controlling and redirecting EXE files

[White_Wolf]

Is there a program that lets you decide where the unpacked files in an EXE file go?

I have downloaded a program, I suspect it may be a virus. My avast virus scanner says it cannot scan the file because it is a password protected archive. The problem is the file is ".exe" which is not exactly an archive. I tried using Power Archiver on the file but all it gives me is options to compress the file; not extract it in any manner.

I am scared to just click the exe file because if this is a virus than I will have just infected my computer. Even if my resident virus shield catches something, who knows what else might come out undetected. So I want to be able to extract everything to a specific folder so that I may then scan that folder to see if there are any nasty's in there.

So is there any program that allows you to choose a folder where all contents of a EXE file go?

 

[KSoD]

Hello,

No. Executable files are preprogrammed with where to extract the files to when they use them for a install. This is almost all the time the App Data/Temp folder.

By default .exe files can not be extracted with anything. They shouldnt be able to be extracted. If they can be they were put together with something like WinRar and not compiled as a real executable file.

Cheers,
Mak

 

[White_Wolf]

Well thanks for the info. I just thought there might be some kind of program out there that could trick these things with virtual directories or something.

Anyhow, I guess I'll just delete the program. No sense in risking an infection.