I am on my dad's desktop , it's an acer, running win xp w/sp2. We keep getting an unknown application poping up in the taskbar, it stays there for 1-2 seconds , then dissappears , it happens every 10 minutes or so, and it is fairly constant , it does not seem to be dependant on any other piece of software running or not running. There is no kind of text that appears when it pops up in the task bar, just a little icon.

the icon looks like the middleone in bottom of this pic the one that says setup under it) it looks just like that , only without the arrow in the corner.

http://www.cs.arizona.edu/icon/docs/ipd271/winicon.gif

Anyone got some advise on this one? i have uninstalled any un needed programs , checked the task manager for applications and processes , didn't find anything there , went through msconfig, checked out the startup and services menu , and didn't see anything unusual there either. virus scan has been run numerous times , and come back clean...

 

Is that an "Auto.exe" that you are talking about?

I think thats what runs the startup for a program?? Sounds like an application trying to start up. I think

What anti-virus are you scanning with?
How long has this been happening? What new software has been installed lately? Can you use the disk to uninstall the last thing that was put on there, even if it was a printer or scanner or something?

Just thinking out loud.

 

When it comes up can you click on it? If so right click it and turn it off?

Do you run a anti-spyware program?

 

Looks like you could try the tuneup utilities. www.tuneup.de
Let's see what's getting started at system startup, and what files are opened by what.

AlpineRAM

 

I'd run spybox search and detroy! Maybe ad-aware and spysweeper too.
Also look at startup and see if you can find anything there- find and disable anything unusual. Its easier to remove an unwelcome program when its not running

 

Phatboy is right, w / Spybot you can look at a list of apps that run at startup, and kill the ones you don't want - be careful, though, you could probably turn off the wrong app and end up with a dead PC...?

 

The is a small free program called "hijack this". it will tell you what is running/loaded at start up. You can select the line of item/program you no longer have and delete it along with a lot of other garbage. Be carefule there is system stuff there and will cause you consternation if you delete them. You will be amazed how much unnessasary stuff is loaded. Don't delete anything if you are not sure what you are doing!!!!

 

This has been happening for months , no new software , it would do it occasionally at first, more randomly , but now it is faily constant , about every 10-15 mins it will show up , and before you can click on it , it is gone.

Norton 2005 is on the computer right now , only because it came with it.

 

I tried to install an older model HP printer on my desktop one time. I accidentially aborted the install halfway through. The stupid thing kept trying to run the auto installer about 50 times before I figured out how to stop it.
Not saying that you have something trying to install itself, just a possibility.

 

Run hijack this, yes.

NOTHING in Hijack this is needed to run the system. Hype. All it is, is startup programs, and extra installed/integrated applications and BHOs for internet explorer, windows, etc.

the only thing to watch for is your antivirus program and its services.

Hijack this does not show any system services.

 

when in doubt....smash it.

 

But try a restart first

 

Another vote for "HiJack This"...great utilities to have.........

 

i run spysweeper and Adware both...and find stuff all the time...that spyware and crap will mess up a computer as bad as a virus if you let them build and build and drag it down with memory loss and such.

The Adware from Lavasoft has a SE download for personal use that is free. Send me an email and I will send the file to you as I put it on lots of computers that are messing up to see how much it helps before we dig into registry.