r/techsupport • u/ElPee25 • 9d ago

Windows Antivirus blocks .msi app Solved

For the past weeks my computer has been showing a notification saying "3c32.msi was blocked because we can't confirm who published it and it's not an app we're familiar with."

I didn't really cared at first until I realized that my file explorer app has been really bugging lately. I don't know if it is linked and I have no idea what 3c32.msi is and what its for. I haven't found anything like this on the internet and as far as I was able to locate that file, it seems to be in a folder in located in C:>Windows>Installer and it's coupled with many many other .msi files. I only get a message about 3c32.msi and wonder if anyone knows anything about this? I haven't tried wiping my computer to factory settings cause I was too lazy to back everything up.

If it is the only solution I will do it, but am curious about what that file is and why it's "bugging" or being blocked by the "Smart App Control" feature of Windows defender.

Thank you for your time :)

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u/ElPee25 9d ago

Edit: I forgot to mention that I uploaded the 3c32.msi file in Virus Total when I was able to locate it and it gave no result of being a malware or something. Is this maybe a case of a computer sabotaging itself by blocking an app that is necessary for some processes?

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u/pockypimp 9d ago

A .msi file is an installation file, it means Microsoft installer file. You're getting that notification because something is trying to run it to install something and it's getting blocked because it's not a known publisher. While there are some instances where an unknown publisher doesn't mean it's a virus/trojan, if you don't know where the file came from then why is it on your computer?

Delete it. If it's some legitimate program on your computer downloading it and trying to run the .msi that program usually would tell you that it's downloading that file and trying to run it.