Not Sure If It's A Virus, Please Advise

I’m not sure if I have a virus or not.

I have a desktop gaming computer using Windows 7. Recently, my computer has been active during the night (evening, night, and early morning) at least every hour. It turns on my computer fan and my computer lights flash even though it’s supposed to be in sleep mode, but the screen doesn’t come on like it does during a Windows Update. I’ve caught it a couple of times to try to see what’s going on with it, but since it doesn’t last too long, I’ve only been able to see that the internet connection is active.

I checked the event viewer, and it is HUGE for just one day. Every few minutes or so, the sleep is starting and stopping. Periodically during this, it says Windows 10 has downloaded and ready to install at such and such a time. When looking at the troubleshooting, all entries are svchost, every few minutes, nothing else. All websites I looked at for a solution stated that when svchost was overactive like this, it was because of a virus.

So I went through your READ ME FIRST virus instructions (went through all of it from the beginning). When I got to Step 1 for Windows 7, I could not download ANY of the programs required (from Malware Bytes through MGTools). I had to download from a different computer and copy them over by USB flash drive. I’ve never not been able to download anything on this computer until now (yes, I have admin rights, but also use them otherwise just in case in times like this). So I thought it must be a virus.

When I got to Step 2 (Disabling User Account Control), I noticed when I put the slider to “Never Notify” there was an entry on that tab “Spyware and unwanted software protection” is On, but also said “Windows Defender and avast! Antivirus both report that they are turned on. Note: Running two or more spyware programs can cause your computer to run slowly”.

I had no idea that I have Windows Defender. I don’t know where to find it or how to use it. When looking it up on the internet, Windows states I still need an antivirus (mine is Avast). I’m kind of wondering if that’s what caused me not to be able to download the programs in Step 1, and maybe I don’t really have a virus. I’m not that knowledgeable with Windows 7 so perhaps it’s just settings I need to learn?

I know this is long (TL;DR) but I just wanted to throw it out as I know you are all volunteers and should only help those who actually have virus problems, and I’m just not sure at this point. Should I continue?

 

Okay, I just learned a little bit more. Apparently, Windows 10 is getting a little more aggressive. When the notice for the free upgrade comes up (which it does periodically), if you just hit the “X” to close the notice, thinking you are ignoring it, it is actually approving it. So then Windows 10 downloads, and when you least expect it, it installs.

It installed on my computer while I was writing the above post on my other computer. Yes, I had the internet up on my Windows 7 computer that had the virus, as that was the computer I was trying to download the anti-virus programs on. After I posted here, I went back to that computer (1/2 hour or so later) and everything was gone and it said “Welcome to Windows 10”.

I don’t know how I got out of it, but eventually I hit something that gave me an agreement that I declined, so it had to put back my “old” operating system (Windows 7) which it said would take awhile (and it did). I still don’t know if it works well so I’m going to continue running the malware programs as directed. Even if Windows 10 is going to install whether I want it or not, it should be able to install on a clean machine, so I’m going to continue.

 

Thank you for the post link Kestral13! but after going through this cleaning process, I can now download all the tools even with Avast on, as I could before. I will report Success! as my computer now runs wonderfully and all the problems appear to be gone. It now sleeps when it is supposed to and doesn't wake up until I tell it to.

My C:\ drive (ssd) was becoming so full, even though I don't have that much on it and was rarely adding to it, I was beginning to wonder if I needed to move everything off it to my D:\ drive and only use it for Windows (Updates, you know). CCleaner took it from almost 2/3's full, down to about 1/3 full (guesstimated). I wish I could have gotten a report or log from that to see what was taken off.

Anyway, I now believe there really was something there as it just suddenly stopped after I did your procedures. So I am attaching my reports/logs in case there still might be something hidden that only you pro's can see. The scans seem to be fine, but I can't read MGTools!