What does the attrib.exe file do?
The attrib.exe process is also known as Attribute Utility and is a part of Microsoft Windows Operating System. This software is produced by Microsoft (www.microsoft.com). An outdated or faulty version of attrib.exe can cause problems for your computer, ranging from slowness to error messages like these:
- Attribute Utility has stopped working. Windows is checking for a solution to the problem... (Windows 11, 10, 7)
- Attribute Utility has stopped working. A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available. (Windows 11, 10, 7)
- attrib.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close.
- Access violation at address FFFFFFFF in module attrib.exe. Read of address 00000000.
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What you should know about attrib.exe Attribute Utility
The original attrib.exe file is definitely a Windows system file, but many viruses use the same name in order to remain unnoticed. The file attrib.exe is found in the C:\Windows\System32 directory or sometimes in a subdirectory of C:\Windows.
Frequently occurring are file sizes such as 19,456 bytes (43% of all these files), 16,384 bytes, 18,432 bytes or, as the case may be, 18,944 bytes.
This file is part of the operating system. The original file was created by Microsoft. The file itself can therefore be considered trustworthy. The application does not appear as a visible window, but only in Task Manager.
attrib.exe appears to be a file that was compressed by an EXE-Packer. This technique is often used by trojans to keep the file size small and also hamper debugging efforts. However, this in itself is not sufficient reason to presume malicious intent, since even well-intentioned, professional software producers take advantage of compressed files.
For this reason, 3% of all experts consider this file to be a possible threat. The probability that it can cause harm is high.
If you see this file on your hard drive or in Windows Task Manager, please make sure that it is not a malicious variant. It's a fact that many trojans try to cloak their true identity by calling themselves attrib.exe. With the above information or by using tools like Security Task Manager you can determine if, in your case, the file is an undesirable variant.
What do other computer users say about attrib?
| I couldn't find the file. It's hidden so it's not safe. Defragger | |
| at every session a look-like alert tells on my screen:our pc misses "windows/attrib.exe " , type it on search module .but I click on close-cross for I have many virus attacks. Annemo |
Summary: 2 users consider attrib.exe essential and should not be removed. One user considers it harmless. However, 2 users consider this to be a suspicious process and would like to get rid of it. For this reason, one user has already deleted attrib.exe. source: file.net
How to uninstall the program
To remove Attribute Utility from your computer, please follow the manual instructions below.
- Click the Windows Start Button. You can find it in the lower-left corner of the taskbar.
- Type 'uninstall'.
- Click Add or remove programs.
- Now locate the program in the list of displayed applications.
- Click the program, and then click Uninstall.
How to check if attrib.exe (Attribute Utility) was uninstalled completely
After uninstalling, restart your computer. Then open Windows Explorer and check if a folder with the software name still exists under C:\Program Files. Also, check the Registry for remnants of Attribute Utility. To do this, start Regedit, then look under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > Software for: Attribute Utility or the name of the producer. Keep in mind that only a computer professional should delete entries in the Windows Registry directly.
Last but not least
If Windows is not working properly, startup is slow, or attrib.exe is causing problems, a good Windows diagnostic tool may help. This is especially effective when it comes to older computers that have accumulated vast quantities of "garbage data" as the result of many software installs and uninstalls.
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