internet problem

somuj

My computer is constantly downloading something when connected to the interenet even if my computer is sitting idle. Is there anyway of finding out which program is accessing the internet

Karoma

How much is it downloading and how did you determine this?

Run TCPView and see what programs are connected? http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897437.aspx

somuj

Am using o2 broadband, there is an application with it that tells you how much your downloading and at what speed. Tis very annoying cause I only have 7.5Gig limit per month and if i forget 2 disconnect I could come back to 60 or 70mb that have downloaded while the machine is sitting idle

Capt'n Midnight

LOTS of things update in the background , when you installed them it said so in the license agreement you (or the supplier) said OK to
microsoft update - some service packs for dotnet / office can be over a hundred MB
adobe acrobat - 20 MB security patch every two months or so - use foxit reader instead
anti virus definitions
java
media players / ipods
and lots of other stuff too



if you using a firewall apart from the microsoft one it may be able to tell you what is calling home, and yes mcafee and norton do download updates themselves

somuj

I turned off automatic update on the os and every other program I could find updates on. Disabled everything on startup in msconfig and the bloody thing still downloads:mad:

Checked for viruses also but got nowt.


I suppose i could pull out the modem everytime I'm not using it but that would just ache my buttocks.

Biggins

somuj wrote: »

I turned off automatic update on the os and every other program I could find updates on. Disabled everything on startup in msconfig and the bloody thing still downloads:mad:

Checked for viruses also but got nowt.


I suppose i could pull out the modem every time I'm not using it but that would just ache my buttocks.

Try this firewall. Free and is exceptionally good: http://www.pctools.com/firewall/

It will list and notify you of all non-standard apps trying to access the net, as each one tries to do so.
Also it will list easier the standard apps that are trying to access the net and give you a clear ability to disable each individually or all.

Good luck.