iexplore.exe running on startup even after disabling anything that can be disabled

[CrazyIE]

I'm running XP SP3 and IE6 and I seem to have a hidden but legitimate iexplore.exe running on startup. Now

* I have disabled everything in Run/Startup locations using Autoruns.
* I have disabled all but the most basic services (DHCP Client, Event Log, Network Connections, Plug and Play, Protected Storage, Remote Procedure Call, Windows Management Instrumentation).
* I have checked everything in other possible startup locations, as indicated by Autoruns and HijackThis (SharedTaskSscheduler, ShellServiceObjectDelayLoad, ShellExecuteHooks, etc.) and I even went as far as unregistering some system DLLs that I didn't need (DLLs for offlline files, for example). And I deleted the IE shell object in the registry in case it was running by being present on the desktop, somehow.
* I have checked and disabled all IE addons.
* I used Rootkit Revealer and Rootkit Unhooker to scan for hooks, I scanned all startup entries in Safe Mode.
* I try and keep my system clean (haven't even installed Java or .Net frameworks for example) and have very few utilities and programs installed.
* I scanned my system using the latest Spybot S&D and Windows Live Safety Scanner.

But that iexplore.exe still runs on startup and it's driving me crazy

Bootvis indicates the process starts at the same time as others at the current user startup folder. Process Explorer indicates that its parent process has terminated. Process Monitor indicates that the process does absolutely nothing for hours (I only get some registry access by the google toolbar). If I kill it it doesn't start again until the next reboot.

Is there any other way and any reason at all for IE starting up automatically like this? Some reports seem to indicate it does so even on fresh installs ( http://www.joejoe.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=16509 )