For the past few days, Windows Script Host has shown an error when my computer starts: "Cannot find C:ProgramDataWinDate32WinMainTELE.vbs." What caused this, and what is the safest way to remove the error and fix my system?
3 Answers
This is likely leftover malware. The malicious script may have been deleted or quarantined, but something is still trying to launch it at startup. Check Task Scheduler for entries that reference WinMainTELE.vbs or an unfamiliar program, and remove only entries you can identify as malicious.
Run a full scan with Malwarebytes or your installed antivirus, then inspect startup items, scheduled tasks, services, and drivers with Microsoft Sysinternals Autoruns. Disable or remove suspicious entries after confirming what they do. Back up important files first.
If the scan finds serious malware or you cannot verify that the system is clean, the safest option is to back up personal files and perform a clean Windows installation from official installation media. A clean reinstall is more thorough than the built-in reset options when dealing with malware.
What do you mean by a clean reinstall?
It means creating Windows installation media, deleting the existing system partitions during setup, and installing Windows again. Make sure important files are backed up first, because this can erase the drive.
Thanks, I’ll check Task Scheduler and look for anything pointing to that file.