Everytime I turn my computer on and the desktop loads a program called "Hotkey Keyboard" is on the task bar(blue bar at the bottom). When i click it, it just disappears. Occasionally a window pops up saying that it is not responding or preformed and illegal action and has to close. I have no idea what it is but it is there everytime until i click it. I want to make sure this is not a harmful program. Thank you.

Have you recently installed, downloaded any software/programs from the internet or install drivers from the internet? If you have just downloaded programs or files from the internet, maybe they were contagious files. Have you opened any mail with the following extension': .exe '?

hotkey keyboard are a serious of shortcuts automatically inserted within the XP system. The following site should clear all this up v Hotkey Keyboards if there is any more problems feel free to comment on the forums



-jake-

Originally Posted by AllilWB

Everytime I turn my computer on and the desktop loads a program called "Hotkey Keyboard" is on the task bar(blue bar at the bottom). When i click it, it just disappears. Occasionally a window pops up saying that it is not responding or preformed and illegal action and has to close. I have no idea what it is but it is there everytime until i click it. I want to make sure this is not a harmful program. Thank you.

There are many Malwares/Adwares named HotKey this or that.

Look for it under Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs or do a search for it and remove it.

This has been going on for awhile and i just ignored it so i dont remember if it showed up after downloading or not...

I am confused though? so i do want to delete the file? I searched and found it in my C:\WINDOWS folder. There were 3 different things:
zHotKey.exe and it says that it is a Chicony Multimedia Device (it has an icon of keys with red symbols on them)
mHotkey.reg
ZHOTKEY.EXE-21B7C194

i'm just paranoid about removing things that may be needed on my computer

Process File: zhotkey or zhotkey.exe
Process Name: Chicony Keyboard Utility

Description:
zhotkey.exe is a process associated with the drivers for Chicony Keyboards. It manages the special key functions such as Internet, E-mail, Volume Control and more.

Did you install a keyboard program with your keyboard?

If so and you want to keep it I would recommend uninstalling it and then reinstalling it if it is giving errors.