[arete]

It might be the so-called "Prefetch" virus. Look for an ini file in your windows prefetch folder. If the whole mess stops slowing your computer down when you delete the contents of that folder, then you know. Sometimes associated with the Ravmon flash-drive malware. Search your computer for Ravmon or ravmonlog. Do a simple search for this name and see what pops up. Any svchost or whatever that's IN CAPS is likely to be a part of this problem. Try using Malware Bites. And do a deep external scan (preferably from a web scanner) to ensure you don't have any underlying viruses. Then please install Avast and/or Microsoft Security Essentials. A friend recommended it to me because MSE doesn't have a database that needs constant updating, so it's far better than Nortons in recognising threats, and it's free. I'm gonna put it on my home puter asap. And let us know if you have to reinstall Windows or not. Also, make sure all the stuff you've deleted isn't hiding in your last system save state thingy, only to be put back in place the next time you boot up.

We're having endless problems with the autorun.ini virus, Fichiers.exe, and ravmonlog on our flash drives over the past few years, because there haven't ever been antivirus programmes on our editing suites. Multiple use of flash drives in our offices has buggered up a lot of our pc's as a consequence. Matthew doesn't believe there's such a thing as ravmon or autorun malware - but at least Wesley does. They still don't see the need to put antivirus on the Avid and Liquid machines, because they don't have an internet connection. If any of you read about Mysterious Poisoning of South African IT Department With Strychnine, you'll be able to blackmail me :P