[Resolved] Stealth program running while computer is idle?

[Whinyguy]

My computer hard drive seems to be running almost constantly while the computer is idle. I've turned off or disabled everything that could be running automatically (i.e. virus protection, screen saver, etc.) but to no avail. The problem seems to have started sometime after I loaded Powerpoint 2002 on my computer which has Windows 98. The new Powerpoint 2002 did add some new Windows XP components but I'm not sure if this is the reason. Where can I check to see what is running so I can figure out how to turn it off? My scan disk and disk fragmenter do not complete their tasks and give me a message that a program is running and causing them to restart.

 

[TonyKlein]

Hi Alan,

Welcome to the board.

Would you mind posting your startup proggies?
That might lead us to a possible culprit:

Go to Start/run, and type Msinfo32, followed by OK.
Go to Software Environment/Startup Programs.
Now click Edit/'Select all', and then 'copy'
Paste the contents in your post.

Good luck,

 

[LadyLisa]

Did you try pressing ctrl-alt-del to see what you have running?

 

[Whinyguy]

Thank you for the welcome: Attached are my startup programs. If you recognize anything in this that could be the culprit, I'd appreciate your opinion. AW

Microsoft Office Startup Group "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE" -b -l
Acrobat Assistant Startup Group "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 4.0\Distillr\AcroTray.exe"
Quicken Startup Startup Group C:\QUICKENW\QWDLLS.EXE
Billminder Startup Group C:\QUICKENW\BILLMIND.EXE -startup
RealDownload Startup Group "C:\Program Files\Real\RealDownload\REALDOWNLOAD.EXE" -hidden
run Win.ini hpfsched
Taskbar Display Controls Registry (Per-User Run) RunDLL deskcp16.dll,QUICKRES_RUNDLLENTRY
ctfmon.exe Registry (Per-User Run) ctfmon.exe
ScanRegistry Registry (Machine Run) c:\windows\scanregw.exe /autorun
TaskMonitor Registry (Machine Run) c:\windows\taskmon.exe
Disknag Registry (Machine Run) C:\DELL\DISKNAG.EXE
SystemTray Registry (Machine Run) SysTray.ExE
TCASUTIEXE Registry (Machine Run) TCAUDIAG.EXE -off
POINTER Registry (Machine Run) C:\PROGRA~1\MSHARD~1\point32.exe
LoadPowerProfile Registry (Machine Run) Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
HPSCANMonitor Registry (Machine Run) c:\windows\SYSTEM\hpsjvxd.exe
StillImageMonitor Registry (Machine Run) C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\STIMON.EXE
NAV DefAlert Registry (Machine Run) C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\DEFALERT.EXE
Norton Auto-Protect Registry (Machine Run) C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NAVAPW32.EXE /LOADQUIET
Norton eMail Protect Registry (Machine Run) C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\POPROXY.EXE
RealTray Registry (Machine Run) C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer\realplay.exe SYSTEMBOOTHIDEPLAYER
QAGENT Registry (Machine Run) C:\QUICKENW\QAGENT.EXE
RealJukeboxSystray Registry (Machine Run) C:\PROGRAM FILES\REAL\REALJUKEBOX\TSYSTRAY.EXE
AutoShutdown Registry (Machine Service) C:\WINDOWS\pssvc.exe
LoadPowerProfile Registry (Machine Service) Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
SchedulingAgent Registry (Machine Service) mstask.exe
3Com DMI Agent Registry (Machine Service) C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\3com_dmi\3CDMINIC.EXE
DMILDR Registry (Machine Service) C:\DMI\bin\dmildr.exe
Win32SL Registry (Machine Service) C:\DMI\BIN\Win32sl.EXE -i -p -r
ScriptBlocking Registry (Machine Service) "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Script Blocking\SBServ.exe" -reg
MOSearch Registry (Machine Service) c:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\SYSTEM\MOSEARCH\BIN\MOSEARCH.EXE
MDM7 Registry (Machine Service) "C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\MICROSOFT SHARED\VS7DEBUG\MDM.EXE"

 

[TonyKlein]

Hi Alan,

Go to Start/Run, and type Msconfig. Go to the Startup tab, and UNcheck everything, except for the following items:

ScanRegistry
SystemTray
LoadPowerProfile powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
StillImageMonitor Registry
NAV DefAlert
Norton Auto-Protect
Norton eMail Protect
LoadPowerProfile
SchedulingAgent
3Com DMI Agent
Win32SL
ScriptBlocking Registry

Click OK, close Msconfig, and reboot.


The other programs there mainly serve to prolong your startup time, eat your system resources, and create errors.

Good luck,

 

[WhitPhil]

The "thing" making all the noise was MoSearch. It is Office 2000 equivalent of the old office FindFast.

Also, note that to make RealTray disappear you need to open it first, and from options (I believe) disable the ControlCenter.

And, one of the programs that Tony recommended removing was TaskMon. This app watches all the programs you run and logs that info in files unders\Windows\Applog. This info is then used by Defrag to move these programs to the front of the disk in order to make them start faster.
On the new fast PCs the general consensus is that this effort is not worth it.
So, given that you have disabled it, you should also delete all the files under \applog since they are no longer useful.
Note: this "should" result in a faster defrag.

 

[TonyKlein]

Hi Phil,

You're right again, as always.

With RealPlayer it's StartCenter that must be disabled in RP/View/Preferences/Start Center/Settings.

Greetz,

 

[WhitPhil]

Thanx Tony. I knew there was a "center" in there somewhere.

 

[Whinyguy]

Tony and Phil: Thank you both for the advice. The fixes worked well. I am always suspect of Microsoft when these things occur - the MoSearch noise confirms that. Thanks again
AW