Hey everyone,
I'm dealing with a really frustrating issue on my Windows 11 PC where cmd.exe windows keep popping up every few seconds, right in the top left corner of my main monitor. This is super distracting and it's interrupting my gaming and general use. There's also this weird white window that shows up, but I can't figure out what it is.
I've tried various troubleshooting methods I found online, including running malware scans with Malwarebytes and CCleaner, using sfc /scannow, and even delving into the Registry Editor based on internet suggestions. I attempted to reinstall Windows without doing a full factory reset and couldn't track down the Office fix that was suggested. The cmd windows I've captured in slow-mo show the path as C:WINDOWSsystem32cmd.exe but I can't see any text in them. I've checked Task Scheduler and Event Viewer, but I don't know enough to pinpoint any issues beyond a few normal errors in Event Viewer.
This has been ongoing for about a year and I'm really stuck. Any ideas on how to resolve this?
(I wish I could share pics, but I don't know how to add them to this post.)
1 Answer
It sounds like you might have some application running in the background that triggers those CMD windows. One thing you could do is list out all the software installed on your PC, including anything you may have uninstalled recently. Sometimes, an app can be trying to check for updates and that’s what you’re seeing.
If it keeps happening, consider doing a clean install of Windows. Install your software one by one to see if any cause the issue again. This way, you might pinpoint the culprit. Also, don’t worry, there are plenty of guides online that can help with the process! Good luck!
I’ve actually tried all the guides I could find over the months, including booting with only Microsoft startup programs. Since cmd.exe is a system tool, I can't really uninstall it, which complicates things. If I have to do a factory reset, I need to prepare for all the settings I’ll have to redo since I've been using this profile forever. Is there a way to check for previously installed programs on the computer more easily?