Possible Virus or Spyware?

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areamike Joined: June 27, 2005 Status: Offline Posts: 787 Rep:

Possible Virus or Spyware?

Mon Aug 14, 2006 4:27:47 AM #21094 Perm Link

Hey guys. Figured I'd see how knowledgeable you all are when it comes to spyware and viruses.

We've got a PC, I haven't had a chance to look at yet, but I will have it tomorrow.

Here's the preliminary assessment.

When you click the mouse on anything, once or twice, every mouse click, the screen flashes/flickers to black and then comes back. Sometimes however, it will flash and then hard lock the PC.

We have tried different mouse, keyboard, monitor and the problem is still there.
I'm thinking it's either a virus or video card.
If it is a virus, have any of you ever heard of one that would cause such symptoms?

thanks!

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Aron Schatz

2014: Year of change. Joined: August 3, 2001 Status: Offline Posts: 10753 Rep:

Re: Possible Virus or Spyware?

Mon Aug 14, 2006 5:03:00 AM #21096 Perm Link

In response to areamike #21094

Well, without more information... it is hard to diag.

Does this happen in Safe Mode or a Linux Live CD? If not, you've got your answer. It could be a faulty device driver, or it could be Windows is corrupted. That is the best I can do without seeing the unit.

2014 is going to be a good year. More content, more streamlining. Be a part of history!

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areamike Joined: June 27, 2005 Status: Offline Posts: 787 Rep:

(No Title)

Mon Aug 14, 2006 5:16:56 AM #21098 Perm Link

True...
I'll have the PC in my hands tomorrow.

Windows XP. It happens in Safe mode as well. It won't do a System Restore to any restore points either. Sounding more like a Virus...Oh and to add fuel to the fire. The user ALWAYS browses the web and had an outdated version of Norton. (SHOCKING!)

I'm in the same boat as you. I need to see it to check it more extensively.

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SHCaseRtoZ

I don't quote Joined: September 2, 2005 Status: Offline Posts: 1189 Rep:

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Mon Aug 14, 2006 1:09:33 PM #21121 Perm Link

In response to areamike #21098

Could be a virus, could be hardware. I'm interested to know if the problem does continue in a Live CD as well.

-SHCase

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Nihilistic Mystic Joined: December 19, 2005 Status: Offline Posts: 92 Rep:

Re: Possible Virus or Spyware?

Mon Aug 14, 2006 2:02:43 PM #21129 Perm Link

In response to areamike #21094

Never seen a virus that would cause that sort of problem, but combinred with a corrupt OS anything is possible.. Sounds alot like a hardware problem to me though especailly since you are having same issues in safe mode. Test in clean OS, then swapout video card, failing that i would look into memory and motherboard.

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areamike Joined: June 27, 2005 Status: Offline Posts: 787 Rep:

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Wed Aug 16, 2006 7:28:46 AM #21232 Perm Link

It was the Video card. It's possible it was the AGP slot as well. We simply yanked the AGP card and replaced it with a PCI one. Good to go.

The guy that was checking it for me onsite, lied when I asked him if it exhibited the same behavior in Safe Mode. It did not, so with that I was about 99% sure it had to be hardware related.

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