AvastUI runs ctfmon.exe - how to avoid?

[NoelC]

Going over my list of running processes, and comparing to a list made on January 5, I see that Avast 2014.9.0.2018 has started ctfmon.exe. where it apparently did not do so 5 months ago with whatever Avast version was current at the time.  That being said, I have seen ctfmon.exe show up from time to time in my TaskList output, even before January 5.

A bit of research shows ctfmon is used for providing text input support for speech recognition, handwriting recognition, keyboard translation, and other alternative user input technologies.  As far as I know I don't use any alternative user input technology...  No touch, no tablet, no speech recognition, exclusively EN-US keyboard and UI language.  I do occasionally open the Avast UI, and for example I may occasionally disable shields briefly using the right-click context menu on the Avast balloon in the system tray.

Since Process Explorer currently shows that ctfmon.exe was started by AvastUI.exe, my questions are these:

• Under what conditions does Avast start ctfmon?
• If I want to make my system run leaner (fewer processes), is there something I can configure or avoid doing in the Avast UI to eliminate the startup of ctfmon.exe?

It's not a big deal, I'm not having any problem - I just like to keep my system as lean as it can possibly be.  A running process uses some resources.

Thanks.

-Noel

[Eddy]

Do you happen to have MS-Office installed?
What OS/SP?

[DavidR]

Well ctfmon.exe isn't even running on my XP Pro system, some considerable time ago I took measures to disable it as I have no services/processes that require it. That would include avastUI.exe also.

As Eddy mentions MS Office was the big culprit in starting this and or if you had multiple keyboard setups or languages or alternative input available. But this shouldn't be required by avast as far as I'm aware.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/ctfmon.exe-1121.html
http://www.pchell.com/support/ctfmon.shtml
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/282599

[NoelC]

Sorry for the long delay in responding, guys - I was away.

Yes, I have Office 365 installed.  I'm running Windows 8.1 with the Spring Update.

Thanks for the links, DavidR.

-Noel

[DavidR]

You're welcome.

[NoelC]

Interestingly, I haven't seen ctfmon.exe again since the 8th.  I didn't do anything specific to stop it.

-Noel