IEXPLORER.EXE Starting multiple times as a service?

Hi there,

 

For about a week or two, I've noticed that Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 on my Dell Inspiron 9300 starts multiple instances as a process with no IE screen visible?

 

I noticed the situation when on several occasions during shut down, the End program message would appear multiple times for IE; and I had noticed my system operating progressivly slower, not in the extreme, but noticable.

 

I'm running XP Pro with the latest service pack and security updates / hotfixes.  Now each hour or two that I've been working I'll check my running processes and when I find instances of IE running, I end the processes with no apparent negative impact on the system {in fact it speeds up again noticably}.

 

I've run my McAfee Virus scan and found nothing as well as running Spybot Search and Destroy {finding nothing} and my comcast Spyware Scan {finding nothing}.  So it's a mystery to me.

 

Anyone else experience this?  Anyone know the cause or culprit?  Anyone know how to prevent the occurrance of this "anomolie".

 

Thanks in advance.