What is Iexplore.exe?

Question

I have downloaded all MS updates to WinXP and Office. I have Norton running for all emails and active. I scan the hard drive at least twice a week and auto update the definitions.

I have recently noticed that my computer seems to be getting slower and slower. Not ALL the time but often. When it is I reboot. A message comes up that it cannot shut down IExplore.exe. I click to end program now and after a few clicks it closes and XP reboots. I have also noticed a small green window in the systray that indicates 100% of my resources are in use.... and I have nothing open.

When the computer is especially slow, I hit CONT-ALT-DEL. The windows shows either nothing is running or only the program I am in is running... but it should not be using that much. I clicked today on the "performance" tab - 100% of my resources were being used. It showed iexplore.exe running and consuming a lot of memory. I clicked on "end process" for Iexplore. I got control of my computer back. In performance, the CPU usage was down to 0% from 100%.

What have I got going on here? Is Iexplore.exe an important program? What is it doing for me?

Thanks

Yellowhammer · Answer

Yes Iexplore.exe is an important program.  It is internet explorer.  Do you have any spyware removal software such as ad-aware or spybot search and destroy?  If not, you should.  This might be part of your problem.

RVA · Answer

I have no spyware and until now have given it little thought. Do you think that something might be residing on my hard drive that is activating IE to send data? What spyware would you suggest?

Yellowhammer · Answer

I am not suggesting you install spyware.  I am suggesting you have some you need to remove.  If you have given spyware little thought then I would bet you have some.  Start by reading here and then follow the links to download ad-aware and spybot search and destroy. They are both free programs.  Message Edited by Yellowhammer on 09-28-2003 12:35 PM

wsnyder · Answer

And I would add in supplement both to my other post and to Yellowhammer, If his or my other suggestions do not help, then you must consider the possibility of a virus of some type.

wsnyder · Answer

(1) Iexplore.exe is Internet Explorer.

(2) Have you ever defragged your hard drive? If not, that could be your problem. Go to Start|All Programs|Accessories|System Tools|Disk Defragmenter. If you have never run it, it will take quite some time to complete.

(3) If that is not the problem, then try running SFC /SCANNOW from the Command Prompt (Start|All Programs|Accessories). You will have to have your XP CD in the CD-ROM drive.

(4) If that does solve the problem, then you may need to do a Repair Re-install of XP (easier) or a re-install of just Internet Explorer. See http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;318378&Product=winxp for instructions, including references to other articles. My suggestion (3) is the first step recommended; if that did not work you will be referred to http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;315341 which gives you two ways to do a Repair Reinstall of XP. The first article also gives you a second method for the reinstall of just Internet Explorer, but it involves editing the Registry which I would recommend against unless you are a fully experienced user of XP.

RVA · Answer

Bill, thanks for your suggestions.

2. I defrag often. In fact, even when I analyze and it does not suggest defrag, I do it anyway and experience improvement.

(3) If that is not the problem, then try running SFC /SCANNOW from the Command Prompt (Start|All Programs|Accessories). You will have to have your XP CD in the CD-ROM drive. Have not run this on XP. I'll check it out.

(4) If that does solve the problem, then you may need to do a Repair Re-install of XP (easier) or a re-install of just Internet Explorer. See http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;318378&Product=winxp for instructions, including references to other articles. My suggestion (3) is the first step recommended; if that did not work you will be referred to http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;315341 which gives you two ways to do a Repair Reinstall of XP. The first article also gives you a second method for the reinstall of just Internet Explorer, but it involves editing the Registry which I would recommend against unless you are a fully experienced user of XP.

I tend to believe that since it is not "executing" all the time, that there is something that is causing the exectution rather proactively than simply something wrong as say a contaminate file.

Bill, what are your thoughts in suggesting #4?

Thanks for your help and comments, Rusty

Yellowhammer · Answer

http://www.djdenham.com/etiquette.htm

RVA · Answer

Yellow, this is a most likely suggestion. I had forgotten about Alexa. I use it knowing that it is monitoring me but it is so helpful I have ignored it. Alexa is very likely the culprit. Tonight I shall download Spybot and give it a go. I, at first, would like to see what else might be lurking around the drive.

In the meantime I shall take Bill's #3 suggestion. If this does not solve the problem, I shall go to Bill's #4

Thanks, Rusty

wsnyder · Answer

The big reason I suggested #4 (if running SFC does not work) is that it sounds as if Iexplore is not always closing (even though you have closed it) completely - it may be trying to close, but not succeeding, so it does not show up in Task Manager.  That could be caused either by a corruption in Iexplore or by a problem which has developed in one of the various other XP sub-programs involved in closing any program.  SFC (as you may know) checks all protected system files and restores any that have been corrupted or are missing to the latest version it can find (on the CD, or in a service pack, or other updates) so you do not lose any updates.  But it checks only 'protected' files; there are other files in XP (and in IE) which could be involved; a Repair Reinstall replaces all system files (retaining the existing registry unless it is corrupt, in which case the Repair process may abort or may not even be available).  Note that a Repair Re-install takes you back to the XP that came on your machine, so it is necessary to download all subsequent updates; I think that the one article I suggested makes that clear.

JenDScot · Answer

Iexplore.exe is the executable file that opens the internet explorer browser. Have you cleaned out the temp and temp internet folders when the system is operating slowly? Many times the caches are overloaded and need to be cleaned out, to keep the entire space of the cache free for the browser to function properly. The more the cookies load up in the temp internet files (cookies) the less cache space there is for browsing, as in your internet explorer settings, you can also adjust the cache for the browser ( I have done this numerous times with no issues)which it depends on the preference of the end user, and the amount of hard disk space you have available.

RVA · Answer

Yellow, apologies for not thanking you sooner. Acting on your suggestion, I downloaded SpyBot - Search & Destroy. The first time I ran it, I saw minimal change. The second time I was more aggressive with my deletions. W O W!!! The changes were extreme. My computer is so much faster now - all the time. It no longer has periods that feel like somone else is on there with me or more descriptive, it was as if my Virus software were running when all apparent programs were closed. Now I am back to running like a new install AND I am still running Alexa. I may remove Alexa but for now, it has some features I am liking.

I appreciate your suggestions.

RVA

Windows General

What is Iexplore.exe?

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