What is gpedt.msc 1.0 and can I uninstall it?

[sallyw]

I'm a premium user on all my devices. My windows 10 is sluggish so I decided to see what I can remove. I found this program/app and have no idea what it is and why it's there.

Does anyone know what it's for? Can I uninstall gpedt.msc 1.0?

Thanks,

Sally W.

[David H. Lipman]

It is the Group Policy Editor.  Please leave it alone.

Reference:
https://www.ghacks.net/2017/06/10/windows-msc-files-overview/

Edited May 10, 2019 by David H. Lipman

[Firefox]

As @David H. Lipman has already stated... leave it alone.

Most of the file in C:\Windows you want to leave alone as those are needed for Windows to run correctly.  You should be very cautious in deleting anything if you don't know what the file does or what its for.

[sallyw]

This is not gpedit.msc. I don't think it's a windows program.

[David H. Lipman]

That helps...

gpedt.msc <> gpedit.msc

So if it is trying to hide in plain site by a slightly altered name, that could mean something.  It could be named .msc but that may be a label and not a file extension.

Look in the Control Panel applet "Program and Features" for "gpedt.msc"

 

[sallyw]

looked in programs and features.

this is the item:

it's the only program installed on that date.

[David H. Lipman]

Go ahead, Remove it.

[exile360]

FYI it does look to be some kind of PUP or malware infection.

[sallyw]

 

When I use the windows uninstall feature, this is the message that pops up:

This is the info about the program:


of course I don't want to remove gpedit.msc so I click no. I'm willing to chance that this will resolve it.

This doesn't show up when I run a Malwarebytes scan. Any ideas as to how I might get MWB to find it?

Thanks,

SallyW

 

[exile360]

I would go ahead and remove it, the legitimate gpedit.msc does not create an entry in Programs and Features.  It's a built in component of Windows Pro versions that cannot be removed.  That said, I may have found an explanation of where it might have come from.  I found several threads about users seeking to install gpedit.msc into the Home Premium version of Windows Vista which doesn't include gpedit.msc out of the box which eventually lead me to this blog post which references an installer for gpedit.msc for home versions of Windows Vista, however it seems they've pulled it for the time being as it didn't function as they had hoped, failing to load the actual gpedit snap-in which is required for it to actually be of any use/function.

If that's not what it was then I don't know, but either way I know that Windows does not include or create any entry for gpedit under Programs and Features in any version of Windows.

[sallyw]

I have windows 10 home. version 1803 OS Build 17134.706
Am I likely to have gpedit.msc on my computer? If not, should I? I think that would mean upgrading to Windows Pro, something I've considered.

[David H. Lipman]

The Windows Group Policy Editor, gpedit.msc,  is native component only in Windows 10 Professional and Windows 10 Enterprise, and not the Home version.

 

Edited May 15, 2019 by David H. Lipman

[sallyw]

Thanks, Dave and exile, for your help. uninstalled and no subsequent issues.

If there's a way to close this thread, I would.

[David H. Lipman]

[AdvancedSetup]

I will go ahead and close this topic now as the issue has been resolved.

I will also go ahead and leave you with some other information to help you keep your system clean.

 

 

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