Wi-Fi is disconnected and I can't correct the issue.

[chrstrbrts]

run malwarebytes with your infected drive attached via USB.

at the top click Scan

click Custom Scan

click Configure Scan

choose the drive to be scanned

click Scan Now

wait and see what it finds.

Thanks, I've done that.

Malwarebytes found 3 PUPs that look like some kind of adware viruses to me.

I don't know if they're causing my problem, but I suspect they're not.

I'll have to pop my HD back in, boot from it, and find out.

Problem with booting from a hdd is that hdd can also become infected. That is why I use a cd boot, not even usb boot.

Are you suggesting that a virus can make its way from an external USB device to an internal HD?

How?

What's the mechanism exactly?

 

[sdifox]

Thanks, I've done that.

Malwarebytes found 3 PUPs that look like some kind of adware viruses to me.

I don't know if they're causing my problem, but I suspect they're not.

I'll have to pop my HD back in, boot from it, and find out.



Are you suggesting that a virus can make its way from an external USB device to an internal HD?

How?

What's the mechanism exactly?

There is a reason why usb drives are banned in most corp network unless they originated there with full protection. Some trojans modify firmware on the usb device.
https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&sour...Or16SIvgItlX_cJjw&sig2=wWGmdoNj4WVx5nvORNQwZA

 

[Iron Woode]

an external drive can infect an internal drive very easily through windows OS.

I had this happen to me. It's the way the OS checks the USB drive that can spread infections. I connected an infected drive to scan it and save any useful data and the virus was triggered. It started to infect my OS drive. That took me a while to clean. I learned a valuable lesson and started using AV boot disks to scan any external drive. There are now USB versions to scan drives without booting into an OS.

 

[chrstrbrts]

an external drive can infect an internal drive very easily through windows OS.

I had this happen to me. It's the way the OS checks the USB drive that can spread infections. I connected an infected drive to scan it and save any useful data and the virus was triggered. It started to infect my OS drive. That took me a while to clean. I learned a valuable lesson and started using AV boot disks to scan any external drive. There are now USB versions to scan drives without booting into an OS.

What do you mean by 'scan'?

Do you mean that you attempted to scan a USB for viruses and that that attempt actually activated the viruses that you were attempting to detect and presumably neutralize?

If so, man...that's rough.

Is the spreading accomplished by corrupting some aspect of the USB protocol?

 

[Iron Woode]

What do you mean by 'scan'?

Do you mean that you attempted to scan a USB for viruses and that that attempt actually activated the viruses that you were attempting to detect and presumably neutralize?

If so, man...that's rough.

Is the spreading accomplished by corrupting some aspect of the USB protocol?

not quite.

I connected the drive in order to scan it. I thought it would be safe that way. it wasn't. I didn't even get to scanning it when my AV software went off and told me something was trying to infect my internal drive.

The spreading happened because of the way windows checked any new drive.