Multiple Instances of Same Process/Service

Discussion in 'Software' started by JustSomeGuy805, Mar 16, 2008.

  1. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    Hello, I am running Vista Home Premium on a Sony Vaio laptop model VGN-NR110E. I keep it in pretty good shape and I am almost 100 percent certain that it contains no malware.

    Anyways, when I look in the task manager it says that I am running over 50 processes although it only lists about 25. So I download CodeStuff Starter and it showed me that there were multiple instances of the same process on several processes. I was just wondering if this is normal behavior of Vista. If it isn't normal behavior, how can I fix it, and if it is, is there any way to tweak it so that it is more like Windows XP?

    The only tweaks I have applied to my system made the changes to the services as described by Black Viper http://www.blackviper.com/WinVista/servicecfg.htm

    Here is a screenshot of what I mean:
    http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc304/JustSomeGuy805/process.jpg
     
  2. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Click Show Processes for All users if you want to see a full list.
     

    Attached Files:

  3. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    Anyways, when I look in the task manager it says that I am running over 50 processes although it only lists about 25. So I download CodeStuff Starter and it showed me that there were multiple instances of the same process on several processes. I was just wondering if this is normal behavior of Vista. If it isn't normal behavior, how can I fix it, and if it is, is there any way to tweak it so that it is more like Windows XP?

    The only tweaks I have applied to my system made the changes to the services as described by Black Viper http://www.blackviper.com/WinVista/servicecfg.htm

    Here is a screenshot of what I mean:
    http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc304/JustSomeGuy805/process.jpg
     
  4. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

  5. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    can anyone see my post?
     
  6. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Yes.

    Now they can, that is.

    Some sort of glitch. I've even replied to your query ;)
     
  7. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    Thanks, but doesn't help very much. I already know all the processes that are running. The problem is, why is there duplicates?
     
  8. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    What duplicates?

    If you are referring to svchost, its not a duplicate at all. svchost controls many different processes.
     
  9. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    no, not the svchost. Did you click on the link on my original post? Where you able to see the screen shot?
     
  10. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Check this out, it may explain in better detail. It shows what executable is used by what services/processes.

    [​IMG]
     
  11. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Those arent the same processes. They have different PIDs.

    Processes run on different user levels in Vista. Thats probably where you see the confusion.

    I'll run Process Explorer and see if it shows the same for me.
     
  12. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    Cool. Thanks for showing me that.

    So, how do I make my services look more like yours where there is only one instance of each process?
     
  13. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    That was just using task manager, to be honest.

    I tried Process Explorer and Starter with no real duplicates. maybe its an AVG thing.


    I am curious, if you run starter without admin rights...do you see the duplicates?
     
  14. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Here is one way to settle this.

    Open a cmd prompt with elevated rights.

    Click the start orb, in the search box, type cmd, and hold CTRL-SHIFT-ENTER.

    Then type tasklist /svc

    Are there any real duplicates?
     
  15. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    I am pretty sure I have admin rights. But I see the duplicates in the task manager, starter, and the tasklist /svc command. These are the duplicates that bother me:

    avgrssvc.exe AVG Resident Shield Service
    crss.exe Client Server Runtime Process
    igfxext.exe igfxext Module
    igfxsrvc.exe igfxsrvc Module
    taskeng.exe Task Scheduler Engine
     
  16. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Is this 32 bit or 64 bit Vista?
     
  17. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    yup, they are all still there. That is not normal huh?
    Thanks for trying to help by the way?
     
  18. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    32 bit
     
  19. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Hmm, lets try something.


    Use Process Explorer and lets take a look at the multiple AVG processes.

    Right click each and choose properties. Post a screenshot of the Image tabs on each so that we can compare.
     
  20. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    Here is the screenshot you asked for:

    [​IMG]
     
  21. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Ok, well that clears it up, sort of. One instance is calling AVG normally, the other is calling it with the -standalone switch. Almost as if maybe you have an instance running in the background, have you opened the GUI to scan with it?

    I'm not sure if thats an issue though...I don't use AVG.

    You familiar with regedit? We can try something, if you are game.
     
  22. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    To add to this, have you added things manually to your startup folder?


    Check msconfig, and see if these same multiple entries show. Lets stick with AVG for now.
     
  23. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    Startup folder is empty, and msconfig is clean with only one entry having anything to do with AVG.

    I am game for editing the registry. Thanks once again.:)

    Also, I don't know if it matters but did you notice that one of the avg services is the parent of the other? Its not like that with the other multiple processes like igfxsrvc.exe
     
  24. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Alrighty.

    See if you have this entry.

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify\avgwlntf
     
  25. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    found it.
     
  26. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Back it up.

    File export, save it somewhere safe.

    Then delete it and reboot. Make certain you ONLY delete the avgwlntf key.

    Set a system restore point just in case too.

    Otherwise, you may not be rebooting back to report your results.
     
  27. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    okay, the key is gone, I double checked, but there are still two avgrssrvc.exe processes.
     
  28. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Well, may as well put it back in, then. Import your backup.
     
  29. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

  30. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    it is the latest version. Oh well, I don't think it impacts my system too much. At least I learned 2 new cool things from you, 'tasklist /svc' and 'Process Explorer'. Thanks anyways.:)
     
  31. gimpster123

    gimpster123 Bring out the Gimp.

    not the latest version. You need to update.
     
  32. Mimsy

    Mimsy Superior Imperial Queen of the MG Games Forum

    The latest image file version should be 7.5.0.473, according to my installation. The latest version of AVG Anti-Virus Free itself is 7.5.519. Which one do you have?

    Oh, and when I click on "show processes for all users", I have two of that same process too, btw.
     
  33. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    How do you know what version I have?:confused

    7.5.0.504 and 7.5.519. I guess its a good thing that you also have two processes, maybe its normal.

    Anyways, I think we are getting a little off track. I just want to know if its normal to have multiple instances of all the processes I posted in an earlier post, especiall three instances of igfxsrvc.exe.
     
  34. Adrynalyne

    Adrynalyne Guest

    Not really getting off track, just concentrating on one fire at a time.

    Note, your Process Explorer info lists the version of your AVG on page 1. Hence, you flag as out of date.

    Use Process Explorer to do the same for the others--see what the difference is in the Processes, I think you will find that in each instance, a different command is passed to the executable. Which means that in the end, it appears to be normal. I just can't verify either, because:

    1. I don't run AVG on Vista.
    2. I don't have an Intel video device.
     
  35. JustSomeGuy805

    JustSomeGuy805 Private E-2

    Oh okay, thanks for pointing that out.

    I was talking about the whole AVG version thing. I don't know, it seems irrelevant.

    Check this out:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     

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