Afd.sys (Windows Ancillary Function Driver) is a driver for Winsock, which is a program necessary to connect the computer to the Internet. It runs when the computer is booted and is responsible for all Internet connections on the computer, including wireless, LAN, browser, and third-party application connections. Afd.sys is a critical part of the Windows Operating System and should not be removed under any circumstances. Afd.sys can be found in the Drivers subfolder of the System32 folder on the primary hard drive.   How Afd.sys Works Afd.sys is a driver Read More

MOM.exe is a monitoring program for the Catalyst Control Center that ATI Technologies created. It monitors ATI video card graphics use and is essential for running certain functions of the video card’s graphics driver. MOM.exe is included with all drivers and updates for version 7.2 and newer of the Catalyst Control Center and generally runs in the computer’s background. While MOM.exe may display error messages, it is not a part of the Windows Registry, can be easily removed, and does not pose any threat to computers.   Spyware While MOM.exe Read More

Mfefire.exe is McAfee Anti-virus Firewall Service’s process. The McAfee Firewall prevents malicious programs from installing themselves or third party components on the computer. Mfefire.exe is not a system process, but is required to run the McAfee Firewall. Mfefire.exe generally runs on the Windows Operating System and can be found in the primary hard drive’s Program Files folder.   How Mfefire.exe Works Mfefire.exe runs in the computer background and, when activated, prevents programs from running and/or installing themselves on the computer without permission. It detects processes as they attempt to run, Read More

The System Idle Process on computers running the Microsoft Windows Operating System (OS) typically displays when it is using more than 90% of the computer’s CPU. This confuses many users as they believe that there is an OS error or more drastically that the computer is infected with malware. In reality, the System Idle Process is designed to perform house keeping functions on the computer when the CPU is not tasked with any significant work. What Does the System Idle Process Do? The System Idle Process is a special task Read More

Dllhost.exe is an essential Windows process that allows executable files to access DLL files that are stored on a computer. A DLL (Dynamic Link Library) file contains source code or parameters for running or communicating with a specific application or device. Because every executable file or program on a computer uses DLL files, Dllhost.exe is very important for the computer’s proper performance and removing or modifying it may cause the computer to crash or stop working properly. Dllhost.exe can be found in the Windows folder’s System32 subfolder on the computer’s primary Read More

Windows users may encounter the following when trying to start the HP Solution Center: “The installation package for solution center cannot be found. Try the installation again by using a valid SolutionCenter.msi.” This error commonly occurs when the solution center software was installed from a downloaded file and is then unavailable to reinstall the HP Solution Center if required. It can also be triggered through Windows Operating System (OS) updates that are no longer fully compatible with the version of the HP software on the computer. At minimum, users may Read More

Mcshield.exe is a third party software process that belongs to the McAfee On-Access Anti-virus Scanner. It is a real-time shield of the McAfee anti-virus software that continuously monitors files, folders, and programs that the user, the computer, and/or third party applications access in order to detect possible threats. Mcshield.exe is generally considered a safe program and does not pose a threat to the computer, although it does use large amounts of CPU memory and may slow the computer down.   How Mcshield.exe Works Mcshield.exe works in the same way as Read More

Mfehidk.sys is a system process that runs in the computer background and maintains the Host Intrusion Detection System for McAfee Anti-virus. It is essentially a real-time shield and detects malicious software as it runs on the computer before it has a chance to cause significant damage. Mfehidk.sys is also known, however, for slowing computers down and even causing the BSOD (Blue Screen of Death). Mfehidk.sys can be found in the Drivers subfolder of the primary hard drive’s System32 folder.   How Mfehidk.sys Works Mfehidk.sys works in the same way that Read More

The file msdtc.exe is the main component of the Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MSDTC) by Microsoft Corporation. The Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator is an application that is primarily used in allowing several other client applications to include more than one source of data in a single transaction. After performing the required task, this transaction manager program then functions to commit the distributed transaction among the servers included in the mentioned transaction. The Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator runs in all platforms/versions of Windows. This application is normally installed by certain Windows Read More

The file spooldr.sys damages the stability of integral processes necessary for Microsoft (MS) Windows Operating System versions to function correctly. The spooldr.sys infects computers running on MS Windows by making use of the Trojan.Packed.13 malware application. The Trojan.Packed.13 is a malicious process that is distributed through spam known as Peacomm. The Peacomm spam convinces its recipients to navigate their browsers to a website with an applet.exe link. The site also executes a JavaScript routine that embeds a process which exploits WMP vulnerability. The WMP vulnerability is exploited by the JavaScript Read More