CPU Processes not ending after exiting programs

cwcw

When I close programs down, specifically Firefox and Avant Browser/Internet Explorer, the RAM usage and CPU usage remains high and stays in the task list on task manager for a long time afterwards. Most of the time I have to end the processes manually.

My PC has a Pentium 2.8GHz dual core processor with 2GB RAM, so I would not expect sluggishness, particularly with such basic applications. OS = Windows XP. The problem has only started over the last few weeks but I haven't changed anything on the PC for months. It seems like the programs in question leak memory and Windows can't close them down.

cwcw

Bumpedy bump

vyseyboy

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firefox.exe_always_open

Have you done scans with up to date antivirus / anti spyware?

cwcw

I ran scans with AVG and Spybot this morning and both came out with no problems. The problem is mainly with the iexplorer.exe process continuing long after closing IE, and using up a lot of the CPU capacity. There's only 1 process with that name though and it doesn't come on until I've opened IE. If IE hasn't been open that long then it seems to close ok. It seems like some kind of memory leak.

vyseyboy

Hmm. I've read about this being caused by certain plugins too, like the adobe pdf reader, or flash.

Might be worth checking they're up-to-date, and checking up on any third-party plugins too, but other than that I'm stumped.