How can I stop this process from repeatedly coming up?

Question

I downloaded something a while ago and i dont remember what now, but when i go to windows task manager, It shows that internet explorer is running and taking up lots of memory, but its not running in the little blue tray at the bottom of the computer. I can end the process a while later it will just come back up again! plz help me, I have run scans with windows defender and norton antivirus but they havent found anything.

Answer 1

click on start then click run in the little box that comes up type msconfig when that window pops up go to startup tab and uncheck anything that you don't want running in the back ground.

Answer 2

When the process is running check you Task Manager to see what is using up your resources.

When in the task manager end process on one task at a time, if it restarts and is not a regular windows service then chances are that's your problem app. I've found it easier to sort by name before end a process so thta I can easily identify it if it restarts.

If you are unable to tell but have narrowed it down to something tied to IE, the uninstall and applications that you are unsure about and reinstall IE.

Answer 3

If this is happening repeatedly, then it is a cause of worry otherwise it is normal. If it is a cause of the worry do teh following:-
Reboot your PC
If the problem is only when you are online, thn chage your browser to Firefox or Opera.
IF the problem persists without logging onto the internet then it is either a virus or a malware or a spyware running in the background.
Download these anti-spywares if you donot have them
Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition
(http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html)

Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.4
(http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022_4-10122137.html)
Update their defination files and update the defination files of your anti-virus.
Run all of them one by one and your problems are likely to get resolved.
If they donot, then if you have less RAM, then your system is liley to be swapping a lot of data from the swap file which is on the hard disk and hence plenty of I/O operations might be the cause. Try to increase the RAM if it is less than 512 MB.
If your problem still persists, then backup your data and format your system. Reload your Operating System.

Answer 4

internet explorer is running and taking up lots of memory is a normal process that should be running.

Answer 5

If you are unable to find any kind of trojan virus that I would suggest that you remove IE7 if that is the version that you have in your pc. An it will roll back auto. to IE6. If you don't have IE7 and IE6 just to to add/remove and after reinstall the program.

Minddoctor, France

Answer 6

There are many mechanisms which allow auto-start of process and here are some helpful free tools which allow some detective work while investigating suspicious process:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/Utilities/ProcessExplorer.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/Utilities/Autoruns.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/Utilities/Filemon.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/Utilities/Regmon.mspx

Software are all work of PhD. M. Russinovich from Sysinternals – recently bought by Microsoft.