Question Windows 10 fresh install with virus?

[simbas]

I just finished building a new pc, installed Windows 10 from USB, that I made on my old PC. I then downloaded ( I believe it was Logitech’s mouse software) and things immediately started getting wierd. Random windows popping up and stuff... so I decided to do a clean, fresh re-install and when I tried, Windows installer told me that it couldn’t be installed on that particular partition. I then managed to delete all four partitions (system, recovery, my C drive and one other) that the installer made, formated them all, restarted and then managed to perform a clean install of Windows. The thing is, I’m still experiencing problems. Right click opens windows, whenever I click into any sort of text box it types ‘n n n n n n n n n n n n n......’ over and over again. That has to be some sort of a virus, right? One more thing, a couple of minutes ago, everything went normal, Windows working like a charm. Waiting for me to put in a couple of passwords, I guess?

Anyway, wth am I supposed to do? It seems like even the USB stick is infected. Do I even put it in the old PC, format it and try making the installation USB again or is even that too risky? Or is this a common problem with Windows 10?

Thanks so much for any help!

 

[USAFRet]

Where did the USB stick come from?
Where did the OS install come from?

From a known clean system (maybe not your old PC?), and a new flash drive...create a new OS install.

 

[simbas]

My old USB stick that I formatted, the OS is from Microsoft’s site. My old PC should be clean, I’ve never had any problems, I’ve been using Bitdefender for the past few years.

Is it possible for the virus to stay on either the new PC or USB stick after it's formatted?

I'll try creating a new USB installation drive using my laptop, hope that helps.

 

[USAFRet]

During the install, if you actually deleted all existing partitions, a 'virus' won't survive though that.

 

[simbas]

During the install, if you actually deleted all existing partitions, a 'virus' won't survive though that.

Ok, that's what I thought. Thanks! I'll go and buy a new USB stick and make the install disk from my laptop.

Just to be sure, as I really don't know enough about this, I once heard horror stories about viruses somehow getting into your BIOS.. is that an urban myth or is it possible?

 

[simbas]

Upon investigating a bit, I see that BIOS viruses are in fact a thing. Something about 'rootkit'or something. I'll investigate further about how to confirm that you in fact are infected with such a thing and how to get rid of it. Any suggestions in case I find misleading information?

Another thing.. the mobo I bought (Asus ROG x570) was in stock and available immediatelly at the reseller and since they don't usually stock high end equipment, I'm thinking it must have been returned by the previous buyer. Could it be that I bought an infected mobo?

 

[Deleted member 14196]

no way to tell for sure. you could flash the bios if it really bothers you before installing windows, no? but be very careful to use the right image or you will be buying a new bios chip or mobo.

 

[simbas]

Ok, I guess I'll go and buy two USB sticks, one for the BIOS the other for Win10, copy the files from my laptop, flash the BIOS and then install Windows. Is there any way for the virus to still be present or is that a fail-safe solution?

 

[simbas]

It would seem, for now at least, that it wasn't a virus causing problems. It looked like one, windows opening randomly (right mouse click on desktop would always open Nvidia control pannel), otherwise right click wouldn't work, keyboard unresponsive or just typing by itself... Anyway, I realized I failed to install the mobo drivers ( I thought that Windows 10 did that by itself) but now I did and everything seems normal. It's been 10 years since my last Windows installation..

So, do you think what I've described could be the result of missing drivers? It seems somewhat unlikely to me, but I really don't know enough.

I'll keep my old PC with all important stuff on it and keep the same stuff off of the new one for now, just to be sure, I guess.

 

[Nemesia]

Yeah it could. You said it was typing "n n n n n n" by itself. Good sign of a keyboard freaking out. Installing the chipset drivers from the motherboard website was the solution. Without them I guess your keyboard was typing by itself. Opening windows and typing nnnnnnnn. If you do not have those symptoms now after install the drivers then you fixed it.

You have to install your GPU drivers from the Nvidia or AMD website too. If you have a GPU.

 

[simbas]

Great! Thank you all! In Device manager the GPU is recognized but I'll update the drivers.