Does Windows Task Manager show everything? Or can certian programs (i.e. viruses) avoid it's gaze?
I'm asking because my computer is starting to get a number of quirks. Besides the internet freezing randomly, the whole computer will now freeze every once in a while (with the CPU light on bright) and my graphics driver keeps dieing on me after playing The Godfather for a while :(
Is there anyway to get a more exact list? Or a program that will show the entire list? AVG, Ad-aware, and Spybot S&D haven't found anything.
ID:184778
 Jul 8 2006, 4:29 am
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Loduwijk wrote:
As far as I know, programs can be hidden from the applications list but not the processes list. Unless you're running Windows 9x! (Since there is no processes list in the Windows 95/98/ME task manager, just the applications list.) | |
However, people with half a brain cell change the name of the program so that, in the processes list, it appears harmless. They usually do this by naming it after something that you would expect to be there. Many try to look like windows system-critical applications.
svchost is a smart one to imitate, since you probably have a bunch of those in your processes list already, and the only difference when looking at it in the task manager (and therefor only way for you to tell at first glance) that it's not the legitimate svchost is to look at the user name listed next to it. If I see one that was started by my sign in name (which is currently Administrator, so if I see "Administrator" next to any of them in the User Name category) then it is likely a fake. Currently, mine all say either SYSTEM, NETWORK SERVICE or LOCAL SERVICE.
Of course, I'm not an expert in that area, so you should try to delve a bit deeper than that. That is just a good thing to look for in a quick glance over it all.