many thanks for your time and help, SuperDave, I've run the 3 processes you mentionned
my spologies for the delay replying.
just for info I wasn't sure or not if it was a malware issue but when I posted on the "other" board it was suggested I report here. Maybe free hard disk space does rapidly vanish anyway due to temporary files ?? even without malware ??
--- my adware log seems clear (and I didn't quarantine the acer jumpstart thing)
# -------------------------------
# Malwarebytes AdwCleaner 8.4.0.0
# -------------------------------
# Build: 08-30-2022
# Database: 2022-10-10.1 (Cloud)
# Support:
https://www.malwarebytes.com/support#
# -------------------------------
# Mode: Scan
# -------------------------------
# Start: 03-16-2023
# Duration: 00:00:21
# OS: Windows 10 (Build 19044.2728)
# Scanned: 32098
# Detected: 1
***** [ Services ] *****
No malicious services found.
***** [ Folders ] *****
No malicious folders found.
***** [ Files ] *****
No malicious files found.
***** [ DLL ] *****
No malicious DLLs found.
***** [ WMI ] *****
No malicious WMI found.
***** [ Shortcuts ] *****
No malicious shortcuts found.
***** [ Tasks ] *****
No malicious tasks found.
***** [ Registry ] *****
No malicious registry entries found.
***** [ Chromium (and derivatives) ] *****
No malicious Chromium entries found.
***** [ Chromium URLs ] *****
No malicious Chromium URLs found.
***** [ Firefox (and derivatives) ] *****
No malicious Firefox entries found.
***** [ Firefox URLs ] *****
No malicious Firefox URLs found.
***** [ Hosts File Entries ] *****
No malicious hosts file entries found.
***** [ Preinstalled Software ] *****
Preinstalled.AcerJumpstart Folder C:\Program Files (x86)\ACER\ACER JUMPSTART
AdwCleaner[S00].txt - [1470 octets] - [16/03/2023 10:02:43]
########## EOF - C:\AdwCleaner\Logs\AdwCleaner[S01].txt ##########
---the windows defender scanned seems to run without issue. when my laptop rebooted the free space on my hard disk had increased from under 1 GB to over 9 GB. I think rebooting always restores some space (but it soon reduces, maybe thats normal or the estimates of free space aren't accurate
--- my malwarebytes log is here
Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com-Log Details-
Scan Date: 16/03/2023
Scan Time: 18:42
Log File: 3cecce52-c42a-11ed-9ea0-14f6d829ff35.json
-Software Information-
Version: 4.5.23.241
Components Version: 1.0.1927
Update Package Version: 1.0.66794
Licence: Premium
-System Information-
OS: Windows 10 (Build 19044.2728)
CPU: x64
File System: NTFS
User: LAPTOP-KUT598MH\berna
-Scan Summary-
Scan Type: Threat Scan
Scan Initiated By: Manual
Result: Completed
Objects Scanned: 310486
Threats Detected: 0
Threats Quarantined: 0
Time Elapsed: 11 min, 54 sec
-Scan Options-
Memory: Enabled
Startup: Enabled
Filesystem: Enabled
Archives: Enabled
Rootkits: Disabled
Heuristics: Enabled
PUP: Detect
PUM: Detect
-Scan Details-
Process: 0
(No malicious items detected)
Module: 0
(No malicious items detected)
Registry Key: 0
(No malicious items detected)
Registry Value: 0
(No malicious items detected)
Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)
Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)
Folder: 0
(No malicious items detected)
File: 0
(No malicious items detected)
Physical Sector: 0
(No malicious items detected)
WMI: 0
(No malicious items detected)
(end)
many thanks again
best wishes
bnorth
