Author Topic: Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp  (Read 17149 times)

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Offline YeOldeBowler

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Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp
« on: January 15, 2019, 07:02:33 PM »
The following has been happening since updating to 19.1.2360 (build 19.1.4142.0):
On start up I get 165 files in the above folder, all approx 1.5 mb in size (total of 254 mb).
I also get two tmp-shm files on every start up. These are not deleted on restart so the folder is growing and growing.
Can anyone please explain what they are, why they are there and how I can stop them  being created.
I assume I can delete them without a problem.

Thank you

Edit: the file format is 'prbxxxx.tmp' (where x = ?)
« Last Edit: January 15, 2019, 07:33:19 PM by YeOldeBowler »
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Offline bob3160

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Re: Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2019, 10:30:47 PM »
I suggest you do a Clean Install of Avast:
https://goo.gl/4Ptzkf
If you need additional help with the Clean Install, watch this:
https://youtu.be/p-h3myRD51A
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Offline YeOldeBowler

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Re: Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2019, 12:30:10 PM »
Thankyou bob3160. Unfortunately I still get the tmp files after doing the clean install.
Any other ideas please ?
Avast Free 19.5.2378 (build 19.5.4444.495), Windows 7 64 bit

Offline bob3160

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Re: Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2019, 12:44:41 PM »
Thankyou bob3160. Unfortunately I still get the tmp files after doing the clean install.
Any other ideas please ?
New ones or are they the original temp files ???
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Offline YeOldeBowler

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Re: Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2019, 01:06:04 PM »
I am getting new ones and the previous ones are still there.
I have now successfully stopped this happening with the prbxxxx.tmp files but am still getting the tmp-shm files (which are being added two at a time with the old ones still there).
To stop this happening I went to the add/modify components section and removed the components shown in the attached screen print.
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Offline kwiq

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Re: Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2019, 01:28:11 PM »
Hi YeOldeBowler,
would you make a procmon log and upload it for analysis ?

1) Disable avast self defense
2) Download procmon from https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon
unzip and start the procmon.exe as admin
3) When there will be a new prbxxxx.tmp file save procmon log. Menu -> File ->  Save.. -> check all events, check native procmon format and select path where you want to save a procmon log.
4) Pack the procmon log as yeoldebowler_1_2019.zip and upload it to ftp://ftp.avast.com/incoming
5) Enable avast self defense

Thank you for report !
« Last Edit: January 16, 2019, 01:44:41 PM by kwiq »

Offline YeOldeBowler

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Re: Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2019, 04:57:58 PM »
I reinstated the options, rebooted but the problem did not reappear.
I then did another clean reinstall, as outlined above, and the problem was back.
I ran procmon as suggested but it was over 3 Gb so I filtered it to show only prb and tmp-shm.
I have zip'd the file but am unsure how to FTP it to the address given so I have attached it to this post (please note I have changed the extension from zip to txt).

Hopefully it will shed some light on the problem although I will do as above (turn off certain options) to stop the build up of files (256 mb per startup).

Please let me know the outcome and also if I can assist with anything.
Avast Free 19.5.2378 (build 19.5.4444.495), Windows 7 64 bit

Offline Michael529

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Re: Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2019, 06:13:21 PM »
For what it is worth, I too seem to be getting the same effect on my Win10 (1809, 64 bit) system.

It is not at all clear what event creates the files as (from the time stamps) they seem to appear in batches - I have 25 with the same time stamp, each 1579 kb - and the batches seem to appear once or twice a day, not regularly throughout the day as (for example) vps streaming updates are picked up.

I don't know whether they are from Avast or not, but I didn't see them before updating to 19.1.2360. The names are of the form prbE6D6.tmp with the 4 capitals/numbers changing.

The positive is that ccleaner (mostly) removes them.

Offline YeOldeBowler

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Re: Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2019, 07:14:04 PM »
Michael529 - It may be worthwhile trying my fix in Reply #4 (in Troubleshooting). As I mentioned in #6 I reinstated them and the 'rogue' files stopped.
This is only a stopgap (if it works for you) until a proper fix is made. From my research it seems that the Avast service is creating them...
Avast Free 19.5.2378 (build 19.5.4444.495), Windows 7 64 bit

Offline mchain

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Re: Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2019, 08:17:54 PM »
I reinstated the options, rebooted but the problem did not reappear.
I then did another clean reinstall, as outlined above, and the problem was back.
I ran procmon as suggested but it was over 3 Gb so I filtered it to show only prb and tmp-shm.
I have zip'd the file but am unsure how to FTP it to the address given so I have attached it to this post (please note I have changed the extension from zip to txt).

Hopefully it will shed some light on the problem although I will do as above (turn off certain options) to stop the build up of files (256 mb per startup).

Please let me know the outcome and also if I can assist with anything.

https://support.avast.com/en-us/article/FTP-file-upload
See Reply #5 for instructions.  Hope this helps.
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Offline igor

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Re: Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2019, 09:33:08 PM »
YeOldeBowler, thanks for the log.
It gives some hints, though the stacks are incomplete... did you disable Avast self-defense before running ProcMon?

Just to be clear - were both the prbXXXX.tmp and appXXXX.tmp-shm files left behind? It may be two unrelated things actually.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2019, 10:41:51 PM by igor »

Offline YeOldeBowler

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Re: Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2019, 10:53:26 PM »
Sorry I did not disable Avast self-defence before running ProcMon. Do you want me to do it again ?
To be clearboth the prbXXXX.tmp and appXXXX.tmp-shm were left behind.
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Offline bob3160

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Re: Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp
« Reply #12 on: January 16, 2019, 11:07:33 PM »
Sorry I did not disable Avast self-defence before running ProcMon. Do you want me to do it again ?
To be clearboth the prbXXXX.tmp and appXXXX.tmp-shm were left behind.
Yes. It will give Igor more of the information needed to get to the bottom of what's causing this.
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Offline igor

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Re: Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp
« Reply #13 on: January 16, 2019, 11:38:08 PM »
If possible, yes please... it would show us where (i.e. from what piece of code) the files are actually created without subsequent removal. (The filter for prb and tmp-shm only is fine.)
« Last Edit: January 16, 2019, 11:40:51 PM by igor »

Offline YeOldeBowler

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Re: Lots of tmp files in Users/(myid)/AppData/Local/Temp
« Reply #14 on: January 17, 2019, 05:53:04 PM »
Sorry for the delay - have to do a clean reinstall first to get the problem back.
Have ftp'd yeoldebowler_2_2019 (with self defense off !)
Hope it helps.
Avast Free 19.5.2378 (build 19.5.4444.495), Windows 7 64 bit