explorer.exe is using 75 to 80% of cpu usage when nothing is running. After startup I go to the task mgr, after Symantec AV finishes its scan, cpu usage is at 0 or 1% but without touching anything in approx. 5 to 10 min. cpu usage jumps to 80%. This is my daughters pc so I don't know when this problem started. I have Symantec's firewall and antivirus installed, I did a full scan and it found nothing. If I stop explorer.exe and run it again it starts at 0% but then jumps back up again.

Best to do any anti-virus and anti-Spyware scans in Windows Safe-Mode. A Description of the Safe Mode Boot Options in Windows XP While there, you might as well do this for something to do: Description of the Disk Cleanup Tool in Windows XP Another thing I notice that is taking up space is EVENT VIEWER logs. Go into EV then right click each catagory, then click "Clear all events". --------------------- Also check all the files in C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch The Prefetch folder is quite large. I have deleted all files there, even Layout.ini, at times without problems. It will rebuild itself over time. ---------------- Then do this to check for bad sectors on HDD: How to Perform Disk Error Checking in Windows XP Check mark both items under "Check Disk Options", on your way into starting Error-Checking Tool. ---------------- Next is to Defrag HDD: How to Defragment Your Disk Drive Volumes in Windows XP Watch for help from others.

It sounds like a child process has hooked itself into explorer.exe, making it do all the "dirty" work. As Chuck said, you should run all anti-malware tools. Also, close down any background processes that you don't need. One of these may be the culprit.

another thing you can do is click on start menu, run, and type msconfig and the click on ok. this will bring up the windows system configuration utility. in this tool, click on the tabs that say "startup" and "services". then, disable anything that doesn't belong or isn't a microsoft service. then restart your computer. Be carful when you do this though because it is possible to screw up your computer if you change to much. if that happens, just restart your computer in safe mode and run msconfig again...you can put everything back like that. hope this helps. :) Leadership is the art of influencing and directing others in a way that will gain their respect, confidence, and loyal cooperation in achieving a common goal or objective

Well I ran symantec anti-virus full scan in safe mode it found nothing, ran spybot s-d in normal, it found nothing. Ran disk clean-up on c drive, cleared all events in ev log.Performed disk error check on both hd's and all partitions. Can't defrag about 50 gig worth of hard drive space because the partitions lack the required free space, this includes the c drive. Did not feel comfortable deleting all the files in the prefetch folder as I don't know what their function is or which ones I can safely delete. As for msconfig everything is from microsoft or symantec, there is one service labeled AOL Connectivity Service. We have SBC DSL but kids like to use Aol IM to chat with friends, however I always sign off and shut it down, but in the sys. config. util. it says its running. Theres one from nvidia running and another called SavRoam which is stopped. Under Startup I dont know whats what so what is safe to shutdown.

I got the email and in regards to the "The specified module could not be found" that you are getting, that is most likely caused by not having the zipfldr.dll file you are trying to unregister within the C:\windows\system32 directory. Search your PC for the location of the zipfldr.dll file, then copy it into the C:\windows\system32 directory before trying to unregister it. List of lists

Formatted HD and started over. Thanks anyway