I believe I have figured out my problem. I did format the other day and when I went to MS Downloads, I installed SP3 , but it said it was for professionals,etc. However, in doing some back research on this after I re-formatted for again this morning, that's when I noticed it. The other day, I did do as you mentioned below by going to the Language Options and did that, but it was still messed up but not with the cftmon problem. So in formatting again this morning, I only downloaded the SP2.... and I haven't had any problems with it. Not only that, but I also learned something else, unknown to me, I put in the search bar there :: Microsoft Windows XP Home, SP2, and naturally they give you several to choose from. But what I did was clicked on Windows XP Home SP2, ( I believe I'm saying this right) and I got all sorts of trojans, spyware, malware - so much so I had to format again)... If you do NOT have Microsoft in front of what you are downloading, I am afraid others will might do the same thing. So much for bad luck. It's probably best if one will download and save these downloads to your desk top, then put them on a CD, at least you will have them should you have to format again. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- <<<-----Original Message----- Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:23:06 EDT From: [log in to unmask] Subject: ctfmon.exe _http://support.microsoft.com/kb/282599_ (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/282599) I have a Dell 8400 running Windows XP with SP3, also running free Avast Anti-virus and Zone Alarm with 2 GB's of 2048 Ram. About a week ago I had to format, and for some unknown reason, this ctfmon.exe constantly appears in my start up. It didn't do this at first, but now it does. I have taken it off again and again but it will not stay off. In the above article it says that is an MS Office product which I have NOT installed any of them. The instructions Google gave in getting rid of it does not help... since I can't find in the Control Panel where it was installed, cause I certainly didn't install anything Office. Harriet (Sure hope I have sent this to the right place) >>> ------------------------------ <<The ctfmon.exe that I know and love (to get rid of) usually appears after a fresh install of XP. For reasons I do not understand, it does not appear on all installs (at least that I've done) but that may be due to different install configurations on my part. In any case it seems to be attached to the keyboard settings. Make sure that in "Control Panel/Regional and Language Options/Languages/Details/Advanced" that "Turn off advanced text services" is checked. Also make sure that in "Control Panel/Regional and Language Options/Languages/Details/Settings" that there is only one instance of a keyboard shown. http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/what-is-ctfmonexe-and-why-is-it -running/ has pictures showing what I am explaining. Also here: http://vista.blorge.com/2008/08/31/what-is-ctfmonexe-and-how-to-disable-it-i n-windows-xp-and-vista/.>> **************Make your summer sizzle with fast and easy recipes for the grill. (http://food.aol.com/grilling?ncid=emlcntusfood00000005) PCBUILD maintains hundreds of useful files for download visit our download web page at: http://freepctech.com/downloads.shtml