Potential malware or hardware issue?

[vante]

Thanks for your help. I'm not sure if malware can persist after a system restore, but the laptop is still extremely slow after having no issues for the two years I've had it. Also I've been getting the blue screens with the 'your computer has a problem etc.' and force restarts. It wouldn't surprise me if it was a hardware issue since I've had it for two years, but I just want to remove the idea of malware so I appreciate your help.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Hello,


Use the Windows Error Checking utility (Check Disk), with the options to fix file system errors and scan the disk surface for errors, attempt recovery of data and repair the disk:

• Click the "Windows Orb" Start button, then click Computer.
• Right-click on the drive that you wish to check > Properties > Tools tab
• In the "Error checking" section, click on Check now.
• Place a checkmark in both boxes > Start.
• If the disk you have chosen is the Windows system disk:
• A message will notify you that a restart is necessary ask "Do you want to check for hard disk errors the next time you start your computer?".
• Click Schedule disk check > OK and close all windows.
• Re-start the computer. The disk will be checked when the system boots.
• This will take some time to run and at times may appear stalled but just let it run.
• When the disk check is complete, the system will re-start automatically and load Windows.

A log of the disk check is recorded only if the scheduled re-start is used, and only for drives on the same HDD as the Operating System.
To open Event Viewer and view the log:

• Click the "Windows Orb" Start button -> type "eventvwr" without the quotes -> press the key.
• The Event Viewer window will open.
• In the left pane, expand "Windows Logs" and then click on Application.
• In the right pane, at the top, click on the column heading Source to sort the list alphabetically.
• Look in the Source column for "Wininit", with an entry corresponding to the date and time of the disk check.
• Click on that Wininit entry to select it.
• On the top main menu, click Action > Copy > Copy Details as Text.
• Paste the contents into your next reply.