Winword.exe from out of nowhere

[Gustavus]

Often, but not always, when I turn off my computer, it halts with an error screen saying it cannot close Winword.exe. The odd thing is that I do not run Word, and winword.exe does not show up as a running process when I open Windows Task Manager and then open Processes. I don't know where Winword.exe is coming from -- nor why Windows Task Manager doesn't see it as a running process even though it will be seen as running during the shut down of windows.

Any ideas on this one?

Thanks

PS
running services.msc from the cmd prompt also does not show winword or word running

 

[Allanv]

outlook uses winword and sometimes doesnt close it correctly

 

[Gustavus]

Allanv,

Thanks for the reply. That must be the explanation. It wasn't a problem, but more a puzzle that called for solution. The only time it has ever been a slight problem was when I started shutting down and didn't stay at the keyboard -- like when I was going to bed -- only to return hours later to find the shutdown had halted so the machine was still on.

 

[mechBgon]

Viruses come to mind as well. I read a virus writeup just recently where the virus uses that executable name. If you haven't done so, update your virus definitions and run a full scan while the system's in Safe Mode, and/or try this one-pass McAfee scanner I wrote up directions for: http://www.omnicast.net/~tmcfadden/scan.txt

 

[Gustavus]

mechBgon

Thanks for the reply. I use Kaspersky antivirus which updates it's definitions several times a day. No AV is perfect, but Kaspersky tests as one of the best. The fact that you have read of a virus that masquerades as Winword.exe is alarming though so I will do some checking as you suggest.

I am almost paranoid about protecting my computers from malware. They all run Kaspersky AV, Zone Alarm firewall, AdsGone (running in the background) and AdAware run once a week, SpySweeper (again running all the time) and XoftSpy run once a week. I also have Trojan Hunter 4.5 (which I rely on) and Trojan Remover (which I run occasionally). There may be something else, but these are the stable of things I depend on.