Strange problem - carryover from Win98?

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LstBrunnenG

Supreme [H]ardness
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Jun 3, 2003
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My mom had an ancient Micron with a PIII 500Mhz w/ Win98 (not SE). I built her a P4 3.4C and put WinXP on it. On her old computer, after using internet explorer for a while, she would go into task manager to find that there were several "iexplore" processes still runnning. These seemed to be connected to a performance decrease (but with a PIII 500Mhz, there's not much to spare).

Now the same thing is happening on her new machine. I've carried over no hardware, and I cannot think of any software besides the standard fare that's been installed that could be causing this. Any ideas? Anyone seen this before?
 
I'd say check for spyware and virus. When windows xp was installed. Did you do all the update patches and such? It could be alot of things but I'd lean mor towards spyware or possible sometihng like sasser. At least thats what I see doing tech support for a cable internet provider almost everyday.

It could "carry over" because she does the same thing as before. visits a certain website that installs spyware or or installs programs that contain it, etc.

I couldn't see how and certain hardware would do make that happen.
 
Doubt it's a virus or spyware. Norton ran a full system scan 2 days ago, and the virus definitions were from the day before that.

And I keep that box patched and updated, so I doubt it's that either.
 
LstOfTheBrunnenG said:
Doubt it's a virus or spyware. Norton ran a full system scan 2 days ago, and the virus definitions were from the day before that.

And I keep that box patched and updated, so I doubt it's that either.
Click to expand...

Now I know you run Norton Anti Virus but that does not pick up all adware/spyware. So go download SpyBot S&D and Adaware 6 then run both of them. I would also suggest getting FireFox but since it is your moms computer that might not go over well.
 
Stealth_Mushroom said:
Why does she need a Pentium 4 for use as a terminal (browsing the web)? :/
Click to expand...

Why do you need to ask pointless questions that are irrlevant?



Moving back to the matter at hand, I'd lean towards spyware and the like as well. The key words are 'mother' and 'internet explorer' in this case.
Get HiJackThis: http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

Run and see what it has to say for itself. Adaware *and* Spybot S&D are probably a good thing as well.
 
That happened to me before too, but it only lasted for a day or so. The only thing I can think of that would make that happen is a virus. Double check?
 
She used her PIII 500 for about six years. It was high end too when she got it, and it was worth the investment. So, some day when P4 3.2s are the minimum requirement for internet browsing and office stuff, she'll be chugging along.
 
Does your mother click the "e" icon on the desktop/quick launch to bring up new IE windows instead of using Ctrl-N or File/New/Window from IE? Doing so launch new iexplore.exe processes. In fact, I like it this way since when one IE window decides it has enough, it won't bring down the 15 other articles/reviews that I haven't read yet.

But of course, spyware can always be a problem. Norton Antivirus does not look for spyware/adware so you need the other tools as well.
 
2004 does. It's found gobs of spyware on mine (but only when I was stupid enough to let it in). It calls spyware and adware "potentially unwanted programs"
 
LstOfTheBrunnenG said:
So, some day when P4 3.2s are the minimum requirement for internet browsing and office stuff, she'll be chugging along.
Click to expand...

hahahahahahahaha
I would point out how hilarious that is, but it's not worth it. :/
 
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