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Ghosts?

H

HiThere

Flightless Bird
Every day between 4 and 4:30 my computer is on standby while I exercise.
During that time, it wakes itself up, hums and churns for a few minutes,
then puts itself back on standby.

MS Essentials is programmed to scan on Wednesday at 10 a.m. I've turned on
the monitor when I hear the computer wake up to see if I can see what it's
doing, but nothing is showing. Any idea what it could be? It's a new Acer
Aspire Core 2 Quad, Win 7 Home, with only MS Essentials as my
antivirus/antispyware. Just curious what's going on behind the scene.
Thanks.
 
E

Eric Allen

Flightless Bird
HiThere wrote:
> Every day between 4 and 4:30 my computer is on standby while I exercise.
> During that time, it wakes itself up, hums and churns for a few minutes,
> then puts itself back on standby.
>
> MS Essentials is programmed to scan on Wednesday at 10 a.m. I've turned on
> the monitor when I hear the computer wake up to see if I can see what it's
> doing, but nothing is showing. Any idea what it could be? It's a new Acer
> Aspire Core 2 Quad, Win 7 Home, with only MS Essentials as my
> antivirus/antispyware. Just curious what's going on behind the scene.
> Thanks.

sounds like it's scanning the hard drive while idle.

--
 
E

ericp@blueyonder.co.uk

Flightless Bird
On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:24:57 +0000 (UTC), HiThere <none@none.com>
wrote:

>Any idea what it could be?


Mine was Media Centre at 11am.

Never used it, never had a use for it, but it comes out every day and
tries to download TV data.
 
A

Al Smith

Flightless Bird
HiThere wrote:
> Every day between 4 and 4:30 my computer is on standby while I exercise.
> During that time, it wakes itself up, hums and churns for a few minutes,
> then puts itself back on standby.
>
> MS Essentials is programmed to scan on Wednesday at 10 a.m. I've turned on
> the monitor when I hear the computer wake up to see if I can see what it's
> doing, but nothing is showing. Any idea what it could be? It's a new Acer
> Aspire Core 2 Quad, Win 7 Home, with only MS Essentials as my
> antivirus/antispyware. Just curious what's going on behind the scene.
> Thanks.



"M. S., phone home ..."

-Al-
 
S

Slap

Flightless Bird
"Al Smith" <invalid@address.com> wrote in message
news:59idn.63583$Db2.3970@edtnps83...
> HiThere wrote:
>> Every day between 4 and 4:30 my computer is on standby while I exercise.
>> During that time, it wakes itself up, hums and churns for a few minutes,
>> then puts itself back on standby.


>
> "M. S., phone home ..."
>


In your dreams.
--
 
F

Frank

Flightless Bird
Al Smith wrote:
> HiThere wrote:
>> Every day between 4 and 4:30 my computer is on standby while I exercise.
>> During that time, it wakes itself up, hums and churns for a few minutes,
>> then puts itself back on standby.
>>
>> MS Essentials is programmed to scan on Wednesday at 10 a.m. I've
>> turned on
>> the monitor when I hear the computer wake up to see if I can see what
>> it's
>> doing, but nothing is showing. Any idea what it could be? It's a new
>> Acer
>> Aspire Core 2 Quad, Win 7 Home, with only MS Essentials as my
>> antivirus/antispyware. Just curious what's going on behind the scene.
>> Thanks.

>
>
> "M. S., phone home ..."
>

You actually think avast doesn't "phone home?
Think again pal...all of them do...they must in order to update themselves.

> -Al-
 
H

HiThere

Flightless Bird
Al Smith <invalid@address.com> wrote in
news:59idn.63583$Db2.3970@edtnps83:

> HiThere wrote:
>> Every day between 4 and 4:30 my computer is on standby while I
>> exercise. During that time, it wakes itself up, hums and churns for a
>> few minutes, then puts itself back on standby.
>>
>> MS Essentials is programmed to scan on Wednesday at 10 a.m. I've
>> turned on the monitor when I hear the computer wake up to see if I
>> can see what it's doing, but nothing is showing. Any idea what it
>> could be? It's a new Acer Aspire Core 2 Quad, Win 7 Home, with only
>> MS Essentials as my antivirus/antispyware. Just curious what's going
>> on behind the scene. Thanks.

>
>
> "M. S., phone home ..."
>
> -Al-
>


LOL!!!
 
F

Frank

Flightless Bird
HiThere wrote:
> Every day between 4 and 4:30 my computer is on standby while I exercise.
> During that time, it wakes itself up, hums and churns for a few minutes,
> then puts itself back on standby.
>
> MS Essentials is programmed to scan on Wednesday at 10 a.m. I've turned on
> the monitor when I hear the computer wake up to see if I can see what it's
> doing, but nothing is showing. Any idea what it could be? It's a new Acer
> Aspire Core 2 Quad, Win 7 Home, with only MS Essentials as my
> antivirus/antispyware. Just curious what's going on behind the scene.
> Thanks.


Look in your event viewer at that time to see what is going on.
 
H

HiThere

Flightless Bird
ericp@blueyonder.co.uk wrote in news:rhbbn5lps53r94o810593l6oh85mms9r8s@
4ax.com:

> On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:24:57 +0000 (UTC), HiThere <none@none.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Any idea what it could be?

>
> Mine was Media Centre at 11am.
>
> Never used it, never had a use for it, but it comes out every day and
> tries to download TV data.


Didn't know I had that. Took a look at it and it's set to download at 12:00
a.m. which it will never be able to do since the modem is off then.
 
A

Al Smith

Flightless Bird
Frank wrote:
> Al Smith wrote:
>> HiThere wrote:
>>> Every day between 4 and 4:30 my computer is on standby while I exercise.
>>> During that time, it wakes itself up, hums and churns for a few minutes,
>>> then puts itself back on standby.
>>>
>>> MS Essentials is programmed to scan on Wednesday at 10 a.m. I've
>>> turned on
>>> the monitor when I hear the computer wake up to see if I can see what
>>> it's
>>> doing, but nothing is showing. Any idea what it could be? It's a new
>>> Acer
>>> Aspire Core 2 Quad, Win 7 Home, with only MS Essentials as my
>>> antivirus/antispyware. Just curious what's going on behind the scene.
>>> Thanks.

>>
>>
>> "M. S., phone home ..."
>>

> You actually think avast doesn't "phone home?
> Think again pal...all of them do...they must in order to update themselves.





I don't know about you, but I let nothing update automatically.

-Al-
 
A

Al Smith

Flightless Bird
HiThere wrote:
> Al Smith<invalid@address.com> wrote in
> news:59idn.63583$Db2.3970@edtnps83:
>
>> HiThere wrote:
>>> Every day between 4 and 4:30 my computer is on standby while I
>>> exercise. During that time, it wakes itself up, hums and churns for a
>>> few minutes, then puts itself back on standby.
>>>
>>> MS Essentials is programmed to scan on Wednesday at 10 a.m. I've
>>> turned on the monitor when I hear the computer wake up to see if I
>>> can see what it's doing, but nothing is showing. Any idea what it
>>> could be? It's a new Acer Aspire Core 2 Quad, Win 7 Home, with only
>>> MS Essentials as my antivirus/antispyware. Just curious what's going
>>> on behind the scene. Thanks.

>>
>>
>> "M. S., phone home ..."
>>
>> -Al-
>>

>
> LOL!!!



If one person gets my jokes, that's all I ask. One person, and
it's worth the effort to make them.

-Al-
 
C

Char Jackson

Flightless Bird
On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:11:14 GMT, Al Smith <invalid@address.com>
wrote:

>Frank wrote:
>> You actually think avast doesn't "phone home?
>> Think again pal...all of them do...they must in order to update themselves.

>
>I don't know about you, but I let nothing update automatically.


Fortunately for the rest of us, you're in the minority. The more
people keep their AV programs up to date the better it is for all of
us.

I long ago lost count of the number of systems I take in with the
owners asking me to remove some kind of malware. More often than not,
they ask how it could have happened since they had ____ (fill in the
blank) running at the time, usually Norton or McAfee, the ones that
come as free trials on new systems. I gently show them that the virus
or malware definitions are months and sometimes years out of date, and
that there is little or no protection afforded in that case.

Al, you may be perfectly capable of keeping your stuff updated
manually, but I'm very thankful that task doesn't rest on the average
computer user's shoulders because many of them simply aren't up to it.
 
C

Char Jackson

Flightless Bird
On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:59:06 +0000 (UTC), HiThere <none@none.com>
wrote:

>ericp@blueyonder.co.uk wrote in news:rhbbn5lps53r94o810593l6oh85mms9r8s@
>4ax.com:
>
>> On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:24:57 +0000 (UTC), HiThere <none@none.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>Any idea what it could be?

>>
>> Mine was Media Centre at 11am.
>>
>> Never used it, never had a use for it, but it comes out every day and
>> tries to download TV data.

>
>Didn't know I had that. Took a look at it and it's set to download at 12:00
>a.m. which it will never be able to do since the modem is off then.


You can always move the modem to a power receptacle that stays on
continuously, thus avoiding the "modem is off" scenario.
 
A

Al Smith

Flightless Bird
Char Jackson wrote:
> On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:11:14 GMT, Al Smith<invalid@address.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Frank wrote:
>>> You actually think avast doesn't "phone home?
>>> Think again pal...all of them do...they must in order to update themselves.

>>
>> I don't know about you, but I let nothing update automatically.

>
> Fortunately for the rest of us, you're in the minority. The more
> people keep their AV programs up to date the better it is for all of
> us.
>
> I long ago lost count of the number of systems I take in with the
> owners asking me to remove some kind of malware. More often than not,
> they ask how it could have happened since they had ____ (fill in the
> blank) running at the time, usually Norton or McAfee, the ones that
> come as free trials on new systems. I gently show them that the virus
> or malware definitions are months and sometimes years out of date, and
> that there is little or no protection afforded in that case.
>
> Al, you may be perfectly capable of keeping your stuff updated
> manually, but I'm very thankful that task doesn't rest on the average
> computer user's shoulders because many of them simply aren't up to it.
>


In my own case, I'm pretty careful about how I surf the Web and
what I download. I don't really depend on my antivirus, but as an
extra precaution, I have it running in the background for files --
I don't use it at all for e-mail or Web pages. I update my
antivirus definitions every week or two, but I'm not a fanatic
about it. I do like to control what my computer is doing, though,
which is why I try to prevent programs from doing anything
automatically, or phoning home. If I do it myself, I know what is
happening.

-Al-
 
F

Frank

Flightless Bird
Al Smith wrote:
> Frank wrote:
>> Al Smith wrote:
>>> HiThere wrote:
>>>> Every day between 4 and 4:30 my computer is on standby while I
>>>> exercise.
>>>> During that time, it wakes itself up, hums and churns for a few
>>>> minutes,
>>>> then puts itself back on standby.
>>>>
>>>> MS Essentials is programmed to scan on Wednesday at 10 a.m. I've
>>>> turned on
>>>> the monitor when I hear the computer wake up to see if I can see what
>>>> it's
>>>> doing, but nothing is showing. Any idea what it could be? It's a new
>>>> Acer
>>>> Aspire Core 2 Quad, Win 7 Home, with only MS Essentials as my
>>>> antivirus/antispyware. Just curious what's going on behind the scene.
>>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>>
>>> "M. S., phone home ..."
>>>

>> You actually think avast doesn't "phone home?
>> Think again pal...all of them do...they must in order to update
>> themselves.

>
>
>
>
> I don't know about you, but I let nothing update automatically.
>
> -Al-


I let everything update and install automatically except Windows, where
I have updates set to automatically download and then inform that
updates are available and ready to install. That way if a re-boot is
necessary, I'm ready for it to happen.
 
E

Eric Allen

Flightless Bird

>> I don't know about you, but I let nothing update automatically.
>>
>> -Al-

>
> I let everything update and install automatically except Windows, where
> I have updates set to automatically download and then inform that
> updates are available and ready to install. That way if a re-boot is
> necessary, I'm ready for it to happen.

smart move, wish I'd thought of it before the reboot caught me off-guard
--
 
A

Alias

Flightless Bird
Frank wrote:
> Al Smith wrote:
>> Frank wrote:
>>> Al Smith wrote:
>>>> HiThere wrote:
>>>>> Every day between 4 and 4:30 my computer is on standby while I
>>>>> exercise.
>>>>> During that time, it wakes itself up, hums and churns for a few
>>>>> minutes,
>>>>> then puts itself back on standby.
>>>>>
>>>>> MS Essentials is programmed to scan on Wednesday at 10 a.m. I've
>>>>> turned on
>>>>> the monitor when I hear the computer wake up to see if I can see what
>>>>> it's
>>>>> doing, but nothing is showing. Any idea what it could be? It's a new
>>>>> Acer
>>>>> Aspire Core 2 Quad, Win 7 Home, with only MS Essentials as my
>>>>> antivirus/antispyware. Just curious what's going on behind the scene.
>>>>> Thanks.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "M. S., phone home ..."
>>>>
>>> You actually think avast doesn't "phone home?
>>> Think again pal...all of them do...they must in order to update
>>> themselves.

>>
>>
>>
>>
>> I don't know about you, but I let nothing update automatically.
>>
>> -Al-

>
> I let everything update and install automatically except Windows, where
> I have updates set to automatically download and then inform that
> updates are available and ready to install. That way if a re-boot is
> necessary, I'm ready for it to happen.


And the reason you don't go to the Microsoft Updates web site is because
you run pirated copies of Windows, right?

--
Alias
 
F

Frank

Flightless Bird
Alias wrote:
> Frank wrote:
>> Al Smith wrote:
>>> Frank wrote:
>>>> Al Smith wrote:
>>>>> HiThere wrote:
>>>>>> Every day between 4 and 4:30 my computer is on standby while I
>>>>>> exercise.
>>>>>> During that time, it wakes itself up, hums and churns for a few
>>>>>> minutes,
>>>>>> then puts itself back on standby.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> MS Essentials is programmed to scan on Wednesday at 10 a.m. I've
>>>>>> turned on
>>>>>> the monitor when I hear the computer wake up to see if I can see what
>>>>>> it's
>>>>>> doing, but nothing is showing. Any idea what it could be? It's a new
>>>>>> Acer
>>>>>> Aspire Core 2 Quad, Win 7 Home, with only MS Essentials as my
>>>>>> antivirus/antispyware. Just curious what's going on behind the scene.
>>>>>> Thanks.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "M. S., phone home ..."
>>>>>
>>>> You actually think avast doesn't "phone home?
>>>> Think again pal...all of them do...they must in order to update
>>>> themselves.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I don't know about you, but I let nothing update automatically.
>>>
>>> -Al-

>>
>> I let everything update and install automatically except Windows,
>> where I have updates set to automatically download and then inform
>> that updates are available and ready to install. That way if a re-boot
>> is necessary, I'm ready for it to happen.

>
> And the reason you don't go to the Microsoft Updates web site is because
> you run pirated copies of Windows, right?
>


You're stoned right? As usual? Re-read my post you freakin nitwit!...LOL!
 
C

Char Jackson

Flightless Bird
On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:32:21 GMT, Al Smith <invalid@address.com>
wrote:

>Char Jackson wrote:
>> On Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:11:14 GMT, Al Smith<invalid@address.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Frank wrote:
>>>> You actually think avast doesn't "phone home?
>>>> Think again pal...all of them do...they must in order to update themselves.
>>>
>>> I don't know about you, but I let nothing update automatically.

>>
>> Fortunately for the rest of us, you're in the minority. The more
>> people keep their AV programs up to date the better it is for all of
>> us.
>>
>> I long ago lost count of the number of systems I take in with the
>> owners asking me to remove some kind of malware. More often than not,
>> they ask how it could have happened since they had ____ (fill in the
>> blank) running at the time, usually Norton or McAfee, the ones that
>> come as free trials on new systems. I gently show them that the virus
>> or malware definitions are months and sometimes years out of date, and
>> that there is little or no protection afforded in that case.
>>
>> Al, you may be perfectly capable of keeping your stuff updated
>> manually, but I'm very thankful that task doesn't rest on the average
>> computer user's shoulders because many of them simply aren't up to it.
>>

>
>In my own case, I'm pretty careful about how I surf the Web and
>what I download. I don't really depend on my antivirus, but as an
>extra precaution, I have it running in the background for files --
>I don't use it at all for e-mail or Web pages. I update my
>antivirus definitions every week or two, but I'm not a fanatic
>about it. I do like to control what my computer is doing, though,
>which is why I try to prevent programs from doing anything
>automatically, or phoning home. If I do it myself, I know what is
>happening.


I'm not sure I'd bother running any AV program if I only updated it
every week or two. Most exploits have come and gone in that time. As
you say, though, if you're relatively careful your risk is minimized.
 
A

Al Smith

Flightless Bird
Alias wrote:
> Frank wrote:
>> Al Smith wrote:
>>> Frank wrote:
>>>> Al Smith wrote:
>>>>> HiThere wrote:
>>>>>> Every day between 4 and 4:30 my computer is on standby while I
>>>>>> exercise.
>>>>>> During that time, it wakes itself up, hums and churns for a few
>>>>>> minutes,
>>>>>> then puts itself back on standby.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> MS Essentials is programmed to scan on Wednesday at 10 a.m. I've
>>>>>> turned on
>>>>>> the monitor when I hear the computer wake up to see if I can see what
>>>>>> it's
>>>>>> doing, but nothing is showing. Any idea what it could be? It's a new
>>>>>> Acer
>>>>>> Aspire Core 2 Quad, Win 7 Home, with only MS Essentials as my
>>>>>> antivirus/antispyware. Just curious what's going on behind the scene.
>>>>>> Thanks.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "M. S., phone home ..."
>>>>>
>>>> You actually think avast doesn't "phone home?
>>>> Think again pal...all of them do...they must in order to update
>>>> themselves.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I don't know about you, but I let nothing update automatically.
>>>
>>> -Al-

>>
>> I let everything update and install automatically except Windows,
>> where I have updates set to automatically download and then inform
>> that updates are available and ready to install. That way if a re-boot
>> is necessary, I'm ready for it to happen.

>
> And the reason you don't go to the Microsoft Updates web site is because
> you run pirated copies of Windows, right?
>



That's quite an insulting thing to write, out of nowhere. Where
did that come from?

-Al-
 
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