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If you righ-click on svchost.exe system and select to terminate the process and click ok...Do you get a popup message stating that your system will shutdown with a countdown time.

Yes, svchost is a valid XP application.

It is the program that allows services to operate.

On my XP box, there are presently 5 instances of svchost running.
3 as SYSTEM
1 as Local Service
1 as Network service

Check out these MS Articles.

http://tinyurl.com/flfa

http://tinyurl.com/jqgx

http://tinyurl.com/o2po
(While this refers to W2K, XP is very similar.)

Chas

No, it sounds as though you are describing the M32blaster virus

MS Blaster would shut down the RPC service and force the reboot, not the svchost. FYI only.

Both are valid under Win 2000 PRO programs, SVChost enable you to "talk to" the computer. When you attemp to shut them down the Computer shuts down. This is normal they should be running.

They are valid system programs.

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