Symantec says file "left alone" but I cannot find the file

[johngregor]

My Norton antivirus is showing that I have a few viruses spread around my network that it is leaving alone. but when I go to the location the infected file is supposed to be, I cannot find the file. for example, I have a file called tskmgr.exe showing up infected with the w32.randex virus. it says the file was "left alone" and still located in the original place "c:\winnt\system32". but when I go there I find nothing.

Does anybody know what is going on? Any help is appreciated.

 

[oggywan]

What version of Norton Antivirus?

If it is Corporate Edition 7.5 or 7.6, you will see left alone's that are created because an item is left in the quarantine. The quarantine is rescanned upon update of your definitions, and the product will try to repair those viruses in the quarantine with the new defs.
After failing to do so (in most of the cases) the virus history will contain a new item around the same time that your defs updates, stating left alone and it will report to the location where the item was quarantined from.

If it's the consumer edition... I don't know what the heck to tell ya ;-)

 

[johngregor]

Yes!

You are exactly right.

Thanks for your help!