Ermm, a WHOLE LOT of process modules
I ran Ad-Aware and I only had about 10 critical files but it said i had 1123 process modules. Usually I only have like 3. And I found my firefox has started randomly going to other advertising sites at sporadic intervals and popups that freeze my computer and create little blank white squares that block my whole computer's screen. I always keep a close check on all my spyware so what could it be?
did you download the latest version of ad-aware? It says the same thing about an absurd amount of "process modules" on mine too. The last version did not. Think of process modules as sub-routines of a processes. You can have several modules for one process.
I also use spybot along with ad-aware. It finds what ad-aware misses and vice-versa. Together they make a good team. Spybot also had an "advanced mode" where you can list everything that starts up and get rid of the unwanted stuff. Very cool and free is awesome.
If you only had 3 process modules, something was wrong then or you looked at the display incorrectly. (IE., look at it while it's counting, alt-tab to another window when it got to 3, then not check again till later.)
You should have a few hundred at the minimum for an average desktop.
A 'process module' in these terms is basically a library file, whether a .dll or .bin file, but the file itself is compiled code meant to be shared between multiple applications. These can be loaded and essentially cached in the processors cache or your RAM, depending on the code itself and it's usage.
Basically, they're teeny little programs that work together to form the programs you're used to using.
Eh, I stopped using firefox after the issue/bug reports started increasing…. now I use Avant Browser.
The only problem with Avant (because in my opinion, it blows every other browser out of the water) is the fact that it tags http://javascriptont of unknown commands (like js injection) making it into http://javascript:alert(document.cookie) and it doesn't work.
That and the current release has some issues with flash (but only on certain sites).
Other than that, this browsers owns them all haha.
I turn it on, type in hbh and press enter, the url alias kicks in and I go to http://www.hellboundhackers.org (url aliases can be set).
That and if you've got something "fun" on the screen and people come in, I can right click and drag to the lower right and make the entire program go into the system tray. (motion commands for EVERYTHING)..
Technically it gets it's underlying code from IE, and it shares the same cookie collection (my cookies in IE are the same as in AB), but it just works really really well… if anyone has any questions just ask… I've been using it since version 2.1, and it's on 10.2 Build 52 right now.
Slight Return wrote: I ran Ad-Aware and I only had about 10 critical files but it said i had 1123 process modules. Usually I only have like 3. And I found my firefox has started randomly going to other advertising sites at sporadic intervals and popups that freeze my computer and create little blank white squares that block my whole computer's screen. I always keep a close check on all my spyware so what could it be?
Coolwebs. Its a pain in the ass. go to http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ and run a free scan. They blow AdAware out of the solar system. These guys will kill all that ails your computer as far as adware.
Try it, see what you remove. (ill bet it was coolwebs) Please repond when you finish your scan.
Bl4ckC4t