The genuine billy.exe file is a software component of Autorun Eater by Old McDonald's Farm. A free security program, Billy the Goat monitors any instance of autorun applications and determines whether or not it is safe or not. Billy the Goat can be configured to allow certain instances, or automatically "eat" every one. It does not affect the autorun.inf file itself, but prevents it's contents from being executed. Autorun Eater is maintained by a private individual and is updated infrequently.
Billy stands for Billy The Goat
The .exe extension on a filename indicates an executable file. Executable files may in some cases harm your computer. Therefore, please read below to decide for yourself whether the billy.exe on your computer is a Trojan that you should remove, or whether it is a file belonging to the Windows operating system or to a trusted application.
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Description: Billy.exe is not essential for the Windows OS and causes relatively few problems. The file billy.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files (x86)" (for example C:\Program Files (x86)\Autorun Eater\).
The file size on Windows 10/11/7 is 425,250 bytes.
There is no file information. The program has no visible window. The software can be removed using the Control Panel's Add\Remove programs applet. The billy.exe file is not a Windows core file.
Billy.exe is able to manipulate other programs, monitor applications and record keyboard and mouse inputs.
Therefore the technical security rating is 35% dangerous; however you should also read the user reviews.
Uninstalling this variant:
The software publisher Wordpress provides direct support (oldmcdonald.wordpress.com) and update information (oldmcdonald.wordpress.com). You could uninstall the software Autorun Eater using the Uninstall a Program function of Windows Control Panel (Windows: Start, Settings, Control Panel, Uninstall a Program).
If billy.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's profile folder, the security rating is 32% dangerous. The file size is 415,638 bytes.
The program has no visible window. You can uninstall this program in the Control Panel. There is no information about the author of the file. Billy.exe is not a Windows core file.
Billy.exe is able to record keyboard and mouse inputs, monitor applications and manipulate other programs.
Important: Some malware camouflages itself as billy.exe, particularly when located in the C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder. Therefore, you should check the billy.exe process on your PC to see if it is a threat. We recommend Security Task Manager for verifying your computer's security. This was one of the Top Download Picks of The Washington Post and PC World.
Score
User Comments
main component of 'autorun eater' a software to block autorun malware from executing Ted McBridge
My Billy.exe’s a part of “AutoRun Eater” (by Old McDonald’s Farm Freeware) which prompts and where optioned, destroys suspicious autorun.inf files pretty much wherever found (usually on pen drives is where malicious autorun.inf’s are pervasive, eg; bar311′s one that has the ability to basically crate havoc by screwing up your MBR such that the second you log on, Windows (actually the malicious autorun.inf’s resulting effects) immediately log’s you off, such that even safe mode may not allow you to access your machine. Of note my Billy.exe’s located inside my XP’s c:\program files\autorun eater wguru (further information)
If located in %Temp%\ixp000.tmp\billy.exe then it is a malware Bill Gates
It keeps on poping up every time i click on any application, and this irritates
Its an annoying application...... Dhinesh Kumar
I had a problem more than once with malware disguising itself as an autorun file picked up on a USB drive in an internet cafe. Autorun Eater solved the problem. (further information)
Summary: Average user rating of billy.exe:
based on 9 votes with 6 user comments.
5 users think billy.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application.
One user thinks it's probably harmless.
One user thinks it's neither essential nor dangerous.
2 users think billy.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it.
Best practices for resolving billy issues
A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with billy. This means running a scan for malware, cleaning your hard drive using 1cleanmgr and 2sfc /scannow, 3uninstalling programs that you no longer need, checking for Autostart programs (using 4msconfig) and enabling Windows' 5Automatic Update. Always remember to perform periodic backups, or at least to set restore points.
Should you experience an actual problem, try to recall the last thing you did, or the last thing you installed before the problem appeared for the first time. Use the 6resmon command to identify the processes that are causing your problem. Even for serious problems, rather than reinstalling Windows, you are better off repairing of your installation or executing the 7DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth command. This allows you to repair the operating system without losing data.
To get your computer running as fast as it did on day one, you can 8reset your PC. Your personal files will remain intact, but any programs you installed will need to be reinstalled.
To help you analyze the billy.exe process on your computer, the following programs have proven to be helpful: ASecurity Task Manager displays all running Windows tasks, including embedded hidden processes, such as keyboard and browser monitoring or Autostart entries. A unique security risk rating indicates the likelihood of the process being potential spyware, malware or a Trojan. A good Bantivirus software detects and removes sleeping spyware, adware, Trojans, keyloggers, malware and trackers from your hard drive.
Score
User Comments
Ted McBridge
wguru (further information)
Bill Gates
Dhinesh Kumar
(further information)
Summary: Average user rating of billy.exe: based on 9 votes with 6 user comments. 5 users think billy.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. One user thinks it's probably harmless. One user thinks it's neither essential nor dangerous. 2 users think billy.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it.