What Are These Files PSE7 Is Flooding My PC With?

[Sepiana]

Hi everyone,

Again and again I've found these files in My Pictures folder. Once I had 91 of them; a couple of days ago about 45; and a few minutes ago about 90. They are xml and png files, and Shockwave Flash Objects. There is also a Manifest file (Notepad).

Also, today when I opened the Organizer to check something else, I got that message about files in the Watched Folders. Out of curiosity, I said yes and got the .png files mentioned above.

Please, if you know anything about this, help me here. My Pictures folder is overflowing with these alien files. What could be causing this invasion?

Thanks a lot in advance!

[cats4jan]

I am clueless on computer things, but that doesn't stop me from answering you. :eek:

Did someone in your family just get an I-Pod? The first word is I-Pod in all those files.

I know I-Pods can be used for downloading and storing photos and it looks like this is software to edit photos on the I-Pod.

[Sepiana]

Hi Janice,

Thanks a lot! I'm so aggravated by this occurrence that I'll take any help I can get. To answer your question -- no, we don't have an I-pod.

I'm going to keep a log of when these files show up. I know they were not there yesterday evening or this morning. This afternon after I finished working on my entry for the BC challenge, I checked My Pictures folder and there they were -- those little pests.

[cats4jan]

Oh well - guess my easy answer was not an answer at all. :o I have an I-Pod so I went into my files to see if anything like that is there, and I can't find anything.

I know when I first attached my I-Pod, Apple wanted to take over the world on my computer, figured that was what was happening to you.

[Jeff Perry]

Sepiana, I would be shocked if those files are in any way related to elements. You said no one has an iPod, I assume there is no iPhone in the family either? I googled iPod manifest, and there seems to be some rellationshop. Is the Manifest fiule a seprate text file called manifest?

Additinally, at least in the manifest file it appears that all the dates are Dec. 2008, are the actual file created dates the same as what appears in the Manifest file?

From the screen shot I assume you are using Windows XP? Are you on a network? Are you running any virus software? Anyone else using your computer?

Jeff

[Sepiana]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks a lot! Here are the answers for your questions:

1. We have neither an iPod nor an iPhone.

2. The Manifest is a separate file, but it shows up together with the other files.

3. In the other files, there is only one date -- Date Modified: 05/28/2009 (time: 5:57pm)

4. Yes, I'm using Windows XP SP3 (Media Center Edition).

5. No, we aren't on a network.

6. I use Norton Internet Security 2009 and Windows Defender.

7. Only my husband and I use this pc.

Some more information:

- I have IE8.
- My pc has all the latest Microsoft Security updates.
- I scan my pc with NIS and WD every week. Sometimes 2-3 times a week.

The reasons I thought this may be PSE7-related are:

1. I also have PSE4 in the same pc. I use it at least once a week. No problem there.

2. This "invasion" always seems to happen after I use PSE7. I spent most of this afternoon creating projects in PSE7. When I was done, I checked My Pictures folder and -- bingo -- those files were all there.

3. The files have names similar to tools in PSE7 -- unsharp mask, sharpening, correcting perspective, scene clean, etc.

EDIT: Out of desperation, I began researching this problem and found this at the Adobe Forum (http://forums.adobe.com/thread/368256) -- someone with the same problem. Unfortunately, I didn't see a solution. He also mentions finding the files in subfolders. Sometime ago I had checked the subfolders in My Pictures and found more of those files.

[Jeff Perry]

Very strange. Are these hidden files that are always there on everyone's PC with 7, but only show up if you have "Show hidden and system files" turned on?

I'll look into it further...

One more question, did you install the Premier Elements 7 bundle with Elements?

Jeff

[Simenon]

A similar discussion has come up once before. Not sure the parallel is 100%, but you might check this out. Unfortunately, there was no resolution offered.

http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42329&highlight=baytoven

~ Simenon

[dyale]

If you use quicktime apple has a thing on its updates that adds all kinds of extra stuff for use with their ipods. If you do not uncheck when the upgrade their flash it will automatically install.
Dean

[Sepiana]

Jeff, Simenon, and Dean,

Thanks so much for taking the time to help me here! Hope we find a solution.

Dean, I'm not sure how to handle Quicktime based on your suggestion. So I took the following actions:

1. Uninstalled and re-installed Quicktime.
2. Went to Preferences and selected Ignore Updates.
3. On the Updates schedule, I selected Never.

Is this what I'm supposed to do? Thanks!

[dyale]

Don't think you need to go that far as to never updating. Just set it up to notify you of updates then you can proceed to download what you want. I had this same problelm awhile back when ipods first came out. I ended up I think by unistalling and using microsoft cleaner program to get rid of all the left over junk then reinstalled quicktime and nothing else.
Dean

[Juergen D]

I did a search on my Vista machine and found all those files in two folders:

C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\Locale\en_US\Messaging Pods\Editor

and

C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\Locale\en_US\Messaging Pods\Organizer

including the manifest.txt file. The Ipod_ files are .xml, .png, and .swf files. The .swf files are Shockwave Flash Objects, whatever that is.

One of the .swf looks like this:

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1qCSmQRnxqfDXEgxbZ4Vvdhd5MUMA_thumb.png (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1qCSmQRnxqfDXEgxbZ4Vvdhd5MUMA)

So, maybe they belong? :confused:

Juergen

[Sepiana]

Dean,

I've just gone through the installation process again and noticed the option "Automatically update Quick Time and other Apple Software". So I unchecked it.

I'll follow your advice and set up an update schedule with notification first.

Thanks again!

[Sepiana]

I did a search on my Vista machine and found all those files in two folders:

C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\Locale\en_US\Messaging Pods\Editor

and

C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\Locale\en_US\Messaging Pods\Organizer

including the manifest.txt file. The Ipod_ files are .xml, .png, and .swf files. The .swf files are Shockwave Flash Objects, whatever that is . . . So, maybe they belong? :confused:



Hi Juergen,

In Windows XP I found the Messaging Pods folder here:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\Locale\en_US

The Messaging Pods is empty. In order to turn off the "flashing tips" on the right corner, I changed its settings to deny "Read and Execute" for everyone.

What fascinates (and aggravates) me is why those files are showing up in My Pictures folder and subfolders. I have this gut feeling that there is a connection between PSE7 and Photoshop.com, with QuickTime thrown in the mix. Here are my thoughts on it:

A couple of months after I installed PSE7, I created some online albums to post at Photoshop.com. Afterwards, I began to notice those files in My Pictures. I just kept deleting them. Then a couple of months ago, due to an unrelated problem, I had to uninstall and reinstall PSE7. As I didn't like my online albums, I deleted them. About three days ago, I created an album and posted it. Guess what? Those files, which I hadn't seen for a while, began showing up again in My Pictures folder.

While I'm working on a project in PSE7, I save all the in-progress editing files as psd. Usually I place them in My Pictures folder. When I'm done, I save the final psd to a subfolder called "PSD Originals" and the JPEG copy to the appropriate subfolder. By mistake, I saved a psd file to a subfolder other than "PSD Originals". When I opened that folder to move the file in question, I almost fainted -- there were about 40 of those pests inside it.

Based on the above, should I say coincidence? I think not. And BTW -- I've deleted over 200 of those little pests since Monday not counting the ones which got backed up to my EHD.

[johnrellis]

Sepiana,

As you've discovered, those files implement the flashing "tips" that appear in Welcome screen, the Organizer, and the Editor. I have a couple of hypotheses as to why they're ending up under My Pictures:

1. Perhaps you've set up Watched Folders to watch more than just My Pictures, and you've set the option to automatically import new files. Check which folders are being watch via File > Watch Folders.

2. Perhaps my FAQ's suggestion for setting the permissions of the Messaging Pods folder to deny read access is causing the problem. On my machine those files don't show up under Pictures, but perhaps there's something different about your configuration. I suggest changing the permissions of Message Pods to Full Control for Everyone, to see if the problem goes away.

3. Perhaps PSE's state files have gotten corrupted (a common occurrence) and it's confused about where those pesky files should be placed. You could try an "ultraclean" uninstall/reinstall, manually removing the traces of PSE that the installer leaves behind (which includes many of those state files that tend to get corrupted):

http://www.johnrellis.com/psedbtool/photoshopelements-6-7-faq.htm#_Removing_all_traces

I very much doubt this has anything to do with Quicktime. I guess it's possible (but unlikely) it's related to syncing with Photoshop.com.

[Sepiana]

Hi John,

Thanks a lot for your help! Here's where we stand:

1. I checked the Watched Folders. The only ones being watched are My Pictures (where the pest files are showing up). BTW, in Shared Documents, I had created a Shared Pictures folder, which is not in Watched Folders. Those little files have never shown up there. This seems to fit your hypothesis no.1

2. I changed the settings for the Message Pods folder. Full Control for Everyone is now on.

3. I'm going to wait a bit before trying a clean uninstall/install. Hopefully the steps above will take care of the problem.

4. As an extra step, following Dean's statement, I reinstalled QuickTime only and nothing else.

In the next few days, I'm going to create some online albums to see if that will trigger the problem. Also, as I use PSE7, I'll be routinely checking My Pictures for those unwanted files.

I'll post any further developments -- bad or good.

[Jeff Perry]

Sepiana, it sounds like you and Juergen have tracked down the culprit(s). I have found no evidence of this problem in PSE 6 (XP or Vista) nor with a PSE 6 laptop that frequently uses Photoshop.com, so it may be unique to 7 (when using Photoshop.com).

Incidentally, I posted something of the problem on Adobe's Elements Forum, but have yet to hear anything about it.

Keep us posted.

Jeff

[Sepiana]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the input! I'll definitely keep everyone informed of my progress. Also, I do appreciate you posting this problem on Adobe's Elements forum. Let us know if you get a response.

[Sepiana]

Juergen,

My apologies! I forgot to thank you for your input and feedback. Where are my manners? Thanks a lot!

[Sepiana]

Jeff,

I forgot to answer your question about Premier Elements 7. No, I don't have it bundled up with PSE7.

[Sepiana]

Hi,

I have good news. Those pest files have not returned. Yesterday I duplicated the tasks which seemed to be related to their appearance in My Pictures folder. I created an online album at Photoshop.com; then worked on a project in PSE7 which resulted in about 10 psd files being saved in My Pictures folder. Since then I've checked that folder and its subfolders several times and those files are nowhere to be seen.

Before engaging in the above tasks I did the following:

1. Installed QuickTime alone, without any additional Apple software (Dean's input).
2. Change the settings in the Messaging Pods folder to allow Full Control for Everyone (John's input).

Now here's some food for thought. Which of the two solved the problem? Or was the combination of them? The only thing I can say is -- I'm glad it worked. I'd rather face those "flashing tips" than the Invasion of the Alien Files.

I thank all of you who joined this thread. I do appreciate the help and advice you provided. Oh, I love this forum!:D

[johnrellis]

Great!

I'd bet a fair amount that Quicktime is completely unrelated to the problem. I'll add a warning to my FAQ about the possibility of Alien Invasion if you turn off the advertising.

[paleolith]

Hmm, thanks for all the investigations. I finally got fed up and started looking into this same problem. I use iTunes but no iPod. I do not use photoshop.com. But I HAVE denied permission to that folder to get rid of those stinking flashers. So that's one more observation pointing to the conclusion that PSE really wants those files and restores them from somewhere when it can't access that folder.

Yet I have not seen any flashers some up after the files are recreated. So possibly this is just a bug. Adobe probably did not carefully test the results of denying access to that folder. From their point of view, that would never happen, and it's really expensive and frustrating to try to track down and test the logic for every error that probably never occurs. Lots of programming constructs have error results which most programmers expect never to occur.

Edward