If a process is not running, should it appear on the Taskbar Manager lists under the Processes tab using up CPU time? Here is my problem. My HDD busy LED stays ON continuously. I am only sitting at my Desktop with nothing running in the back ground because I've switched everything OFF. That being Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware and Zone Alarm. The System tray is empty except for the clock and the Windows Security shield. My DSL modem is switched OFF, but the two processes that are using up CPU time is System Idle and Firefox.exe. There is no Viruses or Spyware in my computer, HDD is defragged, CCleaner has cleared everything, yet my HDD LED stays ON. Yet if I click on the Firefox.exe process and end it, the LED goes OFF. Back to my first question, if the processes is not running to begin with and the DSL modem is switched OFF, should it be listed in the Task Manager list and using up CPU time? I have noticed that at times, when I get off the Internet and close my Firefox browser, the Firefox.exe disappears from the Taskbar Manager list. It doesn't do it all the time. It only remains when the LED stays ON for the HDD. Anyone care to comment on this?

Firefox may not be actively going to a website at present, but since it's ready to recieve input from you, think it's running (though inactive), thus using the clock cycles and lighting the light. HTH. Ed in Texas.

Please go to this site http://www.mypccenter.com - run a full scan and post the report link here - it will show all hardware/software information and will help finding the reason for your problem. After the scan you will see your COMPLETE PC PROFILE and on the bottom you can see detailed process report The report looks like this http://www.mypccenter.com/onepagereport.asp?ID=FB6488F91516B17138088E And the detailed process report looks like this http://www.mypccenter.com/detailed_process.asp?ID=FB6488F91516B17138088E I am using it all the time with my clients. Spector

To answer your question about if all programs that are running appear in your Task Manager that would be a yes. Whenever a program is taking up CPU usage or just simply open it will appear on there. Nothing is hidden (atleast not suppose to be) and everything should be displayed by default. About you HDD LED light always being on I wouldn't worry about that too much. Usually that is the case with a slow HD, but then again it could be other things. When the HDD LED light cable is installed incorrectly to the motherboard it will usually always stay on, but you said it turns off when you close FireFox so we know that's not the problem. You mind giving me your computer specs? Incarn

Thanks guys for your replies. I have been using Firefox for over 2 years and I've never experienced this problem before. I ran a program called "What's Running" and it basically showed me everything on my computer that was running. Similar to the Taskbar Manager. Nothing unusal or out of the ordinary. I ran Western Digital's Diagonostic HD Tests and it was OK. Although this problem seems to start around the same time that Firefox sent me an update to Ver.1.5.0.6. Not sure though. As I am writing this reply, the HDD LED is steady ON right now without flickering. Spector, I will check out your websites also. Incarnadine, my signature is below: Soyo SY-K7V Dragon Plus Mobo AMD 2100+ Athlon XP Palomino 1.73 GHz VIA VT8233CE chipset Crucial Tech PC2100 512 MB DDR RAM (2x256MB) eVga nVidia GeForce 4 MX-4000 128 MB DDR On Board AC-97 Audio C-Media Asus 52X CD-ROM & Plexor Plexwriter Premium CD-RW W.D. 80 GB & 30 GB HDD 7200rpm (no Raid) Enermax 465 W PSU Windows XP PRO w/SP-2 Westell DSL modem (Verizon) Again, thanks for all of your responses.

Try an older version of FireFox. Do yourself a favor BACKUP!

Well, I hope I am not speaking up too soon, but it appears that the Google Toolbar and an Option setting called Safe Browsing when unchecked has eliminated my problem. This problem has not reoccurred since I unchecked the above mentioned option which was an extension installed in Firefox. I was getting ready to follow ham30's advice when I came across this supposedly fix at the Firefox Bugs forum. Now, I'll wait and see. Thanks all.