Strange Software Download

[Capt Joe]

I had a very strange thing happen on my Lenovo laptop, Windows 7, computer over the weekend and hope somebody can shed some light on it.

 

Woke it up on Saturday and noticed a small box down on the right bottom corner of the screen, just above the task bar in the corner just above the time, wifi indicator, etc. The box just says "Software download complete" an under that are a couple of clickable selections for "Install Now" and "Install Later". The box is approx. 5/8" high and 2.25" long and is on the top of whatever is displayed on the screen.

 

I haven't clicked on the "Install Now" but to uncover the data being covered by the box have clicked on the "Install Later" and it disappears for a few minutes but comes back. There is no indication just what software is downloaded and I have looked through my download files and can find nothing that shows as being downloaded over the past week or so and find nothing notable.

 

Anybody have any idea as to just how to go about finding out what it might be and how to get rid of it? I had MalWare Bytes installed but as I recall, a couple of months ago it went crazy on attempting an update and I haven't reloaded it yet. I guess I do need to scan with McAfee to see if anything is identified even though it does a scan each night.

 

Thanks for reading and I will be standing by for any thoughts, hints, suggestions, etc.

 

Capt Joe

[TheDuke]

Without seeing the Icon , it sound like you got the first part of the Win 10 install.

This is if you didn't post this as a joke.

[Capt Joe]

No joke, TheDuke.

 

This is not really an icon but a plain small box, rectangular, with the words as I quoted above.

 

I was thinking it may have been something to do with the Windows 10 which has been 'ready to install' for several weeks on this computer. I have chosen not to install it yet on this computer because my wife is mostly using it as I have purchase a new Toshiba i7 computer with W-10 on it and I want to get familiar with it so I can help her out with the W-10 when we do install it on the Lenovo.

 

Can you think of anyway to check and see if this notice IS Windows 10 related. I just don't like having it hanging out in the corner of my screen and there is always the possibility of the "Install Now" button being clicked without knowing what is being installed. I have right clicked on the box with no results.

 

Thanks,

Capt Joe

[wordell]

Capt Joe,

 

If you go to the Control Panel and click on Uninstall a Program you will get a list of programs installed. Up at the top, if you click on "Installed On" you can sort the list by date. This allows you to have the latest item installed at the top of the list instead of alphabetical. This will tell you if anything was installed waiting for you to click on "Install Now". This may not find the culprit but is a good method of seeing what the latest item installed is when something does get installed without your knowledge or permission. There are also logs in the Windows "stuff" that would indicate what it was but I do not know how to get to them. Maybe someone else can tell you that.

 

RetiredSKP

[justRich]

Google "Software download complete": https://www.google.com/search?q=Software+download+complete&oq=Software+download+complete&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8

[Yarome]

Welcome to Lenovo. More than likely that is a Lenovo propriety software download. You'll notice you have a whole bevy of Lenovo shtufs like Lenovo "settings control", "Messenger", "Quickcast", "Companion", etc etc etc. I don't remember all of them, but I know there's a ton. You should be able to right click on the box to open a context menu that should show you what has been downloaded. Barring that, you can go to your "Lenovo Solution Center" that should list the actions.

 

If the propriety software has been removed from you system, and it's not that, then you should still be able to right click for a context menu, but if you're running a Lenovo that would be my first and most likely guess.

[RV_]

If Malwarebytes was prevented from doing an update, odds are you had an infection back then. Your McAfee may also be disabled. Run task manager by pressing Control+Shift+Escape to launch the task manager directly, bypassing the menu and the mouse entirely. Click on startup and see if the install dialog box is listed. Then look at processes and see what is running there. Disabling one and seeing if that is the problem one at a time, you should be able to narrow down what it is.

[jbh]

It's Verizon software. It's pretty stupid that they didn't identify it in some way.

[chirakawa]

It's Verizon software. It's pretty stupid that they didn't identify it in some way.

 

What are you referring to? Just out of curiosity, what kind of software does Verizon have?

[Capt Joe]

SUCCESS!!!! Or it seems so right now.

 

I followed some links on a Google search as suggested y Rich&Sylvia above and determined that this 'mysterious' box was indeed related to a Verizon program called "Verizon Wireless Software Utility Application for Android-Samsung". I read a lot of info concerning the software and determined it was related to a program named UA.exe which was on my computer. There was a lot of info concerning this on Microsoft.com.

 

Armed with this info, I then went to a site that has a lot of good information to help you decide just what to do with programs you have questions about as to whether or not to keep them. Here is a link to the info about this program. http://www.shouldiremoveit.com/Verizon-Wireless-Software-Utility-Application-for-Android-Samsung-17037-program.aspx

 

I chose to simply go to the Control Panel on my computer, located the program in the Uninstall a Program section and the pop up box was GONE.

 

Here is an portion of a post on a Microsoft site ( http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-performance/software-download-complete-pop-up/550dcac6-6c7b-4bc8-a2be-cd6e818ccf40?page=3 )that gives a good overall description of this software and what should be done with it:

 

"First: This is a program developed by Samsung and Verizon to update their Android phones/devices. It is being sent to your PC in the unlikely event that you phone/device has connectivity problems etc. and will not retrieve or run it.

First, the program is by Samsung and Verizon. It is used in the event that you Samsung smartphone of other Android device has connectivity issues. That seems odd, but not particularly damaging.

 

Second: What is particularly disturbing about this program is the WAY it is announced on your PC. It just appears as a small Pop-up in the bottom right corner of your screen with NO INDICATION whatsoever as to What the Program is or Who Wrote it. It just says it has been download and says to Click on it to Install it.

This is a VERY BAD habit to get into. i.e., clicking install on anything that pops up. Very Bad Habit.

This is really a sleazy approach to a problem.

One can see it fairly consistent with the haphazard way the Verizon does things. But Samsung should be both more responsible and transparent.

Kind of makes you wonder.

 

This really LOOKS and SMELLS LIKE a VIRUS.

They have been doing this for years, back to XP.

 

GET RID OF IT!

 

Third, this pop up does not go away after some time out period. It stays. and it pops up every time you start your computer. AND it does not go away.

 

Forth, Right click on it and you can find that it is called UA.exe Start up Task Manager. Go to the running apps at the top and right click on the ua.exe application and then "end task". This gets rid of it until you start your computer again.

 

Fifth, Do a google of ua.exe and take your pick of how you want to permanently get rid of it."

 

I do hope that this 'puts it to bed'.... never to return!!!!

 

Now, on to the next project which I will post in another topic. Always a lot of mighty good information on here with folks willing to share and assist. Probably not a question that could be asked that you wouldn't get a good answer to on this forum.

 

Thanks to all for the info and guidance with this problem to help keep us safe.

 

Capt Joe