Virus problem...

[Rawns]

Posting here as I can't find any other suitable area.

 

I formatted and installed Windows 7 about 2 weeks ago. Now I'm sure I have a virus. Not a clue how it got there! I have AVG9 free edition installed and have done a full system scan on all drives and it's found nothing. Even did a Spyware scan using Spybot S&D and nothing.

 

Basicly, random things are happening on my PC by themselves. The start menu pops up and the "search" field gets populated with characters continuous like a key is stuck - "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa etc". Sometimes, it puts a random mix of characters in there.

 

When I open Chrome or IE and click on the address bar, the same thing happens. Other times, windows open and close by themselves.

 

When I try to get the task manager up, it keeps closing and reopening for a few seconds really quickly.

 

The PC has also shut itself down twice all by itself!

 

I really don't want format again but I can't think of anything else. Would it be worth trying to install a different AV to see if that has any luck? Or has anyone come across a virus like this before?

 

I have had a look through all the processes running to see if any of them look suspicious but they all appear to be legit.

 

Any advice welcome!

Edited November 23, 2009 by Rawns

[Guest salan]

I have had this many years ago with XP. It turned out NOT to be a virus, but a bad driver that for some reason ment that the keyboard wasn't scanned correctly. Changed the driver and no prob.

Worth a look?

Alan

[Rawns]

Thanks for the comment. I'll take a look but have I not changed my keyboard/driver at all since installing 7 and it's been working perfectly fine since.

[ZeroHour]

AVG Free = worthless.

Get microsoft security essentials. Its free and has a much higher detection rate. Do a scan with that after removing avg junk and see what it finds.

Also try the free sophos rootkit scanner.

[elsiegee40]

If you cannot clear this 'virus' easily. I would go back to basics

 

Reformat and re-install. A pain, but it's just not worth wasting time on trying to sort it.

[Michael]

I would say this definitely has the symptoms of a faulty keyboard rather than a virus. I'd also recommend you try pressing down and releasing both shift keys.

[TheCrust]

My senior tech has had this on his Windows 7 PC - running a Microsoft Bluetooth keyboard and mouse - he assumed it was interference mucking around with the bluetooth and change the keyboard and mouse for regular wired items - been fine since.

[leon999uk]

I would say this definitely has the symptoms of a faulty keyboard rather than a virus. I'd also recommend you try pressing down and releasing both shift keys.

 

I think the same, sounds like dodgy keyboard

[Rawns]

My senior tech has had this on his Windows 7 PC - running a Microsoft Bluetooth keyboard and mouse - he assumed it was interference mucking around with the bluetooth and change the keyboard and mouse for regular wired items - been fine since.

 

I have a USB mouse & keyboard so can't be this.

 

I have a spare keyboard kicking at home so will swap it over later and let you know the result.

[richardp]

Also sounds to me like a dodgy keyboard and/or driver however to put your mind at rest why not download one or two of the nix based disk images that a lot of the big AV providers have these days. (Kaspersky, Bitdefender etc...) Boot one of these and scan your whole system and it should find anything that is there.

 

Richard

[Dom_]

I read this thread this morning... Since then i've rebuilt a machine and am having this exact problem!!!!!!! (XP) I'm suspecting a driver issue, but some of the keys aren't working now so it might be a shagged keyboard lol

 

Dom

[Rawns]

Connected a really old ps/2 keyboard up to my pc and it seems to be working ok. Looks likes my gamer keyboard is the culprit...

 

thanks for the sugestions guys.