msmsgs.exe and wuaudt.exe

[Cooter]

A few days ago ZoneAlarm requested permission for Messenger (I assume MSN
Messenger) to access the net - I denied it. I've noticed since then that
msmsgs.exe is on the process list in Task Manager. I used services.msc to
stop and disable Messenger, but it continues to show up in Task Manager. I
can end it's process, but it comes back in a few minutes. A check with
services.msc shows Messenger is still stopped and disabled. What gives?

Also, a process called wuaudt.exe shows up as a process shortly after bootup
and runs for several minutes, then disappears. I can't find any useful
information on wuaudt.exe on Google, nor does a search on the computer find
it, but I seem to recall that it is an undesirable program. Any info on this
one?

I ran four separate spyware checkers including Ad-Aware SE as well as a
virus scan and nothing shows up. Do I have a problem or am I worrying
unnecessarily?

Thanks for any help,
Cooter

 

[Guest]

All I can tell you is to go to this site and see what you can find out about
these tasks in your task manager:
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm Please follow
their recommendations and do not disable programs they say you need. if you
have any more questions ask.
Sincerely,
Beka Jo

 

[Annastasia]

Hi.

Any update on this issue? The same thing popped up on my system
recently and it take forever to boot now. The process wuaudt.exe runs
upon boot up and sucks up all the memory for about 5 minutes.
Answersthatwork.com doesn't have anything on this process.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[TheRedSunRiseth]

You should go to the sophos website and the trend micro website for a
checkup.

Trendmicro has an up2date online scanner.

 

[LDSTech]

These are both "legitimate" MS programs that are "part" of WindowsXP.
Although MS states that removing them or stopping the processes will make
your OS unstable, that, in no uncertain terms, is nothing but BS. Neither
are critical to the operation of Windows, and if you don't use either
Messenger or Automatic Updates, all they do is suck up resources.

To get rid of msmsgs.exe *completely* is a multi-step process. First,
which you said you have done, is to disable the service. Then, go to
Add/Remove Programs in Control panel, and select Add/Remove Windows
Components. De-select Windows Messenger, and click Next to "uninstall"
messenger.

Even after a reboot, however, you will find that msmsgs.exe still shows up
as a service. To finish getting rid of it, open My Computer, find the
Messenger folder under Program Files. Next, open the Task Manager, and
kill the msmsgs.exe process. Then, quickly, delete the whole Messenger
folder. You can only do that while msmsgs.exe is not running, and if you
wait too long it will just start running again, until you do get it
deleted.

wuaudt.exe is part of automatic updates. As I understand it, there is
also a trojan file of the same name, but since you have done a thorough
scan, I'll assume the one you are seeing is the "legitimate" MS file. To
keep this process from running, you need tell XP not to run automatic
updates. Open Automatic Updates in the Control Panel, and select the Turn
Off Automatic Updates option.

Please note, however, that you don't want to disable the Automatic Updates
service (under Servies in the Administrative Tools) if you want to be able
to use the Windows Update site. Just turning off the Automatic Updates,
as above, should keep wuaudt.exe from running during normal operation.

Hope this helps.

 

[LDSTech]

These are both "legitimate" MS programs that are "part" of WindowsXP.
Although MS states that removing them or stopping the processes will make
your OS unstable, that, in no uncertain terms, is nothing but BS. Neither
are critical to the operation of Windows, and if you don't use either
Messenger or Automatic Updates, all they do is suck up resources.

To get rid of msmsgs.exe *completely* is a multi-step process. First,
which you said you have done, is to disable the service. Then, go to
Add/Remove Programs in Control panel, and select Add/Remove Windows
Components. De-select Windows Messenger, and click Next to "uninstall"
messenger.

Even after a reboot, however, you will find that msmsgs.exe still shows up
as a service. To finish getting rid of it, open My Computer, find the
Messenger folder under Program Files. Next, open the Task Manager, and
kill the msmsgs.exe process. Then, quickly, delete the whole Messenger
folder. You can only do that while msmsgs.exe is not running, and if you
wait too long it will just start running again, until you do get it
deleted.

wuaudt.exe is part of automatic updates. As I understand it, there is
also a trojan file of the same name, but since you have done a thorough
scan, I'll assume the one you are seeing is the "legitimate" MS file. To
keep this process from running, you need tell XP not to run automatic
updates. Open Automatic Updates in the Control Panel, and select the Turn
Off Automatic Updates option.

Please note, however, that you don't want to disable the Automatic Updates
service (under Servies in the Administrative Tools) if you want to be able
to use the Windows Update site. Just turning off the Automatic Updates,
as above, should keep wuaudt.exe from running during normal operation.

Hope this helps.