Think for now I'd start turning off instant messaging programs as many can do desktop sharing.

Also on vista go into control panel, system .. on the left should be Remote Settings ... go to advanced and uncheck allow remote assistance.

You might also click Start, Control panel, Security to see if your security and firewall programs are all running.

Have you rebooted?

My daughter had these kind of thing happen when she down loaded Internet Explore 8.

check control panel and accounts to make sure no new accounts show and if you have guest accounts showing disable them. I would also check in event viewer security to see if any strange log in info shows.

Thanks, the only thing which happened this week is XP3 and IE8 got installed by accident. I didn't want this and may uninstall them.

Checked all of the above and nothing amiss. I always keep guest shut off. I'm wondering if someone connects through my wireless. It happened on two computers, my main desktop and my netbook. Pages scroll and highlight text. Email disappears as I type or read. Firefox all browser pages close as does FF.

I thought it might be the wireless mouse and checked. The settings were messed up (not by me). I restored the default settings and it seems okay now.

Ran every scan possible and nothing shows up. Even posting here is strange. Sometimes the submit button doesn't appear. When I click 'preview' it just keeps 'previewing' without showing the submit button.

Maybe the computer needs an exorcism.

Jane

Jane, Did you try doing a go-back before the IE8 & XP3 were installed?

Jim

No I didn't try that. I haven't used my desktop this weekend so I can't say if it is still happening. I been using my netbook and it seems to be okay.

Jane

NO NO NO do not do a system restore to remove sp3!!!

go to control panel then to add remove programs and remove it there, same with IE 8

you absolutely do not want to remove a service pack by doing a system restore it ends up leaving parts of both and can cause problems.

I'm now pretty certain, something is remotely controlling my computer and I don't know how to find out. The same problems are occurring but they only appear after 1AM. The mouse moves around the screen, text highlights, windows close and open. Programs begin to act erratically.

I ran all scans and everything comes back normal. Looked at my wireless, log ons, event viewer, etc. and nothing out of order. Windows Defender (which I never check and forgot I had) was the only place where it showed 'unknown software is accessing the internet.' This description is not exact as it disappeared when I tried to stop it from running. Defender went blank with all buttons greyed out. When I tried to go back to the screen with the info it was gone. All my programs in my Start menus disappeared. I rebooted and some came back, others were gone. The mouse is controlling what is happening on the screen. It scrolls pages, highlights and closes windows as I try to read. It shut down Malwarebytes as it was scanning. Shut down Spybot as it was updating. I use AVG, nothing shows.

Too much to explain, but I realize when this happens late at night when I am usually not on the computer. I do leave my computers turned on 24/7. It has not happened during the day.

Where else would I check? This is really creepy.

Win XP Pro, SP3, Zone Alarm, AVG, Spywareblaster, Spybot, Malwarebytes, SuperAntispyware, Win Defender- Cable Optonline.

Jane

I'd start by running all of your antivirus and antimalware scans in safe mode and turn the machine off when not in use until you get a handle on what is going on.

It sounds like you've got some type of remote access software on your PC. It's possible that you installed it or that it was installed for support purposes, but that it's now being accessed by somebody without your permission.

If you can find out what the remote access software is, go into its setup and password protect it. Or uninstall it.

If it's a rogue bit of software, I would think one of your scans would find it and let you know. Are you running full scans or quick scans? If you've been running the quick scans, maybe you should run the full scans. It might also be a good idea to disconnect from the internet, reboot in safe mode and run the scans.

Check ZoneAlarm to see what programs are allowed to act as servers. If somebody is accessing you remotely, ZA must be letting something run as a server.

If you can't find out what is causing this, either disconnect from the internet or (better yet) turn off the PC when you're not using it.

Jane you could consider removing the internet connection after you finish at night. Hopefully that should throw up an error message by the program unable to complete it's task. Remember to reconnect before heading off to work or you will have no access to the home computer if you need it.

The other thought is regarding the program you are using to connect to your office remotely. Either try stopping it one night or even try changing your password for that program. Refresh us on the name of that program please.

Is the wireless connection safeguarded adequately?

If someone is doing remote access, from the screwbally happenings described, I'd say they are doing a very poor job of accomplishing anything.

Plus happening on two computer. Odd.

Could you perhaps be sharing the same lan IP on the two computers ?

I recall screwball things on my laptop after plugging in a wifi cam that was fixed ip matching the laptops. Until I figured that out I was cussing that cam. .. unless its a neighbors wifi doing it. Or you are unknowingly jumping onto the neighbors wifi router.

I might maybe look in the router and understand how to filter MAC access and try that ,,, perhaps change the wifi name ...to something no other neighbor would use. Change your password access to the router.
.. it sounds like its some kind of wireless interference from the weirdness.

Or your home is sitting on-top of some old pranksters grave site.

Mikie, I'm sure you are right. That's why we have the house up for sale. I'm thinking something with the wireless also. I do see errors for remote connections in event viewer. I also see something BVRP Software Testline in Defender. I disabled it and google shows it to be something to do with Apple. I don't have a Mac, so that doesn't make sense. I never installed that
Owbist I use Go To My PC. I'll try changing the password, that's a good idea except I need to do that at the office computer as that is the master machine.

I don't have my wireless secured. No excuse except I never could figure out how to do it (please don't yell). I'll disconnect at night.

Thanks all,
Jane

BVRP Software Testline,, seems mostly pertaining to digital phone line detection.. to see if your computer is plugging into one.

Might read the following page.

Here is a link that might be useful: BVRP Software TESTLINE ... info

See if this link helps ..

Paddy...

Here is a link that might be useful: How To Set Up a Network Router

If you're using Go To My PC and you've set it up to allow you to get access to your home PC from the office, my guess is that somebody found your home PC and got in using Go To My PC. You need to change the password immediately.

Well I recently set up my wireless as I had a Lappy for Christmas but I am not competent enough to offer you guidance. Shout when you are ready and some of the more savvy helpers here will surely walk you through the process. It cannot be too difficult as I managed it first time haha.

You should get that done - sudden like Jane.

ok mac address has NOTHING to do with a Mac computer, all computers have a mac address and that is exactly how I would be setting up that wireless so that only the mac address for your pc has access to your network period, that would stop any other pc that does not have a mac address listed in the router from accessing it.

you have someone screwing with you and my guess is a poorly secured wireless network. I would totally lock it down with only one mac address allowed and see what happens then.
MAC address

Thank you all. I'll set to work on this tonight. You might be right about Go To my PC. I need to change that password when I go to work tomorrow. That could be it and the unsecured network.

I disabled that BVR Software testline. It showed in Defender as 'This program has potentially unwanted behavior.' So I clicked disable. I thought it had something to do with Apple computers.

Thanks for the education.
Jane

Just wanted to update my original post. Changed the passwords to Go To My PC. Easier said then done as they require various passwords and access codes.

The secured network was the worse. I could never have figured this out without getting Linksys on the phone. They were very helpful and patient. I had 5 computers to work with and all were XP except my son's which is Vista. All had built in wireless except my husbands old machine which uses a plug in wireless adapter.

We had to call Linksy's for each computer. That's 5 calls but finally all are working. I increased the security of Zone Alarm to high, ran scans on all and nothing is showing. So far that weird business has not showed up again. Usually, by this hour it is.

Thanks for all your help,
Jane

Well you certainly had a frustrating time Jane but hopefully now you can rest easier. Good work.

if you have not done so already I would change every password on every account you had used while that was happening including all email passwords,shopping sites, banking, etc and user account passwords especially your admin passwords.

Frustrating, indeed. Raven I agree and have to do that. I changed GTMPC but need to change the log on passwords and emails. The more I think about it, I think it originated at my office computer which can be accessed from home.

I haven't done anything about the office machines because they are sharing though a hardwire connection using a old Linksys switch. I don't think that is firewalled. I have ZA on the computers, but that is set to allow remote access and won't block. I'm not sure how to secure that setup.

I need to change that switch to a more secure one. Not sure what to buy. I may need some professional help with this.

Thanks again everyone for all the good advice.

Jane