If you do then you’re probably pretty PC savvy. You’ll know that one is an essential part of Windows security mechanisms and should not be removed. The other is a virus that disables firewall and security protection systems and opens an unseen back door that external hackers can use to take control of your PC and steal your confidential information. It should be disabled and removed immediately.

If you are someone who is fluent in ‘process speak’, then you will know where to look for – and what to do about – such threats. But it takes up valuable time. If on the other hand you are still wary of attempting to manage and make changes to the many processes that are running seen and unseen on your PC – and unless you are an expert software developer you should be! – or, like your writer, you haven’t a clue what a .exe file actually does, then the information that not all .exe files are friendly, helpful things to have on your PC is enough to worry me into trying to do something about it. Trouble is, where do you start?

Now, while I use my PC and go online for several hours a day, I’m just not technical if you know what I mean. For me, finding that I have isass.exe listed in my PC system is one thing. But if I don’t know what it does, then I’m just as likely to leave it sitting there. (Big mistake of course – isass.exe contains the Optix.pro virus and you should get rid of it!) So what I needed was some way to find out what it is. Most people start with their favorite search engine so I googled and found plenty of websites that offered some basic advice. The list order sequence varies depending on the process file that you’re looking up, but the top site is always the same and links to something called Process Library, owned and operated by Uniblue. If you access via a search engine enquiry it will give you the specific information you need, plus advice as to what to do.

It can do much more though, so if you need Process Files information help and advice, you should make the home page ProcessLibrary.com your new best friend. Add it to your favorites! It’s a free service that is clean and simple to use, with a fast search facility. The home page is clearly structured and shows you what the current top searches are, plus what’s new. It also lists the current top security threats to your PC system.

While you’re logged on, check out the "Free Tools" tab and think about downloading the free Quick Access Plug In. It’s a simple but clever little Help Tool that places a blue info button next to every process listed in your Windows Task Manager. It means that the entire Process Library resource is available via one click without having to navigate away from the Task Manager Window. Very convenient! There’s even a Forum where you can talk about process related problems with like-minded people.

With millions of visitors every month, there’s always someone around who can help you. And if you find a process that they don’t have listed yet, send it to them via the ‘Contact Us’ button at the end of the Forum page and they’ll check it out, give you feedback – and add it to the thousands of processes already listed in the Library!

Next month we’ll be updating you on the latest developments from Process Library and the people who operate it.

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