Hi Euni,
Definition of explorer.exe:
"explorer.exe is the Windows Program Manager or Windows Explorer. It manages the Windows Graphical Shell including the Start menu, taskbar, desktop, and File Manager. By removing this process the graphical interface for Windows will disappear."
As a file manager the process really shouldn't be using any data itself. That process however is a favorite target of virus and malware writers.
I have to agree with Corrosive in suspecting a virus or malware infection.
I suggest for starters you read this:
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-explorer-exe-virus/
I also suggest that you download, install, update and scan your computer with the free version of Malwarebytes:
Can you post a screenshot the Glasswire output showing the IP location(s) where explorer.exe is going?
Use this as a guide:
Usage Tab
Apps Button
In the left column click on the process (I highlighted Host Processes as I had no explorer.exe)
In the center window click on the top item, That will display where the process was connecting to.
Hi Euni,
"Now since I have windows 7, forgot how to do and post snapshot, help...."
Instructions on using the Win7 Snipping Tool can be found here:
http://www.howtogeek.com/207754/how-to-use-the-snipping-tool-in-windows-to-take-screenshots/
To then post the screenshot here in the Community first click the highlighted "camera" icon and then use the highlighted "select a file ...." to select the Snip you wish to post:
Use the opening window to navigate to where you have stored the screenshot on your computer"
"Gwalk, I read the instructions above, can I print this out?"
Yes
"Are these programs free?"
Yes
As long as it is no longer appearing there is a really good chance that Malwarebyes took care of the issue and things only need to be closely monitored.
There is the free version of Malwarebytes and I run it myself. It is "reactive", that is to say an after-the-fact scanner. Only the paid version runs as a "resident".
As stated, I use the free version and once per week I will manually open the program, update it and do a scan.
I do a manual scan with my anti-virus program weekly also.
That doesn't look bad, Browser activity seems a little on the high side for no longer than the monitoring period was but it really all depends on what you are doing.
I would say just keep a close eye on things and make it point to open Malwarebytes once per week and run a scan. Do that with Norton AV also.
Hi Euni,
" HN is my homepage, I just sign on and to get email, and FB"
Lets break this down a little bit.
Q:What is a Homepage?
A: A "homepage" is any webpage that you designate as a "landing place" when you open a web browser. It can even be a blank page ... that loads "nothing".
A web page is built up of many "segments". It used to be in the past that a webpage was mostly text based and once the page was loaded it was ... static ... it was unchanging until you refreshed the page. With few if any images and very limited advertising content the amount of data consumed by opening a page was very small and pages loaded very quickly.
The things changed, drastically, and not for the better.
Popular webpages started selling advertising space on their webpages, first a little, then a lot. It got to the point that 90% of the page that was loaded was stuff that was not directly concerned with what the user wanted to actually see. More and more of the users data was being consumed by those "outside" segments of the website.
Then it got worse. Scripts and flash objects, auto-start video clips and an "auto-refresh" of the either the entire page or at least most of the "pieces" that made up the page.
When you said "HN is my homepage" I'm wondering if it is this one?:
http://myhughesnet.hughesnet.com/
If so that page will chew up data like a drunken sailor on a Saturday night.
If that page is left open it will eat data all the time its open. If you open another tab and that page is open in another tab .. it will eat data .... like mad.
The purpose of a "homepage" is to provide a landing spot on the internet when a browser is first opened. It should provide basic information that suits a users taste as an information "feed" but not be like the "tabloid lane" in a supermarket checkout.
As an example my "homepage" on first opening a browser was msn.com. It provided a quick "news fix" before I went to my intended internet destination. My browser is set to open subsequent tabs as "blank pages" that consume no data at all rather then open another instance of my homepage.
MSN has changed as time went on and now consumes more data on a simple opening and it is time to review my browser settings to reduce the data bleed or select another "landing spot" or perhaps even go to a blank page as a browser opener.
All browsers have a "favorites" function and this is truly your friend. You need to find "direct links" to where you wish to go (example: Hughes webmail) you do not HAVE to go to the data eating "HN homepage" when you can select a different link:
Example: Hughes "myAccount" page:
http://my.hughesnet.com/myaccount
That will allow you to click the "mail" icon and then log in:
When it comes to checking email, there are two methods .. webmail access where you open a browser and then access the email server in question or through the use of an email client program that does not require the use of a browser but accesses your email accounts on your behalf and downloads the emails to your local computer.
I seldom use the webmail interface. Instead I use the free Thunderbird email program from Mozilla, the makers of Firefox.
That right there would save you data by not having to open a browser at all
Thunderbird can be downloaded from here:
https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/
That brings us to browsers themselves.
I use Internet Explorer for many of my tasks but not all.
I always use Firefox when accessing Facebook due to the number of browser extensions that help limit data usage in a number of ways.
Hi Gwalk, wow, I wish you lived next door, learning a lot from you. You are right, HN home page is constantly moving, streaming etc., I set it as home page to access my email, now I would like to set my home page with the link "my account" to go directly to the email, how do I do that, there is nothing that says "set this as my homepage". Like I said before, I pretty much can't do much on here with the data plan I have, 500 MB, but was told in the beginning that its plenty. I look at facebook and communicate with friends that way, or email, look at ebay, tried to sell something but could not get the pic. to load, HN was to slow or I was out of data. I read my hometown Newspaper and look at craft patterns, which I write down quick and have friend print out for me. and that is about it for $71.11 a month, contacted a wireless co. in my area, waiting for a call back re; tower close enough. ????
So , thank you Gwalk for all your input and helping me again, I really do appreciate it. When I started with my PC a long time ago, it was fun, now I have more frustration. I know "Technology" rapidly changes, sometimes my little brain can't keep up, lol, .... but you are a Gem. Thanks.