windows - explorer.exe using 100% cpu usage!

fillthemuppaypa

Solid State Member
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Problem started on August 11th. Maybe I downloaded something that did this, I don't know. I had IE 7 Beta 2. When I opened new tabs, the whole window would close. So I uninstalled, then downloaded beta 3. Same thing. Called microsoft, on the phone for an hour, then I finally figured out that under manage add ons, I had to diable "pmkhg.dll". After this was disabled, tabs would work normally and fine, until restart of the computer, "pmkhg.dll" would be enabled again.

Then I noticed that after about 20 minutes of regular usage, under task manager, explorer.exe would be 94-99% cpu usage, and hold up the entire machine. I looked under Process Explorer, and guess what, a "thread" that explorer.exe is using, is pmkhg.dll.

I cannot delete this file, as it says it is being used by another program (using Process Explorer, I found out that iexplorer.exe, explorer.exe and winlogon.exe is all using it. I try to quit it for all of those, but still cannot delete the file. My computer says the file (pmkhg.dll) was created on August 11th, the day problems started.

Any suggestions? Does anyone else have this file? (C:/Windows/System32/pmkhg.dll)? Does anyone know how to delete it? I tried using Delete Doctor too.

Thank you.

And Yes, I ran every spyware/adware scan out there. It did find some problems, but they could have been unrelated as the problem persists. I also ran scans in safe mode, and tried to delete the file in safe mode to no avail.
 
nope i dont have it. but what you could do it rename the file and then destroy it, or end the process then try to rename/destroy it.
 
tried renaming it, doesn't work.
the only place i see it running is through Process Explorer. I tried ending it all together through the 4 processes that are using it, then deleting it/renaming it, doesn't work.
Any other ideas?
 
john123 said:
nope i dont have it. but what you could do it rename the file and then destroy it, or end the process then try to rename/destroy it.

Explorer is the heart and core of windows visual file system, it's an important file.

John, if you run any version of windows, you have it.

In the case where explorer.exe does not work properly, i suggest copying explorer.exe from a working PC of the same OS and service pack, and copying it onto your computer.

Spyware can occasionally replace explorer.exe with it's own copy of explorer.exe as well.
 
im sure he has explorer, but i asked if anyone had pmkhg.dll.
Located in C:/Windows/System32
Do you (John or DJ-Chris) have that file?
also, is there anywhere on the net, TRUSTWORTHY PLACE, that I can get a new "explorer.exe"? Also, DJ-Chris, if I do find a place on the net, or from a friends computer with the same operating system (XP HOME) and service pack (SP2), could rewriting my explorer.exe even work? It wouldn't get rid of the pmkhg.dll. Also, could that even make things worse?
I will be backing my computer up completely, taking an "image" of it with norton ghost before i do any of this. Is that fail safe?
 
i have no problem sending you an explorer.exe from my other computer.

just delete the pmkhg.dll file. or as i said, rename it.
 
thank you everyone. please don't take the file off the websites yet, as I haven't done this yet, but I just want to make sure before I mess around with stuff i don't really know what i'm doing.
I get my 250GB external harddrive ($99!) this weekened, so I'll be downloading your files then, so I ask again, please, don't take the file down just yet.

However, I do have another question. Will deleteing explorer.exe then putting yours back in place do ANYTHING but fix my problem, if that? (Change settings, make certain programs not work, chance of totally messing the computer)?
Also, if it does, will norton ghost be able to put it all back?
And John, I am still unable to delete the file/rename it. Weird, huh?
 
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