Author Topic: A free gift from Microsoft  (Read 3970 times)

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Offline DanS

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A free gift from Microsoft
« on: December 25, 2010, 05:22:12 AM »
Has anyone that uses Windows XP noticed a new process running on their PC that wasn't there previously called Seaport? From my research I've discovered MS added this on their own to online/connected PC's (without permission and whether or not you want it). I have my Windows Auto Updates disabled and it still got poked in. Supposedly this process is a "Search Enhancement Tool" and looks for updates continuously. A real resource / memory hog that runs all the time, noticeably slowing the PC down even though it's rarely (if ever) needed. I stumbled across it while viewing new errors in my event log. I googled it and read several forums/discussions on the pros and cons of having Seaport.exe running on your machine. Since I killed it I've noticed quite a performance increase and the errors disappeared in the error log. I can run through what I've done (looks to be successful) if anyone is interested / effected.

Offline mmorris

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #1 on: December 25, 2010, 07:07:34 AM »
That file Seaport.exe don't show up on my computers.

I see just google and you got to have installed Windows Live applications
« Last Edit: December 25, 2010, 07:09:05 AM by mmorris »
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Offline DanS

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #2 on: December 25, 2010, 07:26:57 AM »
Yeah I just checked my weather PC and a notebook here and they don't have it loaded either, just this desktop PC I used all the time. I don't remember downloading any Windows Live programs within the past year or so and SeaPort.exe just recently showed up. Looking at Task Manager's processes screen I could watch the CPU usage riding pretty high in percentage and the SeaPort process had high memory usage. A head scratcher for sure. Anyway I saved everything needed to remove it in case it magically reappears later. You mention that you have to have Windows Live applications, makes me wonder if Skype has anything to do with it. I downloaded that about a month or two ago and it's only on this desktop. hmmm
« Last Edit: December 25, 2010, 07:34:19 AM by DanS »

Offline ocala

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #3 on: December 25, 2010, 08:19:00 AM »
Yeah I got it. :-(
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Offline mmorris

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #4 on: December 25, 2010, 08:23:24 AM »
Yeah I just checked my weather PC and a notebook here and they don't have it loaded either, just this desktop PC I used all the time. I don't remember downloading any Windows Live programs within the past year or so and SeaPort.exe just recently showed up. Looking at Task Manager's processes screen I could watch the CPU usage riding pretty high in percentage and the SeaPort process had high memory usage. A head scratcher for sure. Anyway I saved everything needed to remove it in case it magically reappears later. You mention that you have to have Windows Live applications, makes me wonder if Skype has anything to do with it. I downloaded that about a month or two ago and it's only on this desktop. hmmm

I've been running Skype for year and just did the last update before Skype crashed there system and like I said it on on my systems.
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Offline gadget_guy

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #5 on: December 25, 2010, 11:12:11 AM »
I have Skype installed on the laptop I'm using at the moment and I do not have seaport.exe running. 
 

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Offline linuxfreak

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #6 on: December 25, 2010, 11:27:08 AM »
Go to this page, has how to kill the service permanently:

http://www.brighthub.com/computing/windows-platform/articles/25609.aspx

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Offline ocala

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #7 on: December 25, 2010, 12:03:33 PM »
Don't mean to high jack this thread but after using the task man I found a lot of process's running. I found this site http://www.blackviper.com/  that has a lot of Windows info about these running process's but is this a legit site? I'm looking for something to tell me it's ok to shut down this process with screwing up the PC.
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Offline tomwxman

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #8 on: December 25, 2010, 02:27:18 PM »
I found this site http://www.blackviper.com/  that has a lot of Windows info about these running process's but is this a legit site?
Very legit. I've been following BlackViper's recommendations for Windows services for many years.

Yeah sorta scary name though!  :-)

Offline DanS

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #9 on: December 25, 2010, 03:10:11 PM »
Don't mean to high jack this thread but after using the task man I found a lot of process's running. I found this site http://www.blackviper.com/  that has a lot of Windows info about these running process's but is this a legit site? I'm looking for something to tell me it's ok to shut down this process with screwing up the PC.

Well, I've searched all around also for ways to shut it down and to see if it was dangerous to do it. I know my PC ran fine without it before and all the details about it show it as a search enhancement pack only. I found 3 things to change (temporarily, if you decide to go back) to stop it and could be undone easily if you change your mind but don't think you will.
1. Stop the service from running and disable it.
2. Stop DCOM process from attempting to start it.
3. rename the .exe file

I have Skype installed on the laptop I'm using at the moment and I do not have seaport.exe running.  

Guess that's not where mine came from then, from Skype that is. Strange that it just appeared like it did with firewall on and updates off (but don't consider it an update).
« Last Edit: December 26, 2010, 08:25:30 AM by DanS »

Offline Chris H.

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #10 on: December 27, 2010, 08:54:23 PM »
I'm looking for something to tell me it's ok to shut down this process with screwing up the PC.

Heck you can stop explorer.exe and have a little fun. Not to highjack this thread.

I'm surprised that Windows 7 doesn't have this process running despite me having Skype and Windows Live running.
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Offline jgillett

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #11 on: December 27, 2010, 10:32:01 PM »
Not on my Win7 machine, either.
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Offline ALITTLEweird1

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #12 on: December 28, 2010, 09:10:07 PM »
My Win 7 and XP pro both had it.. I disabled it on both pc's.
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Offline DanS

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #13 on: December 28, 2010, 09:28:14 PM »
My Win 7 and XP pro both had it.. I disabled it on both pc's.

Do you get any DCOM service errors in your event viewer even after you disabled Seaport? I noticed I was getting DCOM messages saying something like "unable to start Seaport.exe because it's been disabled ....blah blah blah ...". I also went into Component Services under DCOM and deselect Seaport from "run application on this pc". Error log (event viewer) looks clean once again. just got off Skype with my Dad in Fla. and he also had it on his (Win XP). Got him squared away and he noticed an improvement on his PC.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2010, 09:30:17 PM by DanS »

Offline ALITTLEweird1

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #14 on: December 28, 2010, 09:39:30 PM »
Do you get any DCOM service errors in your event viewer even after you disabled Seaport?

I got 1 error on Win 7 and none on XP Pro. I cleared the list. I'll check it tomorrow to see if any other errors come up.
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Offline sam2004gp

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #15 on: December 29, 2010, 09:41:52 AM »
I just re-did my Main computer about 3-weeks back, and installed Skype.  Luckily I don't have it, but then I don't like or install the Microsoft Live Products on a Win-Xp machine.
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Offline DanS

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Re: A free gift from Microsoft
« Reply #16 on: December 30, 2010, 06:10:25 AM »
I just re-did my Main computer about 3-weeks back, and installed Skype.  Luckily I don't have it, but then I don't like or install the Microsoft Live Products on a Win-Xp machine.

Narrowing down where it may have come in through is the fact I use Hotmail for an email address and it's a Windows Live product. Possibly slipped in through there on mine.

 

anything