Recent glitch preventing me from logging on to my computer

[captain queeg]

Started last night. I had 5-6 windows open and the screen froze up. Kept trying to close windows and they’d just pop back open. The pop up in front of the rest was some kind of Microsoft thing that I didn’t recognize and hadn’t opened. I finally got a couple of the windows closed but couldn’t get the last couple closed and the annoying pop up started opening and closing and shifting up and down. I tried both hard and soft reboots but everything would just pop back up. It started happening faster and faster till finally the computer shut itself down.

I couldn’t log back in because the constant shifting interrupted me from entering my pin. I left it off overnight, same thing today. My son opined it sounded like a stuck key, which I agreed with. I wiped the keyboard down an blew it off with compressed air neither of which helped. I use a wireless mouse and changed the battery in that. I can use either the mouse or touch pad when the mouse is installed. Either one gave me the same results and when I try to enter my pin it comes and goes too quickly to log in. I noticed when I completely removed the mouse the touch pad quit working or at least that appears to be the case. Any ideas?

[Tetrachloride]

1. Borrow a wired keyboard from a neighbor

[captain queeg]

3. Yes I was thinking that would probably be my next step. Thanks

[honest.abe]

2. Sounds like keyboard or mouse issue.

If you have an old keyboard and mouse try replacing one then the other and see what happens.

[captain queeg]

4. I have some spare stuff in my storage room which is such a mess I'd never find anything.

I ought to be able to find someone who has an extra. Thx

[LuvLoogie]

5. When you say windows, do you mean browser windows or other applications?

Sometimes browsers will lock up because you went to a bad website, and they are trying to get you to let someone take over your PC for impromptu tech support. They will often claim that it is a notification from Microsoft tech support.

If this is what is happening, you can often right click on a blank area on the taskbar and launch the task manager. From there you can kill the browser processes which will include the window you can't close.

[captain queeg]

6. I know what you are talking about with the phony pop up and locking of the computer

That one just happened to me not long ago; locked the computer and gave me a phony “Microsoft” toll free number to call. Fortunately I was suspicious and after awhile I found I could open a new browser but fell for something similar a couple years ago. In this case it’s an application of windows, but it doesn’t seem to be the source of my problem. I think the idea that it’s a problem with the keyboard or mouse seems likely but haven’t found some spare ones to use for a test yet. Don’t want to just go buy new ones till I know that’s the issue. But I’ll try your suggestion about right clicking the task bar if I can get logged in. Right now I can’t even do that. Thanks for your feedback.

Fortunately I can use my cell phone to get by for awhile but I prefer to do most things on my computer.

Another thing that happened several years ago, my computer was frozen with a convincing FBI logo on the page and said I’d broken some law and had to pay $100 to get it released. I knew it was bogus but couldn’t break it loose. As it happened my ex’s new BF is a retired FBI agent. I took it to him and he fixed it but I think it’s just that he’s a lot more proficient with computers than I am.

[LuvLoogie]

7. The FBI one may be a variation of the Microsoft tech support lock

I released it the same way via task manager.

Are you able to reboot at all? First try with control-alt-delete. But a hard reset is worth a try.

You should also disconnect your ethernet cable or wifi adapter in the mean time.

[captain queeg]

8. I can reboot. It took many tries, both hard and soft

Finally the computer itself just decided to shut down. But since then when I do a start up I can’t get past the login window where you are supposed to enter your pin. Something just tweaks it constantly so fast I can’t enter my pin fast enough. It’s not like the whole screen is opening and closing but everything is interrupted a couple times per second. It does remind me of a stuck key. Been a long time since that’s happened to me but I remember it from the past I wiped the board down, rattled all the keys on the board and blew it down with compressed air all to no effect.

[captain queeg]

9. I'm starting to think it's some malware trying to get in and my computer security is fighting it

This morning I checked and started the computer. Things seemed pretty normal. I had lost my internet connection overnight. I connected again and pretty soon the pop up appeared again, blinking away and preventing me from taking any actions. So it appears to not affect me when offline. But now that I’m online it prevents me from doing anything including cancelling the connection. I guess I’ll have to wait till I drop the connection or maybe I can turn off the modem. It appears that I can do stuff when I’m offline.

I caught a view of an app called wavebrowser. I looked it up online and it’s identified as malware. My theory is it’s trying to complete its uninvited installation and my computer’s security is trying to prevent that, thus the stuttering screen.

[LuvLoogie]

10. Yeah, run a windows defender offline scan if you can.

It's under advanced scan options.

Are you backed up? Rogue installers scare me. LOL

[captain queeg]

11. Thanks. Assuming I can getting it running off line.

I’ll try again in the morning. If it goes beyond that my son said he’d take a look at it on Saturday. I’ve really scaled back my online activities due to the possibility of picking stuff like that up. But it still happens occasionally.

[canetoad]

12. Nope, don't think a hardware issue

I reckon you've been infected. Possibly even a key logger, or attempt to install one.

Run everything in the universe. Something will find and/or identify which bastard malware it is. If you're on Win 10, the old safe mode is hard to find but IMO it's the best way to root out some of the nasties that hide themselves well.

https://www.drivereasy.com/knowledge/how-to-enter-safe-mode-in-windows-10/

PS. Let us know - I'd be interested in the name or variant.

[captain queeg]

13. YeH it was that wavebrowser thing. I don't know if it's a legitimate ap or I got a corrupted version

But I never asked to install it anyway. Not sure where I picked it up. My son screwed around with it so I don’t know all the details but he said it had turned off my windows protection, I assume he meant Defender. I haven’t used it since I got back. One of the things he had to do was shut off my touch screen function which I never use anyway. I know it came in thru Google chrome which I don’t regularly use anyway.

[canetoad]

14. That browser

Certainly a nasty piece of work. I thought bundled unwanted software went out with Real Player.

From this site: https://howtoremove.guide/wavebrowser-virus/

There’s not much information about Wavesor Software on the Internet. From what we’ve been able to find out about it, Wavesor Software is apparently the trade name of a company known as Polarity Technologies Ltd which, in turn, seems to be a shell company owned by the Chinese Genimous Technology Co Ltd. Some researchers go as far as to speculate that Genimous Technology Co Ltd uses the browser developed by Wavesor to secretly gather user data without the informed permission of the users and then use said data when developing browser-hijacking tools. We have been able to find no proof for such claims, yet the fact that there’s so much ambiguity surrounding the Wave browser leads us to think that it may be best if you don’t allow it to reside on your computer for any longer.