Update: I've taken my computer to a local computer shop at the request of my moving company to have an unbiased third party take a look at it. They have a test they do that has about a ten day (!!!) turnaround time where they tell you basically everything that's on and off with your computer. I'm looking forward to seeing what they can tell me that hasn't already been discussed here.
Skip this if you don't want an anecdote - many moons ago I used to be in IT, though it was mostly used to get my foot in the door at an engineering company (working on the CEO's computer is a great way to get his business card and chew the fat). Nonetheless, I tend to have an analytical approach to problem solving, which is usually supported by a developed - but by no means all-knowning, as I've displayed here - knowledge of the inner workings of a computer.
I got my computer up to the tech representative's counter and spent roughly five minutes explaining to him the tests that I've done at the advice of everyone here, during which time he took a few notes. I told him what I had ruled out as well as what I still had suspicions about, and then shut up and listened.
"Yep, classic spyware. You sure you want to do this test?" he asks.
I should mention at this point that before, when Puffnstuff suggested that spyware might be the cause of my woes, I had to physically calm myself down, take a deep breath, and evenly explain that spyware was not a factor. This is nothing against Puffnstuff, and it's frankly a valid question (one I ask most people who come to me with a computer problem, actually), but I think most people who understand their computers get at least a little bit offended when the issue of spyware comes up. I know that spyware and most computer difficulties, for that matter, are the direct result of user actions. Knowing the root cause of the difficulty, I've become excellent at eliminating it altogether. Prevention is always better than mitigation.
So I tell the young man that it isn't spyware and I tell him why.
He nods. "I bet it's a virus."
Dot dot dot.
Again, slightly insulted but ultimately in control of myself, I explain to him why it isn't a virus and why I'm sure. He then proceeds to inform me that users come in all the time and are absolutely sure it's not a virus or it's not spyware, only for them to run the tests and find 10,000 pieces of crap on there. I say nothing, because I'm clearly not convincing him that I'm not one of those customers, even though he would have surmised as much had he listened to my opening comments. He then took this opportunity to inform me that he thought it would be funny if they opened it up and found a stick of RAM had popped out. I already mentioned in my opening comments that I had unplugged and reseated everything to no avail, which I reiterated here.
He then goes completely off topic and tells me that when he builds a computer, he typically likes them to be much smaller with "much more power". He rattles off his specs (the only impressive thing was a Pentium 4 overclocked to 4 GHZ, but even then, it's a freaking Pentium!) and since I'm in no mood at this point to enter myself in the Urinary Olympics and beat the pants off this loser, I keep my mouth shut, smile and nod. He also informs me that this computer store builds computers and, using parts, he could probably build me a "super-nice" gaming rig for $3,000. I'm not impressed, since my fiance and I built her "super-nice" gaming rig for about half that.
I point at my fiance, who is sitting next to me, and say "So can she."
Cue priceless look on the IT geek's face. He's speechless for the first time in the conversation, which is an opportunity I seize to wrap things up and get out of there.
The whole experience left me feeling belittled and quite annoyed. I'm not sure I've ever been on the receiving end of "IT attitude", but now that I have, I will certainly make sure I don't put anyone through that (as I no doubt have in the past, I'm sad to admit). At least I learned that much.
I'm grateful for everyone's help here. I will report back with the findings of the test as soon as I have them.
Skip this if you don't want an anecdote - many moons ago I used to be in IT, though it was mostly used to get my foot in the door at an engineering company (working on the CEO's computer is a great way to get his business card and chew the fat). Nonetheless, I tend to have an analytical approach to problem solving, which is usually supported by a developed - but by no means all-knowning, as I've displayed here - knowledge of the inner workings of a computer.
I got my computer up to the tech representative's counter and spent roughly five minutes explaining to him the tests that I've done at the advice of everyone here, during which time he took a few notes. I told him what I had ruled out as well as what I still had suspicions about, and then shut up and listened.
"Yep, classic spyware. You sure you want to do this test?" he asks.
I should mention at this point that before, when Puffnstuff suggested that spyware might be the cause of my woes, I had to physically calm myself down, take a deep breath, and evenly explain that spyware was not a factor. This is nothing against Puffnstuff, and it's frankly a valid question (one I ask most people who come to me with a computer problem, actually), but I think most people who understand their computers get at least a little bit offended when the issue of spyware comes up. I know that spyware and most computer difficulties, for that matter, are the direct result of user actions. Knowing the root cause of the difficulty, I've become excellent at eliminating it altogether. Prevention is always better than mitigation.
So I tell the young man that it isn't spyware and I tell him why.
He nods. "I bet it's a virus."
Dot dot dot.
Again, slightly insulted but ultimately in control of myself, I explain to him why it isn't a virus and why I'm sure. He then proceeds to inform me that users come in all the time and are absolutely sure it's not a virus or it's not spyware, only for them to run the tests and find 10,000 pieces of crap on there. I say nothing, because I'm clearly not convincing him that I'm not one of those customers, even though he would have surmised as much had he listened to my opening comments. He then took this opportunity to inform me that he thought it would be funny if they opened it up and found a stick of RAM had popped out. I already mentioned in my opening comments that I had unplugged and reseated everything to no avail, which I reiterated here.
He then goes completely off topic and tells me that when he builds a computer, he typically likes them to be much smaller with "much more power". He rattles off his specs (the only impressive thing was a Pentium 4 overclocked to 4 GHZ, but even then, it's a freaking Pentium!) and since I'm in no mood at this point to enter myself in the Urinary Olympics and beat the pants off this loser, I keep my mouth shut, smile and nod. He also informs me that this computer store builds computers and, using parts, he could probably build me a "super-nice" gaming rig for $3,000. I'm not impressed, since my fiance and I built her "super-nice" gaming rig for about half that.
I point at my fiance, who is sitting next to me, and say "So can she."
Cue priceless look on the IT geek's face. He's speechless for the first time in the conversation, which is an opportunity I seize to wrap things up and get out of there.
The whole experience left me feeling belittled and quite annoyed. I'm not sure I've ever been on the receiving end of "IT attitude", but now that I have, I will certainly make sure I don't put anyone through that (as I no doubt have in the past, I'm sad to admit). At least I learned that much.
I'm grateful for everyone's help here. I will report back with the findings of the test as soon as I have them.