[SOLVED] HPLocale.exe

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

A scan on two HP pc’s has shown up a ‘virus’ Win32:Malware-gen. Original location C:\HP\BIN
It is now in the Virus Chest of each pc …

For this same ‘virus’ to occur independently on two HP pc’s seems to be rather a coincidence.
I would appreciate advise.
Thanks
Ron

2

If you can upload the file to Virustotal here: https://www.virustotal.com/ to see what other AV’s think of the file.

If you believe it is a false detection report it to Avast here: https://www.avast.com/en-us/contact-us.php?subject=VIRUS-FILE

You can also report it as a false positive by right clicking the file in the virus chest.

3

Had same alert today. Uploaded this file (same name, same location on an HP netbook) to VirusTotal Online Malware Scan. File was not reported as harmful. So I assume that Avast (program version: 2015.10.0.2208, virus definition: 150208-0) gives a false alarm here.

Yours
Peter

4

Latest version of avast is 2015.10.0.2209

5

To be totally right, 2209 is the latest Beta build that’s recently been released. :slight_smile:

6

Even if that were not a beta build, it is the virus definitions which are detecting this and they are independent of the program version.

@ RonSH
I suspect this is a false positive as the C:/HP/BIN location is normally associated to HP systems and their tools, etc. for a factory restore. Some of these tools have in the past been detected as they can have a dual purpose (to do said restore) that may appear suspect.

You don’t say what the file name is ?

You should submit this (from the chest, see attached image, click to expand) to the avast virus labs as a possible false positive for analysis.

7

Thanks for all your comments.
I have submitted the file (HPLocale.exe) from the Chest.
Ron

8

I had the same error message and have deleted the two hplocale.exe files from the virus chest. I’m now wondering if they’re important and if so how I can reinstall them.

Any ideas?

9

that is exactely why antivirus programs have a quarantine, so you can undo if detection was wrong

when you delete, you dont have that option … so why the rush to delete :-\

10

Unfortunately I don’t see an easy way to get these deleted files back:
Deletion isn’t really a good first option (you have none left), ‘first do no harm’ don’t delete, send virus to the chest (a protected area) and investigate.

There is no rush to delete anything from the chest, a protected area where it can do no harm. Anything that you send to the chest you should leave there for a few weeks. If after that time you have suffered no adverse effects from moving these to the chest, scan them again (inside the chest) and if they are still detected as viruses, delete them.

11

Hello,

we received this file yesterday and detection was already fixed in stream updates.

12

Thanks for your prompt solution
Ron

13

I quite agree - it was a moment of madness, although it would help if Avast didn’t put up false positives.

I’ve since copied the file over from an old HP laptop which I hope does the trick.

14

It would be nice if all AVs didn’t put up FPs, unfortunately it can happen - hence the expansion on what to do with files in the virus chest.

I think you should be OK with the file from the other HP laptop if they are roughly the same age and OS - plus the chances of using any of the files in the C:\HP\BIN location would be pretty rare.

15

Thanks for that David. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.