I'm posting with an issue I can't seem to narrow down, no matter what. I have a HP desktop, 64-bit, running Windows 7. We've had the computer several years. Recently, a secondary "explorer.exe" popped up that hogs most of our system resources. I have ran multiple virus/malware/adware scans to no avail. The computer is clean. The computer's internet browsers redirect, which lead me to think it was a virus at first. The scans can't find any. I've used both Microsoft's and TrendMicro's scanners, as well as several others.
I have Process Explorer and traced it the first time to the Registry (by way of right-click and "Properties), to the font folder in the WindowsNT area. I simply deleted a number of fonts we didn't need an assumed that would be the end of it. Shortly thereafter, the extra "explorer.exe" returned, still eating up resources, and now the usage is supposed to be coming from "WindowsNT/CurrentVersion/Winlogon/Shell/."
If we kill the process, it comes right back a few minutes later. I am concerned that it will continue skipping through the registry and we'll keep solving symptoms without solving the overall problem. Any help will be most appreciated.
I have Process Explorer and traced it the first time to the Registry (by way of right-click and "Properties), to the font folder in the WindowsNT area. I simply deleted a number of fonts we didn't need an assumed that would be the end of it. Shortly thereafter, the extra "explorer.exe" returned, still eating up resources, and now the usage is supposed to be coming from "WindowsNT/CurrentVersion/Winlogon/Shell/."
If we kill the process, it comes right back a few minutes later. I am concerned that it will continue skipping through the registry and we'll keep solving symptoms without solving the overall problem. Any help will be most appreciated.