After the 5th link here (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=dumprep.exe&btnG=Google+Search), I'm still cornfuzed. CPU usage jammed at 100% and 4 instances of dumprep.exe chowing down on my ram.

I'm reading that it's unnecessary, but also reading that it should not be removed.

If I click End Process I get a terrifying warning message about "undesired results including loss of data and system instability" if I end it.

The only thing I've done recently is uninstall Norton Internet Security.

Can I just end the processes and hope they do not return?

Thanks!

Reboot. As the links indicate, if you have a crash of some software, this program runs to prepare the report you can send Microsoft. If you reboot, it should clear them out.

#1 - don't worry about the "undesired results..." dialog box, it's a standard message that just means that, for instance, if you shut Word you'll lose the changes to the document you were working on, etc.

#2 - dumprep is what Windows does when an application crashes or "Upon serious errors this program will write the details to a text file and request the information be sent to Microsoft"

Killing the process isn't a problem but you'll want to know what is causing it to appear.

To stop the 'service' try: Control Panel > System > Advanced, Error Reporting button at bottom, Disable error Reporting.

Thanks; both of you.

Off to disabling the reporting "service"...

Done. Now I'm speeding along at the speed of molasis instead of a glacier :p

Yes - but - as stated above, dumprep is pgm used to prepare a "dump" or data for you or Microsoft on some bad/error condition. So keep on the lookout for what might be causing it. Just cancelling dumprep - which won't hurt anything - won't wipe out the reason its being invoked. Hope this makes sense.

JonB