Hard Drive running for no reason!

[zburns]

I had a conventional google page open and had left the computer for about 15 min. When I returned, my hard drive was going non stop. I closed the google page without thinking, hard drive stopped; I was then going to Task Manager to see what process or sevice was "running" all out -- all I could think to do!!

Had I not closed the google page triggering the HD to stop, what else could I have done to find out "what gives"? If I had to bet, it will happen again and I want to be prepared. Any ideas besides opening Task Mgr. and taking a look at processes and services, etc.. Thanks.

This edit at 4pm, same day: My anti virus, Nod 32 may have been running about the time I reference the above "HD run"; not sure of the exact timing. Anyway, if it was my antivirus program, then closing the google page would not have caused the HD to stop or slow down. This may or may not be related to my posts under "Windows software" about Antivirus 2009. If it happens again, that is HD full out running, I will immediately open Task Manager, and Resource Mgr, look at CPU usage, mem and HD data.

[RickyTick]

iirc, a Vista system will defrag daily, and check for windows update daily also, both without any user input telling it to do so. Thats all I can think of.

[zburns]

Ricky, you're right, and I did not think of either one of your points. However, the HD stopped exactly coincidental with my "closing" the routine google "search" page. Closing the page stopped whatever was causing the HD to run. It may be assoc with "Antivirus 2009" but there was no indication of it. The reason I keep "harping" on stuff like this, is "patterns". Wise Monkey may have already called "Antivirus 2009" correctly when he says a "mimic of a Windows file" in the form of a GIF image.

If I ever get a good handle on AV 2009, and, if I am sure of the symptoms I have noticed "all along", then hopefully everything will fit the patterns and be explained. WM has seen AV2009 on his computer; said it happened on the "Google search return"; also, happen to me two or three times the same way, except I did not describe it or pin it down as to the "return data" coming to me as did WM. Thanks for the input!

[Rob]

Possibly some background task was running because your computer was idle. When you clicked the page your computer was no longer idle and the background task, detecting this, stopped.

[The Wise Monkey]

That sounds likely; for example, your AV might have been runnning some background scanning that stopped when your PC became active again.

[zburns]

Thanks guys. I will add your comments to my list of possibilities. But let me tweak you further. I know that Windows defender and Eset Nod 32 run daily at preset times in the background. This is not to say that there could be other programs running while comp is "idle" and stop when active (causing HD to stop).

Do either of you know if I can safety assume that "Processes" in Task manager shows me all programs running at any given moment in time. If I can capture this phenom before and after, say with a quick video of "Processes" before and after, then I will know what shut down at about the time of the incident. I cannot copy and paste the T/M window; does not work!

Edit: I may have just fully realized what you both may be saying: A program runs in the background, ex the AV scanning when computer is idle, but intentionally stops when the computer becomes active because for whatever reason the "background" program is running is no longer valid if the computer is active. But it would, perhaps, start and stop going forward to pick out idle HD time. But something else, does not the HD run most of the time even if very slow; the few times it has been constantly on, and I cause it to stop, or just use the light as an indicator, I can still feel a small vibration by putting my fingernail tips on the HD flat surface at the center. When it is running all out, noise level is way up. Not trying to wear you out with detail, just letting you know what my observations are-- thanks! Even now in this post, when I say the HD is running "all out", the light never blinks; when I closed the google page and the HD stopped, I assume it went back to an "idle" state and the light is randomly blinking at very slow rate.

[The Wise Monkey]

Is this an external HD?

[zburns]

Internal drive. Only hard drive in the computer. WD 3200AAKS SE 16. SATA