OldPC wrote:

>
> I need some help with this one. I have an old pc running windows xp
> sp3, w/ Webroot desktop firewall and Webroot spy sweeper w/ anti-virus.
> I keep it up to date, and run regular scans.
>
> Here is the issue:
>
> Last night I noticed that several minutes after the PC was powered down
> the hard drive light started blinking. A closer look revealed that the
> case fan was running as well. I opened the case and noticed that the
> cpu fan was also running. The only way I can keep the CPU/HD/fan from
> running after a power off is to turn off the power at the power strip.
>
> I checked the BIOS settings to ensure that “Wake on LAN”, “Wake on
> Call” etc. were all disabled. Every auto power on setting that I could
> find in the BIOS is disabled.
>
> What should I do next to combat this problem? I am fearful that I am
> now playing host to some malicious code, and do not want any of my
> personal or financial information to fall into the wrong hands.
>
> Any advice or recommendation you could provide would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> My dinosaur machine:
> Asus k7v - bios 1008 beta 001C
> Athlon 900MHz
> 1.5GB PC-133
> XP Pro SP3
> Webroot Spy Sweeper w/ Anti-Virus
> Webroot Desktop Firewall

I wouldn’t automatically assume that you have malware. I must say that I’m
not very fond of the Webroot offerings since they do seem to slow clients’
machines down and often cause issues. I certainly wouldn’t rule out
hardware failure/flakiness on such an old machine. And of course you should
try and answer The First Question Of Troubleshooting: If the problem is
new, what changed between the time things worked and the time they didn’t?
(If hardware is the cause, then you probably won’t have made any changes
and Time is the culprit.)

Here are general shutdown troubleshooting steps. Not everything may be
applicable to you, of course.

*****
Shutdown issues are generally caused by a program and/or process that is
refusing to exit gracefully. The program and/or process can be from malware
or can be legitimate (such as an invasive antivirus like Norton or McAfee).
If you are using a Norton or McAfee product, uninstall it and replace with
a better program such as NOD32, Kasperksy, or Avast (free). The Windows
Firewall is adequate for most people. With Vista, shutdown issues can also
be caused by old/poorly written drivers so make sure all drivers are
updated. See Step B. below for general driver directions.

A.The first step is always to make sure your computer is virus/malware free.

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/…moving_Malware

B. Drivers - The First Law of Driver Updates is “if it ain’t broke, don’t
fix it”. Normally if everything is working you want to leave things as they
are. The exception is that heavy-duty gamers will usually want to update
their video and sound drivers to squeeze every last bit of performance out
of the hardware to get the fastest frame rates. If you’re not one of those
people, you don’t need to update your drivers if there are no problems you
are trying to solve.

Never get drivers from Windows Update. Get them from:

1. The device mftr.’s website; OR
2. The motherboard mftr.’s website if hardware is onboard; OR
3. The OEM’s website for your specific machine if you have an OEM computer
(HP, Dell, Sony, etc.).

Read the installation instructions on the website where you get the drivers.

To find out what hardware is in your computer:

1. Read any documentation you got when you bought the computer.
2. If the computer is OEM, go to the OEM’s website for your specific model
machine and look at the specs (you’ll be there to get the drivers anyway)
3. Download, install and run a free system inventory program like Belarc
Advisor or System Information for Windows.

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html - Belarc Advisor
http://www.gtopala.com/ - System Information for Windows

C. If the computer is virus/malware-free, drivers are current, and no Norton
or McAfee programs are installed, then do clean-boot troubleshooting to see
which program/process is the culprit:

How to perform a clean boot in Vista and XP -
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/331796

D. If you need more information, here is an excellent shutdown
troubleshooter:

http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/shtdwnxp.htm

Standard caveat: If troubleshooting the issue is too difficult - and there
is absolutely no shame in admitting this isn’t your cup of tea - take the
machine to a computer repair shop. This will not be your local
BigComputerStore/GeekSquad type of place. Get recommendations from family,
friends, colleagues.
*****

Malke
–
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don’t Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

Continue here:
suspicious pc activity

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