# What does mmtask32.exe do? Mine's infected. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 9, 2004, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mmtask32-exe-do-mines-infected/263749 "2004-09-09T09:28:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mmtask32-exe-do-mines-infected/263749/1 "2004-09-09T09:28:37Z")
I just ran a virus scan, and it appears that my file, C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\MMTASK32.EXE is infected with a Trojan virus called “BackDoor.BackGate.A.” AVG can’t clean the file and recommends it be removed. However, being in my \SYSTEM32 directory, I can’t imagine that this file is unimportant. Any advice? Adam Never in my life did I think I would post a computer question on the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mmtask32-exe-do-mines-infected/263749/2 "2004-09-09T10:06:00Z")
Free online virus scan at [Trend Micro.](http://housecall.trendmicro.com/) Assuming it was a typo, and you meant ‘MSTASK32.exe’, [looks like its a trojan,](http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=description&virus_k=100092) and can be deleted. Still, you need to scan, since you most likely have multiple instances on there. If not, I have never heard of ‘MMTASK32.EXE’, and googling turns up nothing, so maybe try renaming it to MMTASK32.BAK and rebooting? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mmtask32-exe-do-mines-infected/263749/3 "2004-09-09T12:28:58Z")
Usually, when Google turns up nothing when entering a file name, it means it’s a randomly generated filename (or a very new bit of spyware or virus). These are never good. Since it’s a complete blank from Google, and Ad-Aware has flagged it, it probably should be removed. Lots of trojans, viruses, and spyware run from the Windows\system32 folder, just to make people think twice about deleting them. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mmtask32-exe-do-mines-infected/263749/4 "2004-09-09T12:34:00Z")
I’ve deleted it and doused my computer with holy water. 😃 Thanks, guys, and congrats on 9,000 posts, **Chuck**. Adam ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-mmtask32-exe-do-mines-infected/263749/5 "2004-09-09T13:18:40Z")
You might find this site useful: [http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist\_pages/tasklist.htm](http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm) MMTASK has 2 listings: > [@](#): > > Background task installed by MusicMatch Jukebox and which detects the insertion or removal of a CD so that MusicMatch Jukebox can update its display accordingly. > [@](#): > > Microsoft’s Multimedia Background Task Support Module. This is a hidden task in Windows 9x/ME which shows up only in the Processes List in Starter. MMTASK is a Microsoft background task which provides simulated multitasking for multimedia applications, so that, for example, you could be playing more than one AVI movie at the same time. This task does not exist in Windows NT4/2000/XP/2003 which are true multitasking operating systems. Neither one is listed as mmtask32 though. Sounds like a typical trojan to me. It installs somewhere where you’ll think it’s important, and has a name similar to existing files there. Deleting it was the right thing to do. MSTASK is the scheduling agent (more info on the above web site). Unless you have tasks that run on a scheduled basis (like a backup or something that uses the windows scheduler) then you don’t really need it. If this was the file that was infected then you can either copy it off of a clean system or just forget about it if you don’t need it.