HP 8656C - Programs running in the background

[Jeff Shirkani]

I am running Windows 98 2nd edition. The computer, while running, is constantly clicking accessing, reading or writing on the hard drive. I recently Defraged the hard drive and performed a ScanDisk on the hard drive in the safe mode since it would not do it in the normal mode. While doing ScanDisk I got the following msg: " ScanDisk has restarted 10 times because windows or other program has been writing to this Drive. Quiting running programs may enable ScanDisk to finish sooner..." While running ScanDisk I had no programs running and it was in the Safe Mode. How can I find out what programs are running in the background? And what software is is best to detect unauthorized outside access to my computer?

[Bill Malmquist]

My best experience has been with CWShredder, SpyBot Search & Destroy, and HiJackThis, in that order. Download these programs, and run them in that order, paying attention to details. CWShredder looks for a specific set of pretty tenatious spybots and does a great job of getting rid of them. Spybot S&D looks for and destroys most of the rest of them. Make sure you get the updates before you run it. And make sure you 'immunize' when you are all done, it will prevent the little buggers from getting back in. Last, HiJackThis will show you what is left, running in the background. Be aware though, that HiJackThis will show you EVERYTHING that's running, good and bad, so make sure you know what you're doing! If you have any questions about a running process and you don't know if it's good or bad, ask someone who knows before you kill it. Also, make sure your anti-virus is up to date, and do a thorough search, there may be a possible trojan running also. Last, get a good firewall. I like Zone Alarm, but there are others as well. This will keep the bad guys out. Good luck and let me know how I did...

[Roger Faucher]

Jeff:

This MS article re-iterates much of what Bill said but it contains web links:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;827315&Product=w98

Here is another useful article:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;188867&Product=w98

Make a Great Day!

Roger