'…\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\hr3ejyyl.default\extensions\…'

Can you provide the entire path without the '...'?

Not "needed" by Firefox to work.

1800+ results for npFirefoxPlugin.dll at Google

600+ results for FirefoxCtype.dll at Google

Probably installed as part of an Adware or Malware package, which you don't need. But could have been installed as part of an AV or Security application such as NOD32 or Kaspersky.

Thanks for your replies.

The path of one is: c:\Users\SAM\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\hr3ejyyl.default\extensions\staged\{29956a1f-dda2-4319-a8cc-30966adea17a}\ctypes\FirefoxCtype.dll

The path of the other: c:\Users\SAM\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\hr3ejyyl.default\extensions\staged\{29956a1f-dda2-4319-a8cc-30966adea17a}\Plugins\npFirefoxPlugin.dll

My security program is Norton 360.

Could be part of some Community Toolbar extension or similar extension.

To 'the-edmeister'. Since they are not needed any ideas how I stop them of automatically downloading and installing. I never know they have been installed until Norton advises that they have been installed.

I do not know what program other than Firefox they could be associated with since they are being saved in folders using the Mozilla and Firefox names in the path.

c:\Users\SAM\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\hr3ejyyl.default\extensions\staged\{29956a1f-dda2-4319-a8cc-30966adea17a}\ctypes\FirefoxCtype.dll

c:\Users\SAM\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\hr3ejyyl.default\extensions\staged\{29956a1f-dda2-4319-a8cc-30966adea17a}\Plugins\npFirefoxPlugin.dll

This time I checked the whole path. I am attaching images of where I found those files.

\extensions\staged\{29956a1f-dda2-4319-a8cc-30966adea17a} is part of an extension you have installed. I do not really understand what your Norton is complaining about. 'staged' may indicate a new version of the extension has been downloaded, but hasn't installed yet.

So look through your list of installed extensions if you do see something unusual. There should also be a file install.rdf underneath {29956a1f-dda2-4319-a8cc-30966adea17a}. This should reveal the name of the extension.

This is not about Norton, this is about those two files: FirefoxCtype.dll and npFirefoxPlugin.dll.

You asked for the path, I showed it to you in the attached jpegs. My question was about those files, what are they and do I need them??

They just automatically download and install themselves, and I would not even be aware of them if Norton did not give me a pop-up notice saying that they were installed. (MY Norton is set to scan all downloads).

Please just answer my question, are they from Firefox or what? I don't like having these things download and install all by themselves especially since I have Firefox set to check for updates but ask me before installing.

If you still have this folder in staged then you can inspect the install.rdf file to see what extension this is about.

cor-el told you "Could be part of some Community Toolbar extension or similar extension."

Your 2nd screenshot shows a conduitCommon folder. Conduit is a notorious purveyor of Community Toolbar extensions.

Did you read the Google search results for those 2 dll files that I hyperlinked in my first response here? A little bit of research via Google might help you track down the source on your PC; like looking in the Firefox Add-ons Manager and the Windows Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs to see if you have any of the programs that turn up in the Google search results.

"If you still have this folder in staged then you can inspect the install.rdf file to see what extension this is about." (quote)

I am sorry but I do not understand what 'in staged' means. I think you are referring to Norton's report, but I would not know where or how to find this.

I also did read some of the Google search results (and had conducted my own search prior to coming to this forum) but I cannot make sense of them because some say it is a toolbar but I do not have extra toolbars (to my knowledge). Other sites want me to download their software to search it out, which I will not do.

The fact that these files, and the conduitCommon folder all reside within the Mozilla folders tells me it is part of Firefox, but no one here has said it is definitely NOT a Firefox file.

I also previous to coming to this forum, did search in my installed programs with Revo Uninstaller and in Control Panel but I could see nothing unusual.

I think I will just uninstall Firefox, make sure all of that stuff is deleted and start over. What do you think?

I do not understand what 'in staged' means.

It's in the path to the files you're worried about. And it's information you provided.

I think you are referring to Norton's report

No.

As said before, find out to which extension the files in question belong to. You can then decide what to do with it.

I think I will just uninstall Firefox, make sure all of that stuff is deleted and start over.

I think that would be overkill, but if it makes you feel better, just go ahead. Make sure to backup anything you want to keep before.

Unfortunately, there is no 'staged' folder. See the jpg of the expanded path to the files in question.

The path I originally posted was provided by Norton. When those files downloaded and installed themselves I was not aware of them until Norton's Download insight pop-up said that they had been downloaded… it gave me that path, but there is no 'staged' folder on my computer in that location.

So I will delete everything and start again. Thanks for all your help.