Continued Problems on my computer - but this is the weirdest

[wxmann_91]

OK, well the tapping sounds still ensue, and well the computer froze again, and this time, when I restarted it, all my files and Favorites were GONE. So was the background, the settings, everything. THANK GOODNESS that I backed up everything, or else it would've been even uglier. But here comes the weird part - all my programs that I had installed were all there, Google Earth, GRLevel2 and GRLevel3, Windows Media Player, RealPlayer, Google Toolbar, Photoshop, etc. were unaffected. However, aside from that, it was almost like I started on a clean slate, it looked like what you would think you desktop would look right after installing a new OS.

My theory is that much of my hard drive somehow got "erased", but not the programs. Anybody see how this happened?

[tomboudreau]

Most likely...a virus or a trojan horse

[Skywatch_NC]

Have you updated your Norton Anti-Virus program or installed a new one for the next year?

Eric

[nholley]

Sounds like some sections of your HD are damaged or you have a corrupt file in your OS. Are you running XP? You can get XP to check itself for errors. Also defrag your HD, this should tell you if you have any damaged sections.

[wxmann_91]

Have you updated your Norton Anti-Virus program or installed a new one for the next year?

Eric

As far as I know, no.

Sounds like some sections of your HD are damaged or you have a corrupt file in your OS. Are you running XP? You can get XP to check itself for errors. Also defrag your HD, this should tell you if you have any damaged sections.

I had thought that also. Unfortunately, I have Windows 2000.

I hope that that sudden flush of my files also flushed out whatever was causing the clicking sounds. If it was a corrupt hard drive of course I can do nothing, but I'll wait a few weeks to see if any action is necessary. I'm just glad all my important files were backed up.

[whereverwx]

Hopefully viruses and trojans are out of question. I recently got infected by a nasty one today.

[wxmann_91]

*UPDATE*

Well, this is weird. My previous files are all of a sudden back. I now have two Administrator folders, one with my old files and then one of them with the files I saved since Nov. 9. Clicking sounds still continue. It's more than likely HD error, since every time I started up my computer it kept asking me for disk check until just a few days ago. And the last two times I actually allowed disk check (one before the incident, intentionally, and one after the incident, accidently) files were deleted.

Or is it a hacker who just wants to see me squarm?