Help!!! Does this sound strange!

kittykat500

I've posted before about my keyboard doing funny things like jumping up to any login box or address bar and typing rubbish in, on its own accord and then performing a right click.

In order to solve this problem I have re-installed Windows XP. I have now got Norton antivirus, Zonealarm, Adaware and Spybot installed and have run the last two a couple of times. Initially Spybot picked up Alexa malware and I thought maybe this was causing the problem above, anyway what I'm really not understanding is when I ran Spybot, it rifled through 53,740 files/ pop-ups!! As I had only just re-installed windows I don't know where all this lot is hidden, or were they not deleted in DOS when the drive was re-formatted? My C:\ currently says 2.67Gb are used when I've only got the following installed:

Lavasoft
Norton Antivirus
Speedtouch modem
Spybot
Zonelabs
Internet Explorer
MSN Live Messenger
Outlook
Windows Media Player
Windows Messenger.

I haven't even loaded Microsoft Office XP yet!

Does this sound fishy? or am I just not understanding something?

I'm tempted to re-install windows xp again but how can I make sure that previous versions have been completely deleted?

If anyone can help I'd be truly grateful.

GreenNotM

Did you repartition the disk as well - i.e remove current partition - NOT the recovery partition and then re-recreate a partition.

Space will be used up by the system restore points and the paging file.

do Start >> run >>cmd >> cd c:\ (enter)
dir /ah (enter)
"dir /ah " will show the hidden files and sizes.

Do add Windows Defender as it is a Live tool . Run the mrt.exe as well
do Start >> run >> mrt.exe - it is MS's spyware removal tool

kittykat500

My ex re-installed windows xp so not sure how he repartitioned it or not! Also unable to download windows defender as apparently not genuine copy - inherited laptop and software from ex also!

I followed your suggestion and ran cmd etc. nothing untoward shown only the system restore points as you said. 2 Files 1,204 bytes and 7 Dir 7,138,492,416 bytes free.

Should the method above show if there is another partition on the laptop?

By the way mrt.exe not available on laptop either.

Anyone got any suggestions or alternatives to windows defender pls?

GreenNotM

Stinger is similiar to MRT

If you have the disks and numbers and COA sticker - call MS on the freephone number - I have to admit not much can be done before you patch Windows as you will just be chasing round in circles... Follow this sticky http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=133269 but as it says you need genuine windows and the updates first ..

To see partitions - right click over "my Computer" icon on desktop and select manage .. then >> disk management

kittykat500

Thanks GreenNotM,

I have run Stinger and it found nothing. I have checked via disk management and have only found 1 partition.

Thanks for your help.