Am Afraid to Ask This, But ...?

If a "Saved NOTEPAD" document, suddenly turns to giberish (sp?), you know, looks like some sort of cryptic "code" - does this mean what I am afraid it means??? Some plain English scripts earlier today, now looks "something" like this:

oIJIDjhdzmx8x0480c1v289[m0v[ccj4c[239u=mx19m(U+(U+)*(+#(erui x924c r943tui953 v-956i*$&*_)$Y8u n*_u50v6ogmhw''a-)I_(&*$$_-9554)OUI+U r] cijprgomjd;o3ir0945u-10[=[9u9UU$*UN*ZNUrt5523xd532 -19239m_(*U)550-jdpipkljfg[0-j3rt546878rcmuj0irtj[0[9U&*%##*&P*(nu[04u9nr pi nv-2395bv n- bb[oi

you know, with all those strange looking symbols and what-not?

uhhh, help(?) ...please??

 

Thanks for the reply - it only appears to be the one (1) document - not sure if the font may have accidently been changed (though I'm famous for the ol' "FAT-finger"!) - also not sure I would know how to open it with another editor - but I will try. Will also try to see if I can change the font.

Thanks again! I'll report back asap.

~*EDIT/UPDATE*~ - ok, SO FAR, this is showing-up on an AVG (Free) Virus-Scan:

File
ntoskrnl.exe

Result/Infection
Change

Path
C:\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe

 

No need to worry about ntoskrnl.exe:

http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/ntoskrnl/

 

Ok - I read it - thank you - should I run that scan (from uniblue.com) or a SPY/MALW-Scan, also, when AVG is done??

~*EDIT/UPDATE*~ AVG A/V came back safe/clean.

 

Thank you very much - I appreciate it (though I think the "hour or so" will come tomorrow!).