[SOLVED] Strange non-Latin characters in Windows 10 HKEY_CURRENT_USER

[WKKos]

I have just noticed strange non-Latin characters under the registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER on my two Windows 10 Pro (64-bit) ASUS computers: laptop and desktop. I've got acquainted with the relevant, earlier, Windows 7 related thread here:
[SOLVED] - [7SP1HomePre x64] Weird Chinese symbols in registry. I've downloaded downloaded 64-bit Farbar Recovery Scan Tool (FRST). I'm attaching these two files for my desktop PC: FRST(dsktp).txt and Addition(dsktp).txt. Please, suggest steps whether and how to get rid of the weird non-Latin entries. Will the steps be the same for my laptop (whose non-Latin entries are slightly different)? Thank you in advance.

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Hi!

Can you take a screenshot of the registry portion where you see the keys?

 

[WKKos]

Here you are. Each such sub-key is identical on desktop and laptop and contains 2 items: cache2 and ext (these are also identical for every sub-key). As far as I know, these characters are nothing to do with any Chinese application since there is none installed on my computers. I connect to either machine, from time to time, my Xiaomi Mi A1 smartphone to transfer from it images and/or videos received using Syncios.

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Thank you. Please do the following:

Step#1 - Export Users hive

• Click on the Start button and in the search box, type regedit
• When you see regedit on the list, right-click on it and select Run as administrator.
• When regedit opens, using the left pane, navigate to the following registry key and select it by clicking on it once.
  
  HKEY_CURRENT_USERS
• Once selected, click File > Export....
• Change the Save as type: to Registry Hive Files (.).
• Name this file Users (with no file extension) and save it to your Desktop.
• Right-click on the saved file and choose Send To -> Compressed (zipped) Folder.
• Attach the .ZIP file to your next post.
• If the file is too large to upload here, upload to Dropbox or OneDrive or SendSpace and just provide the link here.

 

[WKKos]

Supplement: using Google Translate (for one of the items on desktop):

 

[WKKos]

Here it is:

 

[WKKos]

One more supplement - for laptop (now the language detected is Korean). So, these Google translations do not contribute to the solution of the issue.

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Step#1 - FRST Fix
NOTICE: This script was written specifically for this user, for use on that particular machine. Running this on another machine may cause damage to your operating system
1. Please download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool and save it to your Desktop.
Note: You need to run the 64-bit Version so please ensure you download that one.
2. Download the attached fixlist.txt and save it to the Desktop.
Note. It's important that both files, FRST64 and fixlist.txt are in the same location or the fix will not work (in this case...the desktop).
3. Run FRST64 by Right-Clicking on the file and choosing Run as administrator.
4. Press the Fix button just once and wait. If for some reason the tool needs a restart, please make sure you let the system restart normally. After that let the tool complete its run.
5. When finished FRST64 will generate a log on the Desktop (Fixlog.txt). Please post the contents of it in your reply.

 

[WKKos]

Here it is (for my desktop PC). I understand that the procedure I've just followed is only for my desktop... What about my laptop?

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Very strange. Is this the machine for which I got the hive?

The characters seem to be related to your Avast Antivirus.

 

[WKKos]

Yes, precisely. I've been working on my desktop and doing the actions indicated only on the desktop. We will pass on to my laptop later - after we've solved the desktop problem. Yes, strange is that your registry script did not delete the entries in question. I've even restarted the desktop in the interim.

 

[WKKos]

I wonder how you came to the conclusion that the weird characters are related to my Avast Free AV...

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Because your hive contains the same entries both within the Chinese keys and the Avast keys, which is 100% proof that they are related.

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

I have discovered the error in my script. This should work.

 

[WKKos]

Here is the file in question. And yes, all the strange registry key entries have been deleted. Thank you. Shall I try myself to create a similar fixlist for my laptop, or you kindly provide it for me?

 

[WKKos]

Meanwhile, I've created and attached a corresponding file for my laptop. Could you assist again?

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Here you are.

 

[WKKos]

Thank you. Again, it has worked - see the attachment. No more weird entries in my laptop registry.
I wonder if Avast who was the culprit is aware of the issue...? I will watch the registries on my both PCs if the problem reoccurs... Hope, not.
Once again, many thanks for your kind assistance.

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

They probably are, but this is not the first bug I've seen from them. Although they do tend to patch them.