What is Microsoft QMGR or loadme.exe

Asks esme

A. Microsoft QMGR (sometimes located on your PC in a file called loadme.exe) is part of a programme called Quality Manager - which is installed automatically onto your PC if you use MSN Messenger or MSN Explorer.

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Q. What does it do and why do I keep finding it on my PC

A. Its purpose is to provide Microsoft with data about how well or how poorly these two programs are performing. Firewalls such as Zone Alarm will alert you when attempts are made by the Quality Manager (QMGR) to transmit this information back to Microsoft via the Internet.

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There is a technical difference between loadme.exe and QMGR - although they are part of the same application - that has caused some confusion. The loadme.exe (also known as loadqm.exe) part is the actual quality monitor, which collects and transmits anonymous statistics back to Microsoft.

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You can find out more about it from within Microsoft Explorer (click on help and settings, then click on privacy, then click on service quality monitoring for more information). The QMGR part of the application is an actual queue manager which works as a background file, so it compiles the information to be sent back to Microsoft while your PC is idle.

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Q. So it accesses the Internet without my knowledge or permission

A. It transmits the information back to Microsoft while you're online, it does not connect to the Internet independently of you - but it does not alert you to the fact that it is doing it while you're online unless you are running a firewall programme, so you're right it does not seek permission to execute its tasks.

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Q. Isn't this the same as spyware or adware - with Microsoft keeping tabs on my online activity

A. There is a school of thought that it is a form of spyware, and the fact that it is nearly impossible to find out any information on it from Microsoft has added the mystery and paranoia surrounding the application.

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Some people (it's a hot topic in chat rooms around the world) believe it is a form of the Sub7 trojan virus (which makes your PC open to hackers via the Internet) and that it should be deleted from your PC immediately. But there is no trace of it on any anti-virus software website - and there would be if it was a true virus, because these organisations are so hot on virus detection, prevention and patching that it wouldn't pass them by.

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Q. What is the official line from Microsoft on QMGR

A. The official line is that it is Microsoft's Quality Manager, a component of MSN Explorer and MSN Messenger. Its purpose is to check if updates are available for MSN Explorer or MSN Messenger. So when you log on to MSN Explorer or MSN Messenger you receive the latest update of the software available on the market - it gives Microsoft the ability to know what version you're using and automatically update it.

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Q. So is it completely harmless

A. It is harmless in that it is not doing any damage to your PC's hard drive and you can keep it on your PC and it will not interrupt any of your programmes. But it is using up memory and resource on your PC and you can remove it if you either don't believe that it is a completely innocent application, or because you just don't like the fact that it has been installed on your computer via another application without your knowledge.

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Q. So how can I get rid of it

A. You can disable QMgr and prevent it from accessing the Internet without causing any problems or affecting the performance of MSN Explorer or Messenger. Within Windows it can be disabled by going to Start/Run and typing in MSCONFIG in the blank space. Select Start Up from the window that appears and then delete the cross mark in the box next to LoadQM.

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If you want to disable QMgr from within Explorer click Help/Settings, then Privacy/Service Quality Monitoring and delete the cross mark next to Send Quality Monitoring Information. Restart your PC once QMgr has been removed from within Windows or Explorer.

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Alternatively, if you don't want to risk removing it from your PC, you can block the programme with any firewall application that allows pre-application settings e.g. Zonealarm.

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You can find the LoadQM.exe file in the Windows folder and the QMGR folder is hidden in your Program Files. You need to reveal all hidden folders in Folder Options to see it.

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If trying to remove QMGR from your PC results in your computer freezing up you can run a programme called Startup Cop (compatible with Windows 95, 98 and NT4). When Windows starts up, it automatically launches a number of programs for you. Some of these come from the Startup folder. Windows also looks in six other locations for files that should be launched at startup.

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Startup Cop helps you handle problems with programs that are automatically launched at startup by listing them and letting you disable, enable, or delete them. You can save the list of programs that are currently enabled or disabled as a profile that can be restored at a later time. It is available free from PC Magazine.

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By Karen Anderson