Windows Log-In has extra program active

[Buffy]

Whenever windows goes into sleep mode (say when I go to sleep at night or go to work), when I come back it has one more program running under it then I left running. I've followed the "How to Remove Most Viruses and Malware" post, and I'm a fairly safe browser of the interwebs. No viruses found, does anyone know about this?

I'm very close to doing a full re-install to get rid of it. I dislike not understanding whats going on with my computer.

[Icari]

What programs did you install/run to determine you dont have a virus or malware?

[Norellicus]

Do you know which program is errant? Have you watched to see if the program goes away after a period of time?

It's possible it's a normal windows process that runs after sleep mode, I wouldn't worry that much right out the gate...the machine can't actually do anything in sleep, so it's not like you're gradually becoming more and more infected when you use sleep mode or something like that.

[Buffy]

I run AVG full-time - althought I know some people consider AVG poor, I like it. Additionally I used the Combo fix, Malware Bytes and Super Antispy software in the sticky from this forum. All of them found nothing with the exception of Antispy which listed a bunch of cookies (most of which I recognized from forums/website I visit. I wish I could take a screenshot, but of course this is before an option like that is available. Maybe I can take a picture with a digital camera and upload it.

[Buffy]

I don't know which program is errant, my concern is that it is some sort of keylogger or credit card grabber running in the background, hidden not to show up as a window on my screen when I log in, but windows recognizes it as a program, so counts it as "1 Program running" on the initial log-in screen. To be clear, it isn't there when I re-boot, only when the computer goes into sleep mode after having been used.

[Icari]

you could start up task manager go to the processes tab and expand it as much as you can take a few screenshots and post them here and someone could look at it and see if something shows up. if it is very large use spoiler tags to post the shot.

[Buffy]

Spoiler: show

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/21a9804d8e.jpg

I hope this what you are looking for?

[Buffy]

Double

[guartz]

there is a program called process explorer, it gives you detailed examination of whats running. Services and all. Must have for anal people like us.

[Buffy]

there is a program called process explorer, it gives you detailed examination of whats running. Services and all. Must have for anal people like us.

I see this, very cool. Nothing stands out.

[Norellicus]

Okay, I know what you're referring to now, you see the "1 program running" under your username on the welcome screen when you come back from sleep mode, yes?

Assuming that you are leaving absolutely nothing running on the taskbar when you enter sleep mode, it's very likely just some application running in your systray that is not flagging itself as a persistent system service, so windows treats it as an "application" for the purposes of that counter.

Stuff like uTorrent would cause this as well since it is technically not a persistent system service and simply resides in the systray instead of creating a taskbar button. If you want to be doubly sure, try taking another screenshot of your task manager just before you go into sleep mode, and compare it to one immediately after you login from sleep mode.

[Buffy]

Okay, I know what you're referring to now, you see the "1 program running" under your username on the welcome screen when you come back from sleep mode, yes?

Assuming that you are leaving absolutely nothing running on the taskbar when you enter sleep mode, it's very likely just some application running in your systray that is not flagging itself as a persistent system service, so windows treats it as an "application" for the purposes of that counter.

Stuff like uTorrent would cause this as well since it is technically not a persistent system service and simply resides in the systray instead of creating a taskbar button. If you want to be doubly sure, try taking another screenshot of your task manager just before you go into sleep mode, and compare it to one immediately after you login from sleep mode.

Yes, you are correct about what I am referring to.

It was doing it before I had uTorrent, so it couldn't be that, but I get what you are speaking to. I may try killing a bunch of programs before I go to sleep in the task manager and see if I can whittle it down.

I wouldn't mind it so much if I just knew which program it was >.>

[Cheerios]

You can try to see if the process reappears if you boot windows with all startup programs disabled.

Start > Run > msconfig > Startup

Uncheck everything (aside from maybe your Antivirus) and reboot. Make a note of the applications running while your PC isn't asleep, put your PC to sleep, then wake it. If the process is there, then it should be easier to find for sure.