None of my MP3 player apps are working properly

Not a single one of my MP3 player programs is functioning correctly.

The issue is that they refuse to "minimize" and instead stay stuck right in the middle of my screen. Every time I try to browse the web or work in Microsoft Word, they won't budge, even though they used to minimize without any trouble at all.

I tried installing VLC player to fix things, but now I can't even get that to launch. When I double-click the icon, the cursor briefly turns into an arrow and a loading circle, then just snaps back to a standard arrow. But VLC? It simply refuses to appear or execute.

I suspect I might be dealing with some sort of virus or malware; I'm currently running Windows 7 64-bit in English, along with Norton and McAfee Anti-Malware.

McAfee Anti-Malware is just a trial version that I installed a few days ago. Norton is the stripped-down version intended for those seeking free protection. While McAfee consistently flags various pieces of malware, Norton's free version rarely seems to detect anything at all.

What should I do???

There is also one more thing that keeps happening; even though I haven't requested it, my active window constantly loses focus, forcing me to repeatedly press Alt+Tab just to continue what I am already doing on my computer.

I am currently sticking with Internet Explorer 12 rather than upgrading to version 34, which is the current standard.

The reason I cling to such an ancient version of Chrome is quite simple: this specific version allows me to assign a tiny two or three-letter nickname to any website. Once I type those few characters into the address bar, the browser whisks me straight to the destination, sparing me from digging through a massive, overwhelming pile of bookmarks just to find what I need.

As someone who struggles significantly with vision, this method of managing my sites is an absolute godsend for us visually impaired folks. For anyone dealing with severe sight loss, even the slightest tweak to a user interface can feel like descending into a total nightmare. This is precisely why I haven't moved over to the newer Chrome; I simply have no way of knowing if that shortcut feature still exists. I suspect it doesn't.

Furthermore, I'm not even sure if upgrading would offer any real benefit. Even when I attempt to use the newer Chrome to access the forums, I am constantly bombarded by these intrusive advertisements and similar distractions.

To make matters worse, over the last couple of days, Chrome Canary has refused to load certain websites at all, even when I type out the full, complete URL.

At this point, I fear I may have picked up some nasty malware, especially since I frequently set my computer to sleep mode to keep the room quiet while I focus on other tasks.

Nicholas Wells74 said:I’m sticking with Internet Explorer 12 instead of jumping to version 34, which is the current standard.

The reason I’m clinging to such an ancient version of Internet Explorer is because it lets me assign a two or three-letter nickname to a specific website. I just type those few characters into the address bar and the browser takes me straight there, rather than forcing me to dig through a massive sea of bookmarks trying to find what I need.

I have terrible eyesight, and this shorthand method for my notes is a lifesaver for people like us—the visually impaired and the nearly blind. Any minor tweak to a UI design is a total nightmare for someone with vision issues. That’s why I won’t switch to the new version of the browser; I have no idea if it even supports nicknames. I suspect it doesn't.

And honestly, I'm not sure it would even matter. Even when I try using the newer browser to access the forum, I still get bombarded with all these ads and whatnot.

To make matters worse, over the last couple of days, Chrome Canary refuses to load certain websites at all, even when I type out the full URL.

At this point, I’m convinced I’ve picked up some nasty malware, especially since I often put my PC into sleep mode to keep the room quiet while I'm working on other things.

Download this tool https://www.malwarebytes.org/mwb-download/. The free version should be enough to run a scan. Once that's done, run this one too: http://www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanpro (just sign up for the 30-day trial via email). That should help clear out any malware. You should also grab http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/ to wipe away any adware. If none of that works, then you're dealing with a different kind of problem altogether.

goldenviper13 said:Download this tool https://www.malwarebytes.org/mwb-download/; the free version should be more than enough to run a full scan. Once that's done, follow up by running http://www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanpro (you can just sign up for the 30-day trial using your email). This combination should help you clear out any lingering malware. I would also suggest downloading http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/ to scrub away any stubborn adware. If those steps don't do the trick, then we might be looking at a much deeper issue.

I appreciate the advice. It's a bit late for me right now, but I will give these a shot tomorrow.

Is it even possible to have two different anti-malware programs installed on one computer at the same time?

Nicholas Wells74 said:Thanks for the tips. It's getting late, so I'll give some of those a shot tomorrow.

Can you even run two anti-malware programs on one computer at the same time?

Technically, you can, but there's really no point. Running them together can actually cause conflicts and mess things up.
Just stick to one main program, then maybe run a manual scan with Malwarebytes every few months just to be safe in case you pick something up.

I attempted to uninstall McAfee Anti-Malware so that I could install the 64-bit version of HitmanPro. My reasoning was simple: the last time I ran a scan using the free version of Malwarebytes, it didn't detect a single thing.

However, the uninstallation failed because Windows threw this error at me: "An error occurred when you tried to uninstall this program. Would you like to remove this program from the program list?"

Naturally, I clicked NO.

It seems quite clear that I have stumbled upon something incredibly nasty and serious.

For the time being, I am going to try installing Hitman64pro, since I am running the English version of 64-bit Windows 7 alongside McAfee's Anti-Malware.

HitmanPro 64-bit won't even launch.

I ran a scan with McAfee Anti-Malware, and it flagged several pieces of malware that I thought I had already wiped away just a day or two ago.

It seems to me that some nasty piece of malware has burrowed its way into my system, acting like a gateway that keeps pulling the exact same cluster of infections back onto my computer.

I believe I have finally identified the root cause of all my digital misery, yet does knowing the truth actually help resolve the crisis?

About ten days ago, a neighbor asked if I could print out some photos for him. He suggested sending them via Facebook, but I have never used Facebook for transferring files; for someone with my poor eyesight, the interface feels incredibly cluttered and difficult to navigate.

I told him to just bring them over on a USB drive instead. Looking back, I suspect that was the fatal mistake, because if he had simply sent them through Gmail, surely Gmail's built-in malware scanning would have intercepted the threat before it ever reached me.

Therefore, I implore you: never let anyone plug their USB stick into your computer. Insist that they send whatever needs printing through Gmail or another reliable email service.

How could I have been so foolish, so incredibly naive and careless!!!

My computer is essentially an extension of my own mind... it feels as though someone has bypassed my defenses and injected viruses directly into my brain through a needle.

.................................................. .......................

P. S. I finally managed to get AdwClean on to run, and it detected APNMCP and vToolbarUpdate40.2.4.

I went ahead and deleted those two objects. Ever since then, I haven't been able to access the internet at all; instead, I am forced to type this out using my neighbor's computer. Is it possible that
AdwClean on might have misidentified that first object as malware when it was actually an essential component of Windows? My brother is connected to my router via Wi-Fi and can browse just fine, yet I am completely cut off.

What should I do, everyone???

Nicholas Wells74 said:I deleted those two objects. Now, I can't get online at all; I'm actually typing this from my neighbor's computer. I suspect
AdwClean on might have misidentified that first object as malware when it was likely just a core part of Windows. My brother is connected to my router via Wi-Fi and his internet works fine, but mine is completely dead.

What should I do, people???

I don't think AdwClean on is the culprit here; something else is clearly going on. Have you tried plugging the PC directly into the router with an Ethernet cable?
Try booting up in Safe Mode and running a scan then.

I dropped my computer off at a local repair shop, and now it can't even boot into Windows. I've been without it for eight whole days already.

It appears that the motherboard in my computer has likely suffered a fatal failure. I previously utilized a socket 1155 board which is no longer in production, though perhaps some stock remains available through secondary markets; however, what specific model would you recommend I purchase now, particularly one equipped with a BSS base?