Why does IE leave spawned programs running?

**muno** · May 16th, 2003, 01:18 AM

I have WXP at home.
Everytime I access a pdf or a word file from the browser, and later close the spawned window xp will leave the process running - and eating huge amounts of resources.

I don't know whether any other program would be left running (I only open pdfs and docs via browser), but it's starting to annoy me.

Why doesn't it close them automatically? I have to taskkill them.

Oh, and IE version is IE6sp1
-M

**cbuddha42** · May 16th, 2003, 04:32 PM

yea i noticed that ie leaves acrobat running too

shoddy programing by M$ im guessing

**muno** · May 19th, 2003, 01:41 AM

Aanyonee?
-M

**Droppyale** · May 19th, 2003, 06:26 PM

I have the same prob... I also Task+Kill acrobat....

I use Tweak Now Power Pack.. and it has options to unload any dll when you close or exit a program...

But it says the system might be unstable..

so I havent tried it yet.

mmm

**youngqd** · May 19th, 2003, 08:32 PM

Should Explorer be able to close applications for you?
When Explorer calls, say, Excel the same thing happens.
Think of the trouble it could cause if a web page started closing your applications. "Save Target As" works much better.

**vass0922** · May 19th, 2003, 08:52 PM

I believe it does this as a 'caching' feature.
For instance if you're on your mobo's MFG site you want to look up documentation. You click on a PDF file and it of course opens in IE (I hate that, I'd rather it open in the ACTUAL application... but thats another reason I don't use IE

). Then you go 'back' and IE closes the application you opened (ie. adobe). Then you click on another PDF file.. well then it has to take up all that time to open adobe again (not the fastest opening app in the world). So if it doesn't close the app you can pop in and out of apps very quickly. Same with excel/word.

Don't know if there an option to change this "feature" though... except to try an alternative browser

**PresterJohn** · May 19th, 2003, 09:49 PM

actually, the problem with acrobat remaining active in memory is Adobe's fault...not MS. i've noticed this a while now (i think this became the norm with v5) but it happens irrespective of what version explorer you are running.

and yes, i always wind up having to kill the process too.

**muno** · May 20th, 2003, 02:42 AM

I think it'd be dumb to think one opens pdf files so often that it's necessary to leave it running.

I use an alternative browser, but it's based on IE core. And opera being adware I wouldn't want to touch it.

Guess it's very normal and I just have to use taskkill

-M