100% CPU usage

explorer.exe runs 99% constantly

[webfooted man]

I own a Dell Dimension 2400, Pentium 4, 2.4 GHz & 256 RAM.
For the past 30-45 days, I have experienced very slow response for all programs.
I have Norton Internet Security with antivirus and spyware protection. I also use ad-aware, spybot, spy doctor and spy sweeper. I have gone online to Symantec to run the virus check that they offer. It took 10+ hours for that to run and the results were 2 files infected w/Adware.P2PNetworking & Adware.save now. I found the location of the infected files and removed them from the registry. They seem to be gone, but the CPU usage is still a constant 100%.
My wife seems to think that all of this started about the same time that I set up the Dim2400 on a network in the house along with our Inspiron 6000.
Any ideas to what could be making explorer.exe run aat 99% all of the time?

[DaveN]

some toolbar install? or more spyware .. desktop search software etc etc ..

look at what other processes are running and try to identify each one, stop the ones you are not sure about ..

DaveN

[tomda]

Mostly spyware but since you have all the application required to fight spyware, it is really strange!

I found the location of the infected files and removed them from the registry.

I may be wrong but it is not because you are manually deleting files that the spyware/virus is gone... It will always come back unless you delete the virus/spyware using some of the software you mentioned above or get pertinent info on the web about files to be removed (e.g. .dll, .exe).

I had the same problem with Opera - was quite surprise to see it was Opera and not IE. My opera folder was 2Gb!

Have also a look at your local settings.
My 2cents.