What Are These Hta Registration Entry Files?

I found a folder in My Documents called "HpReg_Backup". There are two Registration Entry files in it, hta.reg and htafile.reg. Anybody know what these are and what they're doing in My Documents?

I tried to attach them herewith in case anybody wanted to examine them, but this website won't even display them, and when I typed the names in for upload, MG says that the filetype isn't allowed for upload.

 

Create a new folder, copy/paste both into that new folder, give the folder a name, then send the folder to a .ZIP file and upload the .ZIP file. MG's accepts .ZIP files.

 

OK, thanks a lot, here it is.

 

It looks like backups of the Registry keys for the .hta file type.

I'd say that you've installed some (security?) software that intercepts or takes over the handling of that file type, my Registry entries for the same keys are identical to yours (apart from my own security intercept software's additions).

Best keep them, just in case the software you used needs them to reset your keys to default should you uninstall it.

 

I think the last somewhat security-related app I installed was FDM (which really runs a tight ship), do you think it could have been that?

Just what are hta files, anyway?

 

FDM = Free Download Manager? No, I don't think that's security related.

hta is a type of scripting, html wrapped, that's given a fully trusted application execution - potentially very dangerous. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML_Application

 

Yes.

I just meant that FDM never allows any download until I approve it.

I don't know what HTML apps I might have.

 

.hta files are HTML applications. It looks like you have something installed that intercepts calls to them, probably giving you some kind of warning/option when one is detected.

From your other topic, I'm pretty sure we can rule some of them out, leaving Avira Antivirus Pro, Crypto Prevent, IObit Advanced SystemCare, Glary Utilities and Wise Care 365 as possible contenders. Go to Control Panel\Programs\Default Programs\Set Associations and see what .hta is currently associated with.

 

I'm not seeing Default Programs in Programs. I have Win7 Pro, as perhaps you already know.

 

Control Panel > Programs > Default Programs > Set Associations or paste "Control Panel\Programs\Default Programs\Set Associations" into the bar at the top of any Explorer window and hit Enter.

 

Sorry, both are just plain not there.

As you can see, the word "Default" appears nowhere in this screenshot:



This is what appears when I paste "Control Panel\Programs\Default Programs\Set Associations" (without the quote marks) into the URL bar:

 

Paste "Control Panel\Programs\Default Programs\Set Associations" into the bar at the top of any Explorer window and hit Enter.

Not Internet Explorer, the upper image in your latest post is of Explorer.

 

I wasn't able to bring up that box with pasting what satrow said to paste into the Address Bar of an (File/Windows) Explorer Window. I had to go to Control Panel -> Default Programs and in my case, this is what I come up with:

 

Ah, so my 'Classic' breadcrumbs trail is different to the default, mdonah, does the breadcrumbs trail in your last image now work as expected when pasted in a new Explorer window?

 

Quite simply, no.

 

This is what it returns. Note the Title Bar.

 

Also doesn't work for me - Windows 7.
BTW, wouldn't it be easier to just click Default Programs on the Start Menu?

 

OK, so the much lauded 'bread crumbs feature' isn't quite as useful as MS would have liked us to have believed, perhaps later implementations are more consistent.

That would have made a better suggestion than it does a question.

 

I'm running Win 7 Enterprise and the OP is running Pro. Perhaps that "Breadcrumb" feature is only available in Ultimate?

 

No, I run Windows 7 Ultimate.

 

I'm running Pro with 'Classic' Explorer view. I think bread crumbs were introduced with Vista. (EDIT: Wiki agrees)

 

OK, I found what on my computer is Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Default Programs\Set Associations. .hta files are associated with "Microsoft (R) HTML Application host"

 

That should indicate that you don't currently have any 3rd party software intercept set up, delete the backup reg filies/folder if you want, they're not needed for anything currently active.

 

I have the same.
IMO You can delete the 2 files in question.

 

OK, did it. Thanks mdonah, satrow and Eldon.

 

No worries, Sergeant glad you got there in the end.



[On the remote off-chance that anyone is interested in what I use to intercept several potentially dangerous script/file types, it's ScriptDefender from AnalogX. It works well ime on XP/W7.

I've not tested it on W10 but I might have an opportunity to do so in a few hours. I have one piece of and trusted software that I regularly use which triggers intercepts when I install/upgrade it so a basic functionality test is easy. I won't be able to easily check whether W10 rejects it at some point on reboot or after an update/upgrade though.]

 

I looked at your link, and I like what I see. Should I just install this alongside the rest of my security software? You have a list of what I have, so if this would cause any collisions, I guess I shouldn't install it.

 

BTW, this says "Script Defender works on all versions of Windows, from Window 95 to Windows 7 and everything inbetween". I guess it's an old webpage. I'm gonna upgrade to Win10 soon; do you know if it'll run under that for sure?

 

I managed to find a few minutes to test SD on W10 Home, installed it as Admin, ran it, installed the intercepts, ran 'my' test installer, SD popped up as expected, allowed the script and the install ran to completion successfully. Successful so far...

 

The page says the last upgrade for Script Defender was on May 6, 2009. I think the project may have been abandoned so, compatibility with Win 10 is questionable.

 

Detract my last post. It apparently is Win 10 compatible as per satrow's post but, it could be that Win 10 is running it in compatibility mode.

 

It doesn't 'run' it except when it's manually run to install or remove/alter the intercepts, which all appeared to be retained as defaults after reboots. Not sure if those defaults will be changed, or whether SD might be uninstalled/blocked, after any future Windows update/upgrade though.

 

But at any rate, it won't collide with the rest of my security software, right?

 

Mine doesn't and I've tested most of the better security software.

 

OK, I've installed Script Defender. I'm not expecting any problems, but I'll cross that bridge if I ever get to it.