how can i remove this long rectangle from my desktop?

Guys - You are NOT alone. I have spent the entire night searching and running software against this little guy.

I affectionately names him the "blue_pill" and here is a picture I took. http://www.pooririshman.com/blue_pill_exposed.bmp

When Windows XP starts, the corner is just barely visable in the Upper Left Corner near My Computer. I noticed it, and clicked to Drag it out... To my suprise!

This is what I know:
- alternates white, grey, and black in the indication window
- the white indicators seem to change slightly or have characters loading in them... very hard to see
- when you enter Task Manager using Ctrl-Alt-Delete the little box deactivates and goes to "sleep", displaying a black indicator
- load any program, or type, and the white indicator appears again

I think it is a Keylogger. And I think it is VERY NEW. Your posts appear as August 2006, and I cannot find another site with reference.

Andrew
August 2006

btw please email hermit@valornet.com if you know the answer.

Larry
August 2006

I thoguht I'd answer this so much more detail about this strange icon could be investigated. I have what I believe is the same issue. I noticed it yesterday. It is blue, 10 px wide, and 34 px tall. In the bottom half, a white rectangle horizontally centered inside is 4 px wide and 10 px tall. It resides at the very upper left of the display. It was only a couple of pixels showing. It can be dragged around, but nothing else. It turns bright when clicked, and goes gray when not clicked. Sort of opposite of what desktop icons do. No properties can be seen, or right-clicked. I can't delete it, and it seems to be dormant. But, I fear the worst. I hope it's not a keylogger, or a Trojan waiting to launch! Does ANYBODY know what this thing is? I run WIN XP Pro.

Larry Berg
August 2006

first of all, which OS are you using? I assume windows but which version: 98, ME, 2000, XP?

if you are using windows 98, at my guess it's the rather annoying 'internet' bar (or whatever Micro$oft nick-named it)

i hope this helps

awave
August 2006