Avast notified me of a file it can't scan and I can't find

[pjadams49417]

This week my scans keep naming this file, that Avast says it can't scan.  C:\ProgramData\...\energy-ntk.etl can't find the file on my computer and Avast couldn't move it to the vault.  This has come up in the last 3 scans.  I need help. :-(

[DavidR]

No hits on a search for energy-ntk.etl.

Can you expand the column width to display what the \...\ full path is ?

What reason was given for not being able to scan the file ?

Files that can't be scanned are just that, not an indication they are suspicious/infected, just unable to be scanned.

Many programs (usually security based ones) password protect their files for legitimate reasons, there are others (and avast doesn't know the password or have any way of using it even if it did know it).

By examining 1) the reason given by avast! for not being able to scan the files, 2) the location of the files, you can get an idea of what program they relate to. You may need to expand the column headings to see all the text.

[pjadams49417]

Thank you!  That makes me feel safer.  :-)  I don't know how to expand it.

[DavidR]

Hover the mouse pointer over the separator in the column heading (it will change to a two arrow <|> style pointer), left click (hold down) and drag to the right to expand the column.

[pjadams49417]

C:\Program Data\Microsoft\Windows\PowerEfficiencyDiagnostics\energy-ntkl.etl

Could not be scanned because of a i/o device error (1117)Does that make sense?  Likely not a problem?

[DavidR]

I don't think it is something to be concerned with, as far as being malware is concerned.

The C:\Program Data\Microsoft\Windows\PowerEfficiencyDiagnostics program appears to be a legit windows tool. I have it in my win7 netbook and that file, so I don't know why nothing was found on my search of the file name.

Though the i/o device error (1117) may need further investigation http://uk.search.yahoo.com/search?p=i%2Fo+device+error+(1117) as that could be an indication of an underlying problem (non-avast). This isn't an area I'm familiar with, but some of the search hits point to possible hardware issues, but it would be strange if a hardware issue would cause this error when avast is trying to scan the file. But many of the hits indicate something else, so it seems this error can be pretty varied in relation to cause (read hard to define).

[pjadams49417]

Thank you again.  I think the computer is fried.

[DavidR]

I hope not, aside from this issue are there other indications that makes you say "I think the computer is fried" ?