explorer.exe

[Stephen Brown]

A process called explorer.exe has suddenly started using
over 90% of the CPU for prolonged periods of time slowing
down everything else that I'm trying to do on the
computer.

What does this programme do, and why might it suddenly
have started using more processor power?

 

[Rocket J. Squirrel]

Explorer.exe is Windows XP. You most likely have a virus or spyware.

Rocky

 

[Ionizer]

A process called explorer.exe has suddenly started using
over 90% of the CPU for prolonged periods of time slowing
down everything else that I'm trying to do on the
computer.

What does this programme do, and why might it suddenly
have started using more processor power?

Explorer.exe is "Windows Explorer."

 

[Stephen Brown]

Thanks for this - I think that you were right.

Through trial and error, I discovered that the problem
seemed to be associated with a particular media file that
I recently downloaded. I couldn't delete this file by
conventional means from within windows explorer, the
system kept telling me that the file was in use.

My anti virus software (Norton) is kept up to date with
live updates, it did not detect a virus when I downloaded
this file, nor did it find a virus when I did a complete
system scan and a scan on the individual file that I
think caused the problem.

I managed to delete the file and since doing so the
problem seems to have been solved. However, how can I
protect against a similar occurrence?

Cheers

Stephen