javaw hogging CPU

[slew]

I'm running XP Pro on a Dell Dim 4600. Recently the OS
has been bogging down at least once a day. When I check
performance with Task Manager, javaw.exe is running the
cpu at 99% capacity, and the CPU is at 100%. I'm not
running java explicitly. Tonight I simply visited FedEx
and USPS sites to calculate shipping costs. I then closed
Internet Explorer. When I re-opened IE, the system ground
to a halt. Culprit was javaw. No other apps were
running, except those in the background that I've been
using for years (Norton AV Corporate Edition, PiKeeper.

Terminating javaw clears the problem.

CPU Pentium IV 2.4 GHz
Mem 512M

 

[slew]

Pls don't point me to a posting about shortcuts in font
directory. That doesn't apply.