Solved processes eating up memory - no log to post

I'm sorry, I don't see how to attach a file to my post, so here's the text:

Process PID CPU Description Company Name Command Line
System Idle Process 0 98.46
Interrupts n/a Hardware Interrupts
DPCs n/a Deferred Procedure Calls
System 4
smss.exe 676 Windows NT Session Manager Microsoft Corporation \SystemRoot\System32\smss.exe
csrss.exe 732 Client Server Runtime Process Microsoft Corporation C:\WINDOWS\system32\csrss.exe ObjectDirectory=\Windows SharedSection=1024,3072,512 Windows=On SubSystemType=Windows ServerDll=basesrv,1 ServerDll=winsrv:UserServerDllInitialization,3 ServerDll=winsrv:ConServerDllInitialization,2 ProfileControl=Off MaxRequestThreads=16
winlogon.exe 756 Windows NT Logon Application Microsoft Corporation winlogon.exe
services.exe 800 Services and Controller app Microsoft Corporation C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
svchost.exe 968 Generic Host Process for Win32 Services Microsoft Corporation C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost -k DcomLaunch
wmiprvse.exe 2056 WMI Microsoft Corporation C:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem\wmiprvse.exe
svchost.exe 1048 Generic Host Process for Win32 Services Microsoft Corporation C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost -k rpcss
svchost.exe 1136 Generic Host Process for Win32 Services Microsoft Corporation C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs
wuauclt.exe 536 Windows Update Microsoft Corporation "C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe" /RunStoreAsComServer Local\[470]SUSDS72ee58e6e52a494db69139a0f7c08d8d
wscntfy.exe 1812 Windows Security Center Notification App Microsoft Corporation C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe
svchost.exe 1204 Generic Host Process for Win32 Services Microsoft Corporation C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe -k NetworkService
vsmon.exe 1376 TrueVector Service Zone Labs, LLC C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe -service
spoolsv.exe 1616 Spooler SubSystem App Microsoft Corporation C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
jqs.exe 1876 Java(TM) Quick Starter Service Sun Microsystems, Inc. "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe" -service -config "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\jqs.conf "
mdm.exe 1924 Machine Debug Manager Microsoft Corporation "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\mdm.exe "
NMSSvc.Exe 1952 NMS Module Intel Corporation C:\WINDOWS\System32\NMSSvc.exe
HPZipm12.exe 1980 PML Driver HP C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe
svchost.exe 2016 Generic Host Process for Win32 Services Microsoft Corporation C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe -k LocalService
svchost.exe 2032 Generic Host Process for Win32 Services Microsoft Corporation C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe -k imgsvc
wdfmgr.exe 176 Windows User Mode Driver Manager Microsoft Corporation C:\WINDOWS\system32\wdfmgr.exe
alg.exe 1888 Application Layer Gateway Service Microsoft Corporation C:\WINDOWS\System32\alg.exe
lsass.exe 812 LSA Shell (Export Version) Microsoft Corporation C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
explorer.exe 1080 1.54 Windows Explorer Microsoft Corporation C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
WinPatrol.exe 236 WinPatrol System Monitor BillP Studios "C:\Program Files\BillP Studios\WinPatrol\winpatrol.exe" -expressboot
zlclient.exe 496 ZoneAlarm Client Zone Labs, LLC "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe"
jusched.exe 516 Java(TM) Update Scheduler Sun Microsystems, Inc. "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe"
procexp.exe 880 Sysinternals Process Explorer Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com "C:\Documents and Settings\Accounting & Payroll\Desktop\ProcessExplorer\procexp.exe"


The process had stopped, so I set Process Explorer (it's a lot like System Explorer) to run on boot and rebooted before saving the report.

I have also been running a paging file defragger called PageDefrag by Mark Russinovich on boot for about the past 5 years. Usually it sails right through its checks, but since we ran the fix, it's been pausing for close to a minute on the first step: pagefile.sys.

I also noticed when looking at the ProcExp log, that a wuauclt.exe file with an identifier similar to:

is running...

And last but not least, on this current reboot, it booted normally. Is there any way that the last reboot had to do something that would have caused the way slow boot? I don't know what to think!

 

OK. Thank you, broni. I will finish up on Monday and let you know. I very much appreciate the time you have spent helping me.

 

I'm happy to report that all seems well. I ran one last ESET scan this morning just to ease my own mind, and it came up clean.

Thanks again for all your help, broni!