Solved] Suspicious temp files in default 'Downloads' folder

Hi, everyone. :) This is my first post here.

Recently I've noticed that some '.tmp' files have been created in default 'Downloads' folder of Win7 which is located at 'C:\Users\USERNAME\Downloads'. Here's a pic:

Link Removed - Invalid URL

I don't use the default downloads folder for storing my downloads and I have configured all my browsers to save files to another location. But since last month, I noticed these small ".tmp" files being created in default downloads folder. I've been using Win7 Ultimate for almost 3 years now and I've never encountered this before.

Anyone had any idea that what they might be? Or is there any way that I can see what program has created these temp files.

BTW, I use multiple browsers, Firefox, Chrome, Opera and sometimes IE8. I'm pretty sure it's not IE8 and Firefox coz I've been using them for a long time and they've never created temp file in 'Downloads' folder. I've recently installed Chrome and Opera and right now Chrome is my default browser.

EDIT

I went and cleared all my browsers' cache files using their own method withing the browser, but they are still there. Really annoying. :mad: I know I just can delete them, but I want to know which program has created them.

EDIT2

I was able to find what program create those files.

EDIT3

More info.
 

Attachments

  • 3x1dynweteacr1xj25c.jpg
    3x1dynweteacr1xj25c.jpg
    180.1 KB · Views: 1,135
Last edited:
Are you able to right click the files and get any info about them? A date might help, what type security and what users are listed for that security might help.

I have those type of files on my system, but usually in the temp folder. Any chance you have changed some default path for storing temp files and caused them to go to Downloads? Do you run installers from the Downloads folder?

You might try putting them in another folder to see if anything is looking for them.
 
I was able to find the culprit. It was Chrome. Apparently Chrome makes those temp files whenever one saves a web page (by going to the wrench icon and selecting 'Save page as...') I was able to reproduce it by saving a thread in IMDb message boards (here) via 'Save page as...'. Then, when I looked at 'Downloads' folder, another temp file was created. I also saved a thread from here, windows7forums.com, but it didn't create a temp file. Weird that it's only happening with IMDb message boards. Well, anyway, now I can delete them without problems. Oh, and thanks, Saltgrass, for your reply. :)
 
Last edited:
I don't run chrome, but possibly the file is something like a cookie that saves part of the page needed for Offline viewing. Are you actually saving a page, or just using a bookmark?

I would probably use one of the pages you just saved that you don't really want, look at the page offline with the file and then delete the file (or move) and see if it looks different. Might be some type of ad for all I know.

But glad you found the reason for the files.
 
I'm actually saving a page. It'll create a folder and a 'htm' file. The folder and the htm file has the same name with the folder having '_files' suffix.

Well, After your post, I did some more testing and it turns out that it's actually a bug within Chrome cause the temp file remaining in the 'Downloads' folder is actually that 'htm' file that Chrome should rename (but for some reason it won't)... I save lots of save pages when I'm surfing the net so I went to open some of them and interestingly enough, some of them didn't have their specific 'htm' file (the folder was there though) those tmp files I took a pic from were actually the htm files.

After this I did some more testing. I placed the default downloads folder and chrome side to side and saved a page, suddenly lots of '.tmp' files created in downloads folder and then all of them were disappeared in the blink of an eye. When I check the saved page, both 'htm' file and its specific folder was at the correct place (D:\Downloads <-- it's the location I've configured Chrome to save it's downloads) Then I did it again and this time one of the files remained in the default downloads folder (C:\Users\USERNAME\Downloads) and when I checked the saved page in 'D:\Downloads', the htm was missing. I renamed the remaining .tmp file to match the folder and gave it a .htm extension and when I opened it, it was the correct page.

I also configured Chrome to use the default downloads location and did some testing to see if it's because of the different location of downloads, but this phenomenon occurred again, so it's not because of the different location.

Thank god I didn't delete those temp files.

EDIT

Damn, now I remember, I have deleted some of those temp files (around 20 of them) before in the last month. Dammit, Chrome. :mad:
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom