gcc on Windows: generated "a.exe" file vanishes - c

Question

I'm using GCC version 4.7.1, but I've also tried this on GCC 4.8. Here is the code I'm trying to compile:
#include <stdio.h>
void print(int amount) {
int i;
for (i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
printf("%d", i);
}
}
int main(int argc, char** argv) {
print(5);
return 0;
}
It looks like it should work, and when I compile with...
gcc main.c
It takes a while to compile, produces an a.exe file and the the a.exe file disappears. It isn't giving me any errors with my code.
Here's a gif of proof, as some people are misinterpreting this:

Answer 1

(Since ahoffer's deleted answer isn't quite correct, I'll post this, based on information in the comments.)
On Windows, gcc generates an executable named a.exe by default. (On UNIX-like systems, the default name, for historical reasons, is a.out.) Normally you'd specify a name using the -o option.
Apparently the generated a.exe file generates a false positive match in your antivirus software, so the file is automatically deleted shortly after it's created. I see you've already contacted the developers of Avast about this false positive.
Note that antivirus programs typically check the contents of a file, not its name, so generating the file with a name other than a.exe won't help. Making some changes to the program might change the contents of the executable enough to avoid the problem, though.
You might try compiling a simple "hello, world" program to see if the same thing happens.
Thanks to Chrono Kitsune for linking to this relevant Mingw-users discussion in a comment.
This is not relevant to your problem, but you should print a newline ('\n') at the end of your program's output. It probably doesn't matter much in your Windows environment, but in general a program's standard output should (almost) always have a newline character at the end of its last line.

Answer 2

Try to compile with gcc but without all standard libraries using a command like this:
gcc -nostdlib -c test.c -o test.o; gcc test.o -lgcc -o test.exe
One of the mingw libraries binary must generate a false positive, knowing which library would be useful.

Answer 3

There is no issue with your code it is just exiting properly.
You have to run it in the command line which will show you all the info.
start->run->cmd, then cd to your directory. then a.exe. If you don't want to do that you can add a sleep() before the return in main.
More over, in your code when you pass print(5) to your function it's not being used.

Answer 4

I confirm is due to Antivirus.
I did this test:
compile helloworld.c at t=0;
within 1 second tell McAfee not consider helloworld.exe a threat. >> the file is still there
If I am too slow, the file will be deleted.

Answer 5

If suppose you get the error near a.exe while running the file ,
Theen follow the below steps:
1.open virus & threat protection
2.there select manage settings in virus & threat protection settings
3.there is real time protection and cloud delivered protection is in ON then OFF the real time protection and cloud delivered protection.!
(https://i.stack.imgur.com/mcIio.jpg)

Answer 6

a.exe is also the name of a virus. I suspect your computer's security software is deleting or quarantining the file because it believes it is a virus. Use redFIVE's suggestion to rename your output file to "print.exe" so that the virus scanner does not delete it.

Answer 7

You try:
gcc -o YOUR_PROGRAM.exe main.c

Answer 8

You can stop your antivirus software from deleting your .exe by specifying the full file path (for eg: c:\MyProject) in the 'paths to be excluded from scanning' section of the antivirus software.