My CPU Usage is pretty high, do I have malware?

[essexboy]

Vista on 1 Gb will crawl especially if you have aero enabled.  Being a Dell I imagine it is a desktop version ?

Go to Crucial  http://www.crucial.com/ and run the system scanner
This will show you how much extra Ram you can fit in your system, what type and how much it will cost.  The most important part will be the type as you may be able to get it cheaper elsewhere.  On my Vista system I upgraded to 3 Gb to get it to run to my satisfaction. 

At the moment Ram is fairly cheap and very easy to fit   

[Misuzu]

Vista on 1 Gb will crawl especially if you have aero enabled.  Being a Dell I imagine it is a desktop version ?

Go to Crucial  http://www.crucial.com/ and run the system scanner
This will show you how much extra Ram you can fit in your system, what type and how much it will cost.  The most important part will be the type as you may be able to get it cheaper elsewhere.  On my Vista system I upgraded to 3 Gb to get it to run to my satisfaction.  

At the moment Ram is fairly cheap and very easy to fit  

Thanks.  

But do you think I have malware? Or is my computer (Actually it's a laptop) just having trouble with CPU usage because of the amount of ram I have? (I also hear that Vista is a "memory hog" or something like that)

[essexboy]

Vista tries to utilise as much Ram as possible to save disc swapping

As to malware I can give you a quick checkout if you wish

To ensure that I get all the information this log will need to be attached (instructions at the end) if it is to large to attach then upload to Mediafire and post the sharing link.

Download OTS  to your Desktop

• Close ALL OTHER PROGRAMS.
  
• Double-click on OTS.exe to start the program.
  
• Check the box that says Scan All Users
  
• Under Additional Scans check the following:
• Reg - Shell Spawning
• File - Lop Check
• File - Purity Scan
• Evnt - EvtViewer (last 10)

• Under the Custom Scan box paste this in

netsvcs
%SYSTEMDRIVE%\*.exe
/md5start
eventlog.dll
scecli.dll
netlogon.dll
cngaudit.dll
sceclt.dll
ntelogon.dll
logevent.dll
iaStor.sys
nvstor.sys
atapi.sys
IdeChnDr.sys
viasraid.sys
AGP440.sys
vaxscsi.sys
nvatabus.sys
viamraid.sys
nvata.sys
nvgts.sys
iastorv.sys
ViPrt.sys
eNetHook.dll
ahcix86.sys
KR10N.sys
nvstor32.sys
ahcix86s.sys
nvrd32.sys
/md5stop
%systemroot%\*. /mp /s
CREATERESTOREPOINT
%systemroot%\system32\*.dll /lockedfiles
%systemroot%\Tasks\*.job /lockedfiles

• Now click the Run Scan button on the toolbar.
  
• Let it run unhindered until it finishes.
• When the scan is complete Notepad will open with the report file loaded in it.
  
• Click the Format menu and make sure that Wordwrap is not checked. If it is then click on it to uncheck it.
  

Please attach the log in your next post.

To attach a file, do the following:

• Click Add Reply
  
• Under the reply panel is the Attachments Panel
• Browse for the attachment file you want to upload, then click the green Upload button
  
• Once it has uploaded, click the Manage Current Attachments drop down box
  
• Click on to insert the attachment into your post

[Misuzu]

Hi again.  

I'm not overly concerned about having malware. If I get really worried I will definitely try out OST.  
But if I update/use a up-to-date MBAM and Avast, and they don't detect Malware, is there a good chance my computer (or whatever I scanned for that matter) don't have it?

Avast said I had a virus once, but apparently it was a FP (It detected one of MBAM's files).

Also, in your opinion do you think I may have malware? I'm just curious. 

[essexboy]

I would not have thought so - it may just be a resources problem

[Misuzu]

I would not have thought so - it may just be a resources problem

So you don't think I have malware? I'm glad. 

One last thing: Windows Defender asked me to "Review changes made to your computer settings" (First it asked me to review "not reviewed" items or something like that) apparently the item/file is called "Google Inc", is this safe?
I decided to not permit it until I know if it's safe.

[essexboy]

If you use any Google products - toolbars - earth - etc..  Then yes

[Misuzu]

Yes I have Google Earth on my computer. So it must be that.

So as long as you have a up-to-date Avast! and MBAM and both say you don't have malware, your computer should most likely be safe? (Or anything you scan with those programs really) Correct?

Because I scanned my computer with both (Though the last time I scanned with Avast! it was out of date, but I also haven't been on the net for a while) and they both said I didn't have any malware/viruses. I just got worried about my CPU Usage being so high, so I really haven't touched my computer until I can be pretty sure I'm safe. But I just assumed that if both Avast and MBAM tell you that whatever you scanned is "malware-free" then I thought there was a pretty high chance that it was in fact "malware-free"? I should be able to trust Avast and MBAM right?
Thanks so much for your help!
 

[essexboy]

There is a possibilty that something may slip past them - but at the moment it is low.  Nothing is 100%

[Misuzu]

There is a possibilty that something may slip past them - but at the moment it is low.  Nothing is 100%

As long as there's a high/good chance that I'm malware-free then I'm okay. 
Thanks for all your help! 

[essexboy]

Enjoy 

[CharleyO]

***

Because I scanned my computer with both (Though the last time I scanned with Avast! it was out of date, but I also haven't been on the net for a while) and they both said I didn't have any malware/viruses.

Scanning with any scanner that is out of date is as good as not scanning at all.

Update both of them and scan again.


***

[Misuzu]

***

Because I scanned my computer with both (Though the last time I scanned with Avast! it was out of date, but I also haven't been on the net for a while) and they both said I didn't have any malware/viruses.

Scanning with any scanner that is out of date is as good as not scanning at all.

Update both of them and scan again.


***

Thanks for replying!  
I did that (Updated the programs) recently with MBAM, did a thorough scan with it and it came up clean.
I rarely go on the internet and usually I don't "share" flashdrives etc... With other people. So I'd imagine I don't have to worry as much about the "newer viruses" that come with the newer updates. Or does the "updates" for Avast and MBAM just add more 'older viruses' (That they didn't have before) to their databases?

EDIT: I updated both MBAM and Avast today and I did just a quick scan with MBAM after updating it and it said I didn't have malware at all. So I'm assuming that my computer is fine.  

And I realize that no program is 100% perfect, but as long as all of the anti virus programs that I have (That are up-to-date) say that it's (My computer, or whatever I scanned) malware-free, I believe my computer should be?