When I open CCleaner to clean up my junk files, I always have several 'temp internet files' listed under IE, which seems strange because I never use IE.
Is IE just part of the Windows OS?
Does it run in the background?
or do I have a virus that is connecting to the internet without my knowledge?
As far as I can tell it's normal. I get the same as you do.
I.E. is part of Windows 7
I have checked Services, Task Manager and Process Explorer and I can't find it running.
I'm guessing it running somewhere in Systems.
My Computer
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Home made Desktop
OS
Windows 10 Pro. 64/ version 1709 Windows 7 Pro/64
CPU
Intel i7-6800K @ 4.3
Motherboard
ASUS X-99 Deluxe II
Memory
Corsair Platinum 16 gig @2400
Graphics Card(s)
EVGA GTX 1070 OC
Monitor(s) Displays
Asus 27" LED LCD/VE278Q
Screen Resolution
1920-1080 or 1280-720 HDMI
Hard Drives
INTEL SSD 730-240 Gb Sata 3.0/
PSU
EVGA Platium 1200W
Case
Phanteks Luxe Tempered Glass 8 fans/ one radiator
Cooling
XSPC/ Water Cooled CPU
Keyboard
Das 4 Professional
Mouse
Logitech M705/MX Anywhere 2-S
Internet Speed
100 mbits
Antivirus
Microsoft Security Essentials/ Malwarebytes Premium 3.0/ SAS
Browser
I.E. 11 default/Firefox/ ISP Time Warner Cable/Spectrum
Other Info
LG BluRay Burner/
Sound system-KLipsch-THX/
Icy Dock ssd Hot Swap bays.
Yeah, I've always just 'assumed' that it was normal and that IE was just embedded within the OS somehow, but never asked how or why it is needed by Windows.
Does it communicate with Edmunds WA. - letting them know that my activation key is authentic?
Internet Explorer is in a number of ways a part of the OS but the browser does not run in the background. The Temporary Internet Files folder is not just used by Internet Explorer but by Windows Explorer, Windows Desktop Search, and possibly other things as well. Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer actually have much in common.
There are numerous Plugins available for internet explorer it's self,
But outside of that Security suites often update/ for an example mine does so every hour,
So it depends on what services/ messengers/ Skype/ Skydrive/ Facebook........ you have enabled because they all update.
Another one would be Microsoft sending usage data on Microsoft programs you use.
My Computer
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Custom assembled by me :}
OS
Win-7-Pro64bit 7-H-Prem-64bit
CPU
i7-5930K 2nd i9-9940x both water blocked VRM's too
2nd ASUS X299 Apex/Intel i9-9940x with Custom water loop/7H-Prem-x64/Corsair 450D case/Ram Trident-z 3600C16 4x8gb / Samsung970Evo plus 500gb SSD/Dual ssd EZ swap evo/PSU EVGA SuperNova 1200w-P2 80+Platinum/GPU Titan Xp /8-ML-140 on push-pull on 2-280GTX rads
