Unknown Data Use

[Dog_Folks]

I am only marginally computer savvy, so I need some help.

I have ATT USB plug in for my internet access.

In the past few days I have noticed theta on my device and on my ATT on screen internet manager, there is a download and an up load going on on almost continuously, even when the browser is not connected. (it shows up load and downloading with a symbol)

It is using about 1GB a DAY in data!

How can I find out what is doing this and stop it?

Please keep your answers simple, for I am nowhere near a geek.

[1492]

bwanshoom wrote:

Did you try Resource Monitor to find out which program is causing the network usage?

Make sure to click the "Network" tab.

[1492]

What version of Windows-Home Premium, Pro, etc? Is is 64 bit?

You don't need to uninstall Dropbox. Just right-click the Dropbox system tray icon. Click the tool symbol, and select Exit Dropbox. Or just go into preferences, and disable auto start-up to use Dropbox on demand when you need it.

[bwanshoom]

Dog Folks wrote:

jcpainter wrote:
Any chance you are using Carbonite or similar online backup program?

If so, turn it off when using your cellular data.

Nope

Did you try Resource Monitor to find out which program is causing the network usage?

[Bill_Satellite]

Dog Folks wrote:
OP HERE UPDATE--

Just in the short time that I have first posted data use has been .8 GB Help!!!

Yes, I am using a ATT Sierra Beam.

Drop box removed form computer---No effect. High data usage still occurring.

Restore to 4 days earlier. High data usage still occurring.

Malware byte's scan presently running.

If you have a smartphone(s) check those as well as any photos you have there can be send to the cloud as well. If possible, go to an ATT store now and have them find out what's going on. You can start looking my shutting one device down at a time and see when the usage stops.
What are you using to monitor your usage? Something from AT&T or something like NetMeter?

[Dog_Folks]

jcpainter wrote:
Any chance you are using Carbonite or similar online backup program?

If so, turn it off when using your cellular data.

Nope

[jcpainter]

Any chance you are using Carbonite or similar online backup program?

If so, turn it off when using your cellular data.

[bwanshoom]

Run Windows Resource Monitor (enter "resmon" in the Start Menu search bar). Click on the Network tab and it will show you how much data is being sent/received by each processes. That may help you narrow down the culprit. Then search on the name of the process that's sending the most data to find out what program it is.

[Dog_Folks]

E-mail password changed, computer restarted, just in case. NO effect.

[tonyandkaren]

It's also possible that your email account has been hijacked and someone is using it to send out tons of spam. Change your password if you suspect this.

[tonyandkaren]

To find if things are running in the background -

Open your Start Menu. In the search box enter - msconfig Click enter. Click "Continue" In the popup box click on "Startup" This will show all of the programs that are turned on when your computer is running. A lot of them are necessary but many are not. Be careful about what you click off. We have about ten that must be on and about 15 that we have turned off on startup- like Itunes, windows live messenger, quicktime. These run fine when we need the programs and don't have to be on all of the time.

Turn of all of your automatic updates. Go to security for Windows Updates and turn it off. Download updates when you have WiFi. Check all of your other programs and turn off updates.

[Dog_Folks]

HappyKayakers wrote:
Tell us more about your PC. Is it Win 8 with live tiles by any chance? Couple of other culprits are Facebook with automatic video load and other websites that autoload videos.

You said that data usage was happening even with browser closed. If that's true then you should be able to open Task Manager and see which processes are active. One of them may be to blame.

Using a Toshiba Satellite with Windows 7.

I do visit Facebook at least daily. If there are auto loads, how do I shut that off?

Malware scan complete. No change. Data use still running out of control.

Using task manger, how would I spot the usage? I would not know which process to delete?

Thanks for all your help. It is appreciated.

[HappyKayakers]

Tell us more about your PC. Is it Win 8 with live tiles by any chance? Couple of other culprits are Facebook with automatic video load and other websites that autoload videos.

You said that data usage was happening even with browser closed. If that's true then you should be able to open Task Manager and see which processes are active. One of them may be to blame.

[Dog_Folks]

OP HERE UPDATE--

Just in the short time that I have first posted data use has been .8 GB Help!!!

Yes, I am using a ATT Sierra Beam.

Drop box removed form computer---No effect. High data usage still occurring.

Restore to 4 days earlier. High data usage still occurring.

Malware byte's scan presently running.

[amandasgramma]

ditto what others say -- we have 10 gb with ATT and always always turn it AND the computer off when we're not using it. 🙂

[Bill_Satellite]

I did not think I used any cloud services either until my data usage went nuts. Much like you describe. I finally discovered that I had downloaded Dropbox so I could transfer a large file to someone. It was to large to e-mail. After that, dropbox started uploading all my files and pictures to "my cloud". It was weeks later and over 20GB before I happened to open the dropbox program and found my stuff there.