Uncommanded Command Prompt Window...why?

[scoutabout]

Hey folks - I've noticed over the last week I'm getting the following window opening at various times throughout a session. Here's a pic of it just now popping up while I was surfing an iboats thread. Never seen this behaviour before. It will appear for about 5 seconds, complete with blinking cursor overtop anything I'm doing - then disappear.

I'm assuming it's related to the workings of Mcafee but I've had that antivirus package for years without this behaviour.

It will occasionally but not always be followed by a message that my security settings have recently changed and do I want to revert to the Mcafee defaults. When I check them, no such change has happened that I can see. Maybe a virus? Malwarebytes scans detect nothing...

Any ideas?

 

[halfmoa]

Re: Uncommanded Command Prompt Window...why?

It sounds to me like your antivirus isn't working too well. Mcafee is know for not only missing virui but also slowing down your opertaing system signifigantly. Also while Malwarebytes is an AWESOME program more often than not it's comprimised by the virus to "miss" said virus.

I'd recommend Eset anti virus. In fact I recommend it highly enough that if I hadn't just used my last license on a laptop a few weeks back I'd send it to you. It's top notch!

 

[Don S]

Re: Uncommanded Command Prompt Window...why?

Might want to look at which threads that pops up in, do they all have live links in them?
Does it happen on other sites?
What Windows system and Internet Explorer browser version are you using.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Uncommanded Command Prompt Window...why?

That's McAfee doing its update business. But something ain't working right with it.

 

[FastFission]

Re: Uncommanded Command Prompt Window...why?

This looks like a glitch with McAfee's "site advisor" program. I found this discussion on the McAffee discussion boards:

https://community.mcafee.com/thread/41472?start=0&tstart=0

 

[mscher]

Re: Uncommanded Command Prompt Window...why?

I alway thought it was bad application programming, that made launching the executable, momentarily pop up in a command prompt box.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Uncommanded Command Prompt Window...why?

Thanks for the replies and ideas, guys.

Answers to your specific questions are:

Don -

-using IE 7 (but happens when my wife, a Firefox fan, uses that browser on this machine)
-happens on various sites and links

halfmoa -
-my OS has been gradually creeping to a halt for a while now. Probably time for a wipe, format, and reload?
-thanks for the Eset recommendation. I'll definitely look into that.


FastFission -

That's terrific - thanks for the link. It seems that's probably at the heart of it. I did download and run McAfee's Virtual Technician or whatever it's called. Didn't seem to change anything although it did discover a registery glitch.

Problem has not occurred in last two days, however so maybe the registry fix eventually took...I may change anti-virus programs anyway.