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What is the ntvdm.exe?

Aug 4, 2014 9:04AM PDT

Hello anyone, everyone,

I've been having a problem for several days now and its pretty annoying.
As usual, I'm running my computer with the usual (several webpages up such as Hotmail, messenger etc) Nothing robust. Anyways, low and behold, my computer slows down in the blink of an eye and I could barely get it to do anything.

I then checked with Task Manager, only to discover that my CPU was 100% used up. Is this even possible? I realized there were about 2 instances of this ntvdm.exe file running that was using up almost all of the CPU. I mean it was around 99% or something. Does anyone have any idea of what this means and what sort of a problem it is? Perhaps does anyone know how to fix it?

Discussion is locked

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"The Windows NT executable which is used to handle a single
Aug 4, 2014 9:20AM PDT

"'The Windows NT executable which is used to handle a single DOS (and Windows 3.x) environment is called ntvdm.exe."

This is quite odd and a BAD SIGN of an infection. Did you scan with the usual Grif notes at http://forums.cnet.com/7726-6122_102-5509131.html?tag=posts;msg5509131

Also, this would be true for say older machines with single core CPUs. That is, they can get all hung up if we had a single core and installed a few antivirus, malware apps. They get the CPU all too busy.
Bob

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grif
Aug 12, 2014 8:12AM PDT

Hey Bob,

I read through the grift and tried following all the instructions presented therein. I really don't believe it was a case of potentially unwanted programs. Anything you'd like to suggest?

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Sure but to suggest more, I'd want more clues.
Aug 12, 2014 8:40AM PDT

I see I noted how a single core CPU could get all bound up pretty easily but a web page could do this. That is the old JAVASCRIPT BOMBS (beware, don't research that unless you are ready for bad things to happen) was a lot of fun to lock up machines and browsers.

Even today folk get all bound up thinking that is something the OS or browser must handle. But no, it won't. Long discussion why but without a clear view of the machine I will offer one nugget of an idea. RESET THE BROWSWERS. Here how for Firefox.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/reset-firefox-easily-fix-most-problems

Bob