Extra Processes Not Needed????

[zhou yi]

When I open the Task Manager and check on the Processes tab, I got:

4 copies of - svchost.exe (PID 1512, 840, 536, 440)
3 copies of - rundll.exe (PID 1392, 1192, 1144)

Is there any reason there should be so many copies of these processes running at once? Is there some software or perhaps a website where one could find out how to control which processes are able to run?

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Leave those. Both are so-called umbrella-processes, they can run many items at the same time, and each one will control a different process.

Go to www.liutilities.com and look at Wintasks or
look at the Process Explorer from http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/procexp.shtml

 

[Mictlantecuhtli]

Rundll32 (or rundll) processes are usually some small utilities or Windows' internal preference panels (like display properties). I guess you have a lot of stuff in the taskbar notification area?

But yes, they could be malicious applications too.

Multiple svchosts are a result of multiple services running (svchost = service host).