Windows help needed

[Newc]

Yeah yeah, I know, get a Mac.

Whenever I open my email, web browser, or even the computer's Search function, the Microsoft Office with Frontpage Installer starts running, and I have to Cancel it multiple times until it finally stops popping up.

I'm running a virus scan as well as Spybot, but aside from the possibility of a virus, is there any reason this should be running? It also does it when I reboot any of my USB drives.

If I try to catch it with Task Manager, it takes me to the Internet Explorer executable as the process (as opposed to an Installer exe).

[slo100]

Are you running XP? What version of Office? What version of Explorer?

Sometimes the installer will fire up if you are missing application files or if your updates are not current.

The first thing to do (if you have not already) is go to the Microsoft "Windows Updates" page and download all the latest and greatest updates for your operating system, MS Office, and MS Explorer.

It does not sound like a virus issue to me.

http://www.update.microsoft.com

Bret

[rjohnstone]

It's not a virus.
That's what happens when you don't do a complete install of Office.
There's always some add-on that wants to get installed later and it will keep trying to install it until you let the installer complete it's process.
Just actually let it finish the next time it runs. Problem solved.

[Superfly]

It's not a virus.
That's what happens when you don't do a complete install of Office.
There's always some add-on that wants to get installed later and it will keep trying to install it until you let the installer complete it's process.
Just actually let it finish the next time it runs. Problem solved.

+1
I would go to officeupdate.com and get the latest service packs. They recently released sp3 for office, (i'm assuming you are running office '03 or xp). They bundled all of the security updates and such since sp2 so once you get that you are good. We've deployed it to 1000+ users and all has been well except for a couple of people that had custom apps installed...

[slo100]

Out of curiosity I researched this more and it appears to be a known bug. Imagine that!

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article08-103

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304107

[rjohnstone]

Yep... it is annoying.
That is why I either do a COMPLETE install or I set things I know I'll never use to "Do not run from this computer" during the initial install process.

[åron]

It's just a handy little annoyance designed to foul up pirate copies of Office.

[Spivonious]

Just let it finish. You'll probably have to put the Office CD in the drive.

[ABSOLUT CHARVEL]

i just got a new computer with Vista. my concern is that i hear what sounds like the Hard Drive sill indexing? i have had it running about 2 weeks and the little yellow light is still blinking away. think i have a bad hard drive?

[rjohnstone]

It's Vista cataloging your hard drive. It updates the search index continuously.
Part of the search feature.
I just disable the service. I know where everything is on my drive.

[ABSOLUT CHARVEL]

It's Vista cataloging your hard drive. It updates the search index continuously.
Part of the search feature.
I just disable the service. I know where everything is on my drive.

Oh man. Thanks! I now feel the joy and freedom like after taking a dump. I have been holding off loading it up with my music thinking I may have to take it in. I may hit you up on how to disable it at some point.

[Newc]

Thanks, but I don't think it's my Updates. OneCare found a worm called Puce.C, but I'm not sure if it got it all.

[Spivonious]

Oh man. Thanks! I now feel the joy and freedom like after taking a dump. I have been holding off loading it up with my music thinking I may have to take it in. I may hit you up on how to disable it at some point.

By default Vista is set up to only index when the computer is idle, and then only your user files (documents, videos, photos, etc.). If it's still going after two weeks, you're probably not leaving the machine on after you're finished with it. If you have some time, click the Orb, type "index", and hit enter. If it says "indexing complete" then you've got some other problem. How much RAM is in the computer? You may want to increase it if the harddrive activity is interfering with your work.

It could also be because of what Vista calls "super fetch." It basically loads your most frequently used programs into memory upon boot so they load faster. Of course, if your harddrive keeps doing things well after boot, then I'd point towards a lack of RAM or some piece of software not behaving itself.

If you want to talk about it more, PM me.