Computer help- pleeese!

[lettucegrow!]

Having problems with my puter suddenly running really slowly. Has been fine. Did a diagnostic check which showed - Error Process AtiZevxx.eve using 86% cpu !!! When I opened the task manager the CPU is running at 100% and says it's an external event utility, no wonder it's so slow! I'm not running anything that should cause this . Anyway, have googled and this could be a trojan bug but how can I tell and if I find it and remove it may it have got into the windows system and have damaged it. I removed a virus before from a previous computer and it had destroyed windows system so I couldn't access anything.
Sorry it's all a bit early for this and I just can't research much as it's taking forever! I'm running a full system scan, which after going overnight is only at 25% (avast) Computer boffs HELP!!

[piskieinboots]

I would suggest running a removal option - I am just checking out one now for you - if you can ping me your email I'll send it there - any good?

Most techy bods tend to sleep in until mid day

ETA: There doesn't seem to be anything I can email to you, in the way of removal instructions, at the moment I can only see scan options for removal

[piskieinboots]

*puts out call and hot coffee for HotStuff

[lettucegrow!]

Thanks Piskie. Will message my email. Scan now at 38% and showing nothing!

[chris]

Have you noticed any problems though? Are you sure it's malware? If you reboot, is it still using such high resources?

Anyway.. is your user an administrator user? If not, do you have the administrator (or an admin account) password? You'll need to login/run as (Is this Vista/7?)...

First up though, CTRL ALT DEL - task manager - can you end the process?

If you want to disable it from running, assuming it's running everytime your boot into Windows:

As an administrator user, start - run (or windows key + R) type in 'msconfig'

Goto the startup tab, and locate the entry for that process, uncheck it. Save, then reboot your PC - this will stop it from starting up (assuming it's not written entries in the registry). I'd recommend rebooting in safe mode, then running a scan..

Edit: when I'm home tonight, if you're convinced it's a virus I could take a look at the file (yes, I'm sad and enjoying looking at these things).. if you could email me it? Daren't do it in work, as it's all windows based here, and I know i'd be quite popular if I did let something loose on the network hehe

[Bigmallly]

Hope this helps:

How to Remove Ati2evxx EXE | eHow.co.uk

[lettucegrow!]

Thanks for all this info. No I ' m not sure it' malware but how does this suddenly happen? Running vista, will check all these things later. I haven't rebooted yet. The full scan should be done by time I am home. As I said before, very scared off breaking it!

[zazen999]

Looks like the gorilla came to the rescue again; try that LG - it looks like a good result.

Alternatively, go get a macbook.

[Bigmallly]

If you read my previous post, it says you do not need this file & can be disabled. It tells you how.

[TEB]

If you read my previous post, it says you do not need this file & can be disabled. It tells you how.

Be careful though because there have been reports that disabling the ATI hotkey poller can have detrimental results on certain makes and models of computers.

[HotStuff]

Most techy bods tend to sleep in until mid day

*puts out call and hot coffee for HotStuff

Thanks for the vote of confidence Piskie, but TEB is generally a lot better at this kind of stuff than I am And it looks like BM has this one sorted.

Also, some techy bods have actually been out cycling in the winter sunshine for the past 2 hours, cold but beautiful

[TEB]

Also, some techy bods have actually been out cycling in the winter sunshine for the past 2 hours, cold but beautiful

Yep up at 05.30 and out walking with mutley by 06.00, mind you didn't bother going to bed just kipped down on the sofa in the office

PS what a beautiful day, gorgeous sunrise

[lettucegrow!]

Thanks BM and CM didn't think just to reboot- it all looked so strange and soooo slooooow. Have now done that and appears to running normally.CPU down to 2/4% which is where I would expect it to be with nothing much runing.
What would that have been connected to? I understand the process is to do with graphics/display but there were no programmes running. Did it have a mad moment and get stuck? Anyway, maybe panicked a bit and thanks for your help, I think it's sorted.
Macbook not an option zazen unless the numbers come up tonight!

[chris]

Lots of factors could explain why it was using so many resources.. I think it probably was just a bug/memory leak..

connected to? in what sense, if it was malware? You can do a 'netstat -a' in a command prompt window to see what connections are incoming and outgoing on your pc - if your screen is flooded with info after a reboot then that /may/ point to malware sending/recieving info (i.e. a spambot/part of a botnet)... which is why it's always a good idea to be backing up often! However, that said, it'd be difficult to tell unless your familiar with a "normal" netstat output for your pc/laptop!

In terms of the process being involved with graphics/displays - but nothing running -- there's loads of stuff running in the background constantly, but it could be a graphic driver control panel (i.e. an ati launcher in your system tray (near the clock)), not sure what the process is without further research but if you didn't have graphic drivers on your pc/laptop then you'd find the screen resolution rather small, and the colours limited..

If you google online virus scanner there's plenty of sites that allow you to upload files to see what they truly are.. a great one was norman sandbox, but sadly this is no longer free. If you wanted to double check, find the executable file on your pc then upload it to one of those

It's a big'un this friday lettucegrow - make sure you put some numbers on friday hehe!

[bishop]

atievxx.exe is installed alongside some ATI graphics hardware products and assists with graphics handling. "This program is a non-essential system process, but should not be terminated unless suspected to be causing problems. but it is common for a trogan to camouflage its self as atiexx.exe. a decent trogan remover will take care of it.