basilcrayfish

Hi

I am running NOD32, plus have scanned my system with the latest Spybot Search and Destroy 1.5 and with Ad-Aware 2007 and have not found any issues but when I close Internet Explorer, iexplorer.exe remains open in the Task Manager and uses as much as 150mb of resources. And sometimes it automatically starts running upon login but the IE does not open until I click on the IE shortcut but that only opens up another session of IE.

Nothing seems to be wrong on my system and I have trimmed all my processes down (was at 80, down to 57).

Bottom line, something is keeping iexplorer.exe open and something is starting iexplorer.exe upon login (sometimes).

I am running winxppro with every patch and update under the sun, on a dual xeon 5160 Intel 5000 chipset 4gb of memory system with Raid 0.

And IE7.0 plus I use Firefox2 but sometimes it fails to run websites so that is why I still resort to IE

Here is my Hijackthis log which I already ran through the one website that automatically looks it over and nothing came up as bad

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 12:30:51 PM, on 16/11/2007
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16544)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\Schedule2\schedul2.exe
C:\Program Files\Diskeeper Corporation\Diskeeper\DkService.exe
C:\Program Files\Citrix\GoToMyPC\g2svc.exe
C:\Program Files\Citrix\GoToMyPC\g2comm.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\hasplms.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\Iaantmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Citrix\GoToMyPC\g2pre.exe
C:\Program Files\Eset\nod32krn.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\SafeNet Sentinel\Sentinel Keys Server\sntlkeyssrvr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\SafeNet Sentinel\Sentinel Protection Server\WinNT\spnsrvnt.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\WFXSVC.EXE
C:\Program Files\Dell SAS RAID Storage Manager\Framework\VivaldiFramework.exe
C:\Program Files\WinFax\WFXMOD32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe
C:\Program Files\Dell SAS RAID Storage Manager\JRE\bin\javaw.exe
C:\Program Files\Citrix\GoToMyPC\g2tray.exe
C:\Program Files\Dell SAS RAID Storage Manager\MegaMonitor\mrmonitor.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wfxsnt40.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\WinFax\WFXSWTCH.exe
C:\Program Files\Dell SAS RAID Storage Manager\MegaPopup\Popup.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliType Pro\itype.exe
C:\Program Files\Eset\nod32kui.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\Schedule2\schedhlp.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\Iaanotif.exe
C:\Program Files\ByteGems.com\QuickFolders\QuickFolders.exe
C:\Program Files\GPSoftware\Directory Opus\dopus.exe
C:\Program Files\Askarya\Taskbar Manager\TaskbarManager.exe
C:\Program Files\GPSoftware\Directory Opus\dopusrt.exe
C:\Program Files\ClipMate7\ClipMate.exe
C:\Program Files\Siber Systems\AI RoboForm\RoboTaskBarIcon.exe
C:\Program Files\Textual\anagram\anagram.exe
C:\Program Files\WinFax\WFXCTL32.EXE
C:\Program Files\TechSmith\SnagIt 8\SnagIt32.exe
C:\Program Files\ActiveWords\AWMonitor.exe
C:\Program Files\TimeSnapper\TimeSnapper.exe
C:\Program Files\ActiveWords\AWMonitor.exe
C:\Program Files\TechSmith\SnagIt 8\SnagPriv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\ACTIVE~1\nahuatl.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\OUTLOOK.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\MOZILL~1\FIREFOX.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\mstsc.exe
C:\Program Files\SigmaTEK\SigmaNEST80\SigmaNEST.exe
C:\Program Files\Maximizer\MaxWin.exe
C:\Program Files\Maximizer\MaData6\MaData6.dat
C:\PVSW\BIN\W3DBSMGR.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7DEBUG\MDM.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\SIGMAT~1\SNEdit\SNEdit50.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\ICQ6\ICQ.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.google.ca/ig/dell?hl=en&c...ca&ibd=3070108
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.google.ca/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,Default_Page_URL = http://www.google.ca/ig/dell?hl=en&c...ca&ibd=3070108
R3 - URLSearchHook: ICQ Toolbar - {855F3B16-6D32-4fe6-8A56-BBB695989046} - C:\Program Files\ICQToolbar\toolbaru.dll
O2 - BHO: IE7Pro - {00011268-E188-40DF-A514-835FCD78B1BF} - C:\Program Files\IE7Pro\IE7Pro.dll
O2 - BHO: SnagIt Toolbar Loader - {00C6482D-C502-44C8-8409-FCE54AD9C208} - C:\PROGRA~1\TECHSM~1\SNAGIT~1\SNA335~1.DLL (file missing)
O2 - BHO: XTTBPos00 - {055FD26D-3A88-4e15-963D-DC8493744B1D} - C:\Program Files\ICQToolbar\toolbaru.dll
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Spybot-S&D IE Protection - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: DriveLetterAccess - {5CA3D70E-1895-11CF-8E15-001234567890} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\DLA\DLASHX_W.DLL
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {724d43a9-0d85-11d4-9908-00400523e39a} - C:\Program Files\Siber Systems\AI RoboForm\roboform.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O2 - BHO: Browser Address Error Redirector - {CA6319C0-31B7-401E-A518-A07C3DB8F777} - C:\Program Files\BAE\BAE.dll
O2 - BHO: LastClosedTab - {e05e75e9-a653-42a3-8d05-f2f7e309bdca} - mscoree.dll (file missing)
O3 - Toolbar: SnagIt - {8FF5E183-ABDE-46EB-B09E-D2AAB95CABE3} - C:\PROGRA~1\TECHSM~1\SNAGIT~1\SNAGIT~4.DLL (file missing)
O3 - Toolbar: &RoboForm - {724d43a0-0d85-11d4-9908-00400523e39a} - C:\Program Files\Siber Systems\AI RoboForm\roboform.dll
O3 - Toolbar: ICQ Toolbar - {855F3B16-6D32-4fe6-8A56-BBB695989046} - C:\Program Files\ICQToolbar\toolbaru.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WinFaxAppPortStarter] wfxsnt40.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WFXSwtch] C:\PROGRA~1\WinFax\WFXSWTCH.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [FolderMapper] C:\Program Files\ByteGems.com\QuickFolders\FolderMapper.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [GoToMyPC] C:\Program Files\Citrix\GoToMyPC\g2svc.exe -logon
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Popup] "C:\Program Files\Dell SAS RAID Storage Manager\MegaPopup\Popup.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Kernel and Hardware Abstraction Layer] KHALMNPR.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [itype] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliType Pro\itype.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nod32kui] "C:\Program Files\Eset\nod32kui.exe" /WAITSERVICE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Acronis Scheduler2 Service] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\Schedule2\schedhlp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IAAnotif] "C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\Iaanotif.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [QuickFolders] C:\Program Files\ByteGems.com\QuickFolders\QuickFolders.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [DOpus] C:\Program Files\GPSoftware\Directory Opus\dopus.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Taskbar Manager] C:\Program Files\Askarya\Taskbar Manager\TaskbarManager.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Directory Opus Desktop Dblclk] "C:\Program Files\GPSoftware\Directory Opus\dopusrt.exe" /dblclk
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ClipMate7] C:\Program Files\ClipMate7\ClipMate.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [RoboForm] "C:\Program Files\Siber Systems\AI RoboForm\RoboTaskBarIcon.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [FinePrint Dispatcher v5] "C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\fpdisp5a.exe" /source=HKCU
O4 - Startup: ActiveWords.lnk = C:\Program Files\ActiveWords\AWMonitor.exe
O4 - Startup: TimeSnapper Professional.lnk = C:\Program Files\TimeSnapper\TimeSnapper.exe
O4 - Global Startup: anagram.lnk = C:\Program Files\Textual\anagram\anagram.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Controller.LNK = C:\Program Files\WinFax\WFXCTL32.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: SnagIt 8.lnk = C:\Program Files\TechSmith\SnagIt 8\SnagIt32.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: Add to WebSite-Watcher - C:\Documents and Settings\pavel1.VERIFORM\Application Data\aignes\WebSite-Watcher\config\settings\wswie.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: English<->French - C:\Program Files\LingvoSoft\LingvoSoft Talking Dictionary 2007 (English-French) for Windows\Plugins\IE.htm
O9 - Extra button: IE7Pro Preferences - {0026439F-A980-4f18-8C95-4F1CBBF9C1D8} - C:\Program Files\IE7Pro\IE7Pro.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: IE7Pro Preferences - {0026439F-A980-4f18-8C95-4F1CBBF9C1D8} - C:\Program Files\IE7Pro\IE7Pro.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: ICQ Lite - {B863453A-26C3-4e1f-A54D-A2CD196348E9} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\shdocvw.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: ICQ Lite - {B863453A-26C3-4e1f-A54D-A2CD196348E9} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\shdocvw.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search & Destroy Configuration - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra button: Open Last Closed Tab - {e05e75e9-a653-42a3-8d05-f2f7e309bdca} - mscoree.dll (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: ICQ6 - {E59EB121-F339-4851-A3BA-FE49C35617C2} - C:\Program Files\ICQ6\ICQ.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: ICQ6 - {E59EB121-F339-4851-A3BA-FE49C35617C2} - C:\Program Files\ICQ6\ICQ.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra button: English<->French - {FCB7914F-1325-4043-858F-FD4885A93B4D} - C:\Program Files\LingvoSoft\LingvoSoft Talking Dictionary 2007 (English-French) for Windows\Plugins\IE.htm
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: English<->French - {FCB7914F-1325-4043-858F-FD4885A93B4D} - C:\Program Files\LingvoSoft\LingvoSoft Talking Dictionary 2007 (English-French) for Windows\Plugins\IE.htm
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://www.pandasecurity.com
O16 - DPF: {03A89EFD-E023-8600-A22D-45F77558EB4C} (ILINCInstall86 Class) - http://content.ilinc.com/clientdownl...d/ilinci86.dll
O16 - DPF: {05CA9FB0-3E3E-4B36-BF41-0E3A5CAA8CD8} (Office Genuine Advantage Validation Tool) - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=58813
O16 - DPF: {0A5FD7C5-A45C-49FC-ADB5-9952547D5715} (Creative Software AutoUpdate) - http://www.creative.com/su/ocx/15030/CTSUEng.cab
O16 - DPF: {22945A69-1191-4DCF-9E6F-409BDE94D101} (EModelNonVersionSpecificViewControl Class) - http://www.solidworks.com/plugins/ed...fm?Release=rel
O16 - DPF: {459E93B6-150E-45D5-8D4B-45C66FC035FE} (get_atlcom Class) - http://apps.corel.com/nos_dl_manager...EGetPlugin.ocx
O16 - DPF: {4788DE08-3552-49EA-AC8C-233DA52523B9} (RIM AxLoader) - http://www.magmic.com/AxLoader.cab
O16 - DPF: {4F56AFAB-9893-4500-8F5D-16EA8CA9115B} (VolumeExtractor Class) - http://www.solidedge.com/evaluationl...EvalVolExt.cab
O16 - DPF: {5CB1506E-1DEA-4E63-89A7-E40E52AEA1FD} (OnagerCtrl Class) - http://smms.sub.fulfillment.puretrac...nager_smms.cab
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/microsof...?1188052737212
O16 - DPF: {67A5F8DC-1A4B-4D66-9F24-A704AD929EEE} (System Requirements Lab) - http://www.nvidia.com/content/Driver...sysreqlab2.cab
O16 - DPF: {6E32070A-766D-4EE6-879C-DC1FA91D2FC3} (MUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/microsof...?1188052715978
O16 - DPF: {9A9307A0-7DA4-4DAF-B042-5009F29E09E1} (ActiveScan Installer Class) - http://acs.pandasoftware.com/actives...ree/asinst.cab
O16 - DPF: {E06E2E99-0AA1-11D4-ABA6-0060082AA75C} (GpcContainer Class) - https://exact.webex.com/client/v_myw...ex/ieatgpc.cab
O16 - DPF: {E8F628B5-259A-4734-97EE-BA914D7BE941} (Driver Agent ActiveX Control) - http://driveragent.com/files/driveragent.cab
O16 - DPF: {F6ACF75C-C32C-447B-9BEF-46B766368D29} (Creative Software AutoUpdate Support Package) - http://www.creative.com/su/ocx/15030/CTPID.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\Parameters: Domain = Veriform.Inc
O17 - HKLM\Software\..\Telephony: DomainName = Veriform.Inc
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{BCAAE117-C5D8-4679-AC3B-359A3E65B822}: NameServer = 192.168.0.4,192.168.0.1
O17 - HKLM\System\CS1\Services\Tcpip\Parameters: Domain = Veriform.Inc
O23 - Service: Ad-Aware 2007 Service (aawservice) - Lavasoft AB - C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware 2007\aawservice.exe
O23 - Service: Acronis Scheduler2 Service (AcrSch2Svc) - Acronis - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\Schedule2\schedul2.exe
O23 - Service: Diskeeper - Diskeeper Corporation - C:\Program Files\Diskeeper Corporation\Diskeeper\DkService.exe
O23 - Service: GoToMyPC - Citrix Online, a division of Citrix Systems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Citrix\GoToMyPC\g2svc.exe
O23 - Service: Google Updater Service (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: HASP License Manager (hasplms) - Aladdin Knowledge Systems Ltd. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\hasplms.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) Matrix Storage Event Monitor (IAANTMON) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\Iaantmon.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: MRMonitor (MegaMonitorSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Dell SAS RAID Storage Manager\MegaMonitor\mrmonitor.exe
O23 - Service: SSMFramework (MSMFramework) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Dell SAS RAID Storage Manager\Framework\VivaldiFramework.exe
O23 - Service: NOD32 Kernel Service (NOD32krn) - Eset - C:\Program Files\Eset\nod32krn.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: Pervasive.SQL Workgroup Engine (Pervasive WGE) - Unknown owner - C:\PVSW\Bin\WGE_Srv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: ProtexisLicensing - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\PSIService.exe
O23 - Service: SiSoftware Database Agent Service (SandraDataSrv) - SiSoftware - C:\Program Files\SiSoftware\SiSoftware Sandra Professional Business XI.SP1\Win32\RpcDataSrv.exe
O23 - Service: SiSoftware Sandra Agent Service (SandraTheSrv) - SiSoftware - C:\Program Files\SiSoftware\SiSoftware Sandra Professional Business XI.SP1\RpcSandraSrv.exe
O23 - Service: Sentinel Keys Server (SentinelKeysServer) - SafeNet, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\SafeNet Sentinel\Sentinel Keys Server\sntlkeyssrvr.exe
O23 - Service: Sentinel Protection Server (SentinelProtectionServer) - SafeNet, Inc - C:\Program Files\Common Files\SafeNet Sentinel\Sentinel Protection Server\WinNT\spnsrvnt.exe
O23 - Service: SolidWorks Licensing Service - SolidWorks - C:\Program Files\Common Files\SolidWorks Shared\Service\SolidWorksLicensing.exe
O23 - Service: WinFax PRO (wfxsvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\WFXSVC.EXE

--
End of file - 15769 bytes

This is my first time using the HijackThis.......am really interested in what anyone will find as being the culprit.

Thanks
Paul 11-16-07 12:34 PM

basilcrayfish

I thought I would add that I have since uninstalled IE 7.0 and now am using IE 6.0 and I still have the same problem.......that is, sometimes when I login from a fresh reboot, iexplorer.exe is running silently (that is, Internet Explorer does not open automatically but it does appear in the Task Manager).
Also, sometimes when I open Internet Explorer and then close it, it remains running in the background.........I can go into Task Manager and close it but I am suspicious of it staying open after I close the IE window.

In the meantime, if somoene could look at my concern on this I would be greatly indebted to you.........worried I might have some new or lesser known spyware on my system........yet NOD32, Spybot and AdAware have not found anything despite using the latest virus definitions, spyware definitions and reducing my processes from 80 to 58 or 59 in order to eliminate any suspsects.

Patient in Ontario, Canada,
Paul

basilcrayfish

I must be the 1st person who keeps replying to his own post......

But here is what I have done while waiting for someone to reply to my dilemma.......in Tools/Add-ons within IE i have disabled all but the most crucial add-ons. Hopefully that will fix my problem of iexplore.exe opening often as a process upon login (without the IE window opening with it) or running still as a process even after I close IE.

Will report back in 24 hours about the success of disabling 50% of the add-ons.

basilcrayfish

Wow, first ever thread where I have seen 4 posts all by the originating person,.......me.

So here is where things are at now.......I have disabled all the add-ons in IE as I was finding IExplore.exe kept running in the background.

So after having disabled every add-on, I find out this morning that iexplore.exe is running in the background again. I opened Task Manager and there is iexplore.exe running......so I ended the process.

Now I am confused.......I have disabled the add-ons, reduced startup programs from 80 processes to just 59, have run scans using Nod32, Spybot Search and Destroy, and Ad-Aware 2007 and still iexplore.exe spontaneously runs as a background app.

Does that mean my system is infected somehow?
How come nothing is found on my system though?

At a loss here as to what could be causing this.

basilcrayfish

Found out what was causing the iexplorer.exe to run in the background on it's own..........
I had installed Sperry Software's Print On Demand module for Outlook 2007 some time back and after much testing and talks with the developer of Sperry Software add-ons, the developer confirmed that the software did in fact utilize iexplorer to run the printing module.

As a test I tried closing all cases of the process iexplorer.exe running and then opened Outlook 2007 with the Sperry Software Print On Demand module enabled. Without fail, iexplorer.exe opened on its own every time I opened Outlook 2007.

But this causes me concern as I have not heard of any software using iexplorer.exe in an unauthorized manner.
So I uninstalled the software and since then have had no issues with iexplorer.ex running without my opening it on purpose.

The developer at Sperry did not offer any solutions, only offered to refund my money and was literally indignant, denying any use of iexplorer in an illegitimate manner. I had made no accusation, just expressed concern but his reaction turned me off.

In the meantime, problem solved. My computer is no longer doing things that could compromise it's security.

Hope someone gets use out of this thread. If you do, email me at vform@golden.net