Computer Learning

[IH Geek [Dave]]

>>However, I cannot figure out how in the world IE was doing this since I had always closed IE before trying to shut down the computer (and IE is, of course, closed when I boot up). If anyone can figure this out, I would love to know!

Internet Options, while accessible from IE, is not part of IE. It's part of Windows, and is accessible from the Control Panel. Any program can call the routine to view/modify Internet Settings.

Your Internet Settings were set to Dial a connection all along. No telling what program was trying to access the Internet at shutdown, but something was trying and saw the Windows setting that said to Dial a Connection. The fact that IE was closed really didn't make any difference, since it only links to a the Windows tool to edit those settings.

FWIW....