explorer.exe

[SalientKing]

A few days ago explorer.exe started to act oddly. Every 2 seconds or so it just decides to use up 70% of cpu. I have no idea why. Ive cleaned my reg, nothin. Ran virus/spyware checks. Nothin. Im getting ready to reinstall xp, but if anyone knows a fix id apreciate it.

 

[LiLithTecH]

You may want to Disable the "CTHLP" service if its running.
That is Creative's 'online Help' for their audio cards that
tends to go wild on processing time.

 

[Ika]

did you install anything recently?

 

[SalientKing]

So i reinstalled xp, and when i just had norton 2003, the game i like to play, and teamspeak going... everything ran great. I reinstalled a majority of the standard programs I run on my PC, and now its starting up again.

I disabled CTHLP, didnt seem to do much. Any other suggestions? my virus and spyware scans arent showing anything.

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: SalientKing
So i reinstalled xp, and when i just had norton 2003, the game i like to play, and teamspeak going... everything ran great. I reinstalled a majority of the standard programs I run on my PC, and now its starting up again.

I disabled CTHLP, didnt seem to do much. Any other suggestions? my virus and spyware scans arent showing anything.

Does this happen in safe mode?

 

[SalientKing]

End up it was a external USB hub acting up. Disconected it, pluged it back in.. problem gone.

 

[mechBgon]

Norton 2003 is an antique. Get something modern if you want protection against modern malware. OTOH, you're definitely safe from the Melissa virus

 

[l Thomas l]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
Norton 2003 is an antique. Get something modern if you want protection against modern malware. OTOH, you're definitely safe from the Melissa virus

I have Norton 2002 -_- never had any virus or anything. It's been 5 years now.

I had spyware from days of having Kazaa and using IE, but scanners removed that, and I don't use either of those programs anymore (IE on the rare occaison something doesn't work in FF and I absolutely need it).

XP Pro SP1 only too -_- SP2 slowed down my computer too much when it first came out, so I removed it and it's still SP1.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: l Thomas l

Originally posted by: mechBgon
Norton 2003 is an antique. Get something modern if you want protection against modern malware. OTOH, you're definitely safe from the Melissa virus

I have Norton 2002 -_- never had any virus or anything. It's been 5 years now.

I had spyware from days of having Kazaa and using IE, but scanners removed that, and I don't use either of those programs anymore (IE on the rare occaison something doesn't work in FF and I absolutely need it).

XP Pro SP1 only too -_- SP2 slowed down my computer too much when it first came out, so I removed it and it's still SP1.

Any virus that you're aware of, you mean. :evil:

A co-worker brought me her home computer to check out. It had some older Norton antivirus software. Norton wasn't detecting anything, but current-generation McAfee and Kaspersky software found keystroke/screencapture loggers, several of them. Among other things. I delivered it back (really clean, not make-believe Norton2002 clean) and told her to keep an eye on her bank statements for the next few months.

Another co-worker had me look at his wife's computer. It had (drum roll) an old version of Symantec, the corporate cousin of Norton's home-user stuff. It also had rootkit-protected stuff that the old Norton engine evidently was not equipped to detect, regardless of its up-to-date definitions. I removed a nice stack of malware from that one, too.

Moral of the story: don't use antique antivirus software on the modern e-battlefield. I'd take free current-generation AntiVir over a four-year old version of anything. I hope you're using the very latest version of FF too, since there are exploits targeted at the vulnerabilities in the older ones.

 

[l Thomas l]

Hmm I have the latest updates. But I think you're right, because once on a forum it was disputed that the file was a virus, and it didn't get detected with my Norton's, although I still never opened because I was afraid. Then I downloaded Kaspersky and it was infected.

Anyway I'm pretty sure currently I don't have any viruses. I only have 23 processes running and I've checked all of them and know what they all are, since a while ago I searched the names and got rid of everything I didn't need. And I don't have any misspellings like Isass or anything like that. Also I've checked with Process Explorer not just Task Manager and all the processes are in the right directory. None of my accounts have ever been hacked.

You are right though, it's very risky to have my setup right now.

 

[mechBgon]

I only have 23 processes running and I've checked all of them and know what they all are, since a while ago I searched the names and got rid of everything I didn't need.

That's a start. Now look at all your Services, then scan for rootkits using something that can detect them, and maybe run an additional manual scan with McAfee's useful command-line scanner: how-to. If you're cautious and sensible, then maybe your system's 100% ok, but just think if someone pops in and decides to do you a favor by installing Kazaa or etc :Q

Eeek, now I'm gonna have nightmares! :shocked:

 

[l Thomas l]

Yeah I've looked at my services using this page:
http://www.beemerworld.com/tips/servicesxp.htm
(Disabled all then enabled them following the list.)

The only unnecessary service I sometimes have running is IIS Admin and Web Publishing Service, because I do some website work on my computer with PHP, so I need a local server. And I disable those services when I'm not working on websites.

I'll try your suggestions the next time I'm on my computer.

Thanks.

PS: My firefox is updated, so no worries there.
also, sorry to take over your thread salientking.

 

[dderolph]

Originally posted by: l Thomas l
I have Norton 2002 -_- never had any virus or anything. It's been 5 years now.

I had spyware from days of having Kazaa and using IE, but scanners removed that, and I don't use either of those programs anymore (IE on the rare occaison something doesn't work in FF and absolutely need it).

XP Pro SP1 only too -_- SP2 slowed down my computer too much when it first came out, so I removed it and it's still SP1.

Still using NAV 2002 here, too. But, yeah, I've read the comments here and agree. Nevertheless, I'll continue with it until the current subscription expires in Sept 2006. My ISP scans email for viruses and stops any they detect from being downloaded, so that provides an extra measure of protection.

Your comment about SP2 puzzles me. I believe most people who have installed it report better performance rather then degraded performance. I believe it actually made my system run a little better and having the improved security features such as pop-up blocking with IE is nice.