Hello all. I use v-com fix it utility pro 6 and when i use the registry fixer it gives me a list of entries and i came along one named:

C:windows/tracing

Im wondering what this is for. Is it some dumb thing that microsoft put into there updates? If anyone can let me know anything about this it would be great

It is not a Windows file and Google brings up NO hits.

This makes it very suspect as malware at least.

i dont think its male ware because this is what i did to see if it was from something else:
1) fresh install of windows xp pro sp2
2) installed avg antivirus.
3)installed filescab firewall
4)ran virus check "nothing found"
5)installed and ran ad aware se "found nothing"
6)did all microsoft updates
7)ran fix it utility pro 6 and they come up like this:

The registry item "files directory" refrences the missing file "tracing".
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\tracing\term mgr
C:WINDOWS\tracing

on other entries with the tracing, they are all the same except fot where the "termmgr" is, it will say various things like tapisrv, conftsp, EAPOL, FWCFG, h323msp and many others.

if anyone can help that would bgreat. ive thought about deleting them but they are in red which is a warning not to delete. I have before and nothing happened, but im just curious on what microsoft is tracing on my machine, if at all. thanks in advance everyone.

OK. I do find that as a valid registry key in XP:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\tracing\term mgr

That key relates to internal File tracing. Most the other sub-keys in that tree are RAS or Remote Assistance. Although I cannot confirm it I would highly suspect that these are all tools if you ever use Remote Access help.

If you have all your security updates I would not be concerned with this function. It is there if you ever have Microsoft Remote Access your computer.

But as to a file named C:WINDOWS\tracing I can find nothing on any of my XP machines nor any hits from search engines. That is not a legitimate Windows file.