Windows freezes, unkown start up program

[Midgard]

Hello,
I am hoping someone can help with a vista problem I am having. I installed 7zip the other day and my system crashed during the installation. Since then my system seems to freeze when I log in to windows. I noticed that when a particular icon on my taskbar shows up is when the system freezes. The only problem is I have no idea which program that icon is referring to.

Here is a pic of my taskbar:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/41275122@N03/3804405680/


Sometimes I can get around the program by starting an installation before the icon shows up, hitting ctrl+alt+del, then hitting log off and cancelling when I get a windows warning asking if "I want to log off while *whatever* is installing." At that point the icon disapears from the taskbar. It seems to mostly affect windows explorer/internet explorer as any other program I load before the icon shows up runs fine. Although I do have trouble switching between apps also when the computer freezes (task manager is also affected so I can't see what is running at the time).

Any help is appreciated.


Thanks in advance.

 

[pat mcgroin]

try going to start|run and type msconfig
Then go to startup and look through the list for anything that you dont want to start and uncheck the box.
Hit apply and the restart and see if it goes away.

 

[Midgard]

Thanks for the tip.

It turned out to be some survey based spyware program called "Relevant Knowledge." I uninstalled it and windows is responding alot better now.

 

[pat mcgroin]

glad to hear