How to turn off Peer to Peer file sharing programs

To ensure no peer to peer programs are using your bandwidth when you are not using them, you must turn them off.  Sometimes these programs automatically startup with your computer so if you turn on your computer in the morning and go to class, you may end up letting these programs use your bandwidth while you are not using your computer.  Most peer to peer programs such as Morpheus, KaZaA, Limewire, Bearshare, etc. will continue to run on your computer even if you click on the 'X' to close the main program window.  Most of these programs will remain visible in the taskbar(1).  To close them, put your mouse pointer over the icon of the program you want to close.  If you are not sure what icons belong to which programs, keep the mouse pointer over an icon and a text box will appear describing that program and possibly containing its name.  Right click on the icon and a menu box should appear like on the image below (2).  Select 'Exit' and that program should close and its icon should disappear.

In the example above, there were three file sharing programs running (WinMX, Morpheus, and Limewire).  When all three were turned off, all their icons disappeared from the taskbar (3).  As a last resort, you can check exactly what programs are running currently on your machine by hitting ctrl-alt-del once.  In Windows 98 & ME this will bring up the task manager.  In Windows 2000 & XP this will bring up the Windows Security window in which you can select the 'task manager' button.

The Windows98/ME task manager looks like the image above.  If you want to close a specific program such as file sharing program that does not allow you to close it any other way, select it in the main window (1) and click 'End Task' (2).  When you are done, click 'Cancel' to close the task manager.  If you are using Windows 2000 or XP please use the section below, if you are using Windows 98/ME you are done with this guide.

This is what the Windows XP task manager looks like. First, we will look at the 'Applications' tab (1).  This usually shows foreground programs.  You can still use this to close programs by selecting the program and clicking on 'End Task' (2).

Next select the 'Processes' tab (1).  If you find the program you want to forcefully close in list of running services select it and click on 'End Process' (2).  Be very careful in this section of the Windows task manager.  Closing a critical service/process can cause you to crash your computer or lose data being used by that service/process.  Do not try to do anything in this section of the task manager if you are unsure about what you are doing.  Please refer to windows help 'Start >> Help and Support' if you want more information regarding the task manager.

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