If you can't tackle it one way, try another...

I couldn't go in to Windows Services to configure the ESET Service (ekrn.exe) to be started manually without first going into Safe Mode.

I got into Safe Mode, went into Windows Services and put the ESET Service (ekrn.exe) on Manual then rebooted back into Normal Mode.

I had to first go into Services again to "Start" the ESET Service. Then I had to go Start > ESET > ESET Smart Security > ESET Smart Security to get the Eyeball in the Tool Tray and the User Interface on the Desktop. I looked for updates and ran a really short Custom Scan.

I couldn't stop the ESET Service or the ekrn.exe in the Task Manager (Access Denied) or by any other means but I could kill the egui.exe in the Task manager.

I rebooted.

No Application popup.

I duplicated this scenario of manually starting the ESET Service, then looking for updates and such, then rebooting about 5 times. Never got an Application popup.

So...could it be the scanner is not shutting down properly when I got everything running "normally"?

Had go back into Safe Mode to reconfigure the ESET Service to start "Automatically" again. Rebooted back into Normal Mode again. Stuck with the usually routine of checking for updates, rebooted, got the Application popup like I normally do. You know the story.

Got back into Windows. Everything was working "normally". I looked for updates again. Ran a short Custom Scan. Before I rebooted I killed the egui.exe in the Task Manager.

No Application popup.

It's the scanner alright or whatever egui.exe is.