Thanks for that ....................I've been having all sorts of probs - something happened last Friday - think my grandson pressed on an update that was a bit dodgy. I'm hanging on for grim death but it's all a bit clunky and not like home.

My antivirus is set to automatically download any updates and install them. I do not do that for Windows updates until I see that they work. But I also don't leave it too long before applying them.

The thing about virus' is that the antivirus companies can only produce a effective solution once the virus is in the wild. You can never be 100% protected as the companies need to capture and work out how to prevent it from doing harm then send out the AV updates. Although most good AV programs will look for suspicious activities on your computer and try to take appropriate action.

GJ, I hope your pc can be sorted out.

My antivirus is automatically updated throughout the day. It's one of those which includes a site scanner so that the results of a Google search show a red warning sign against a site if it's a known risk site.

Right - I don't know if anyone can help and as my technological know how is about zero I find it difficult to explain but here goes.

I use Google Chrome as my browser and it always used to open up with Google on my home page with a couple of tabs behind. Since last Friday I open up to a blank screen with (I think) a tool bar that says chrome//newtab+ - it's very jittery and sensitive and takes ages to bring up anything that I request.

I have been into my settings and I do have Google as my homepage but it doesn't come up as that when I open it. Everything is very slow and skittish (if that makes sense).

Any help appreciated - thank you.

I think last weekend something was inadvertently downloaded - I have been through the list of stuff and deleted anything new but to no avail.

Thanks Joe - any help much appreciated.

Soozy it sounds like the toolbar is the cause of the problem. .go into add remove programmes and you may find it listed separately ..remove it

or check the add ons you have for Chrome and remove it thru there if it is listed... I don't use chrome often so can't recall offhand what steps you need.. think its a cog wheel or summat.. I prefer the old fashioned menu bars to find stuff. .I a tad old fashioned that way ..plus I like my bookmarks on a side bar where I can see them properly. .tho I am way off topic now so will shut up

or restore to a point before it all started going wonky..

Good luck

I'll give all that a go (if I can work it out) as for the restore thing - I did that twice but both times before shutting down it went through a critical update and I seemed to be back at square one.

ooer sounds weird. .I'd need to see it and fiddle. .hard to diagnose from afar.. take it you have run your anti virus as well.. also sounds daft but googling  'google chrome homepage problems' may throw up something that loads have found and there may be solutions to it.. good luck !

Ooher that sounds worrying. Have you been through your list of programs and uninstalled anything you don't recognise?

Disk cleanup might help too?

What antivirus software do you have?  I'm disappointed with Norton antivirus a.t.m. as I inadvertently downloaded something called snap.do which got through Norton which said it was safe. It took over my homepage + search engine [google] and was difficult to get rid off.

Oh and snap.do is designed so it looks like google - same colours etc. Could be you have that?

i have got a Norton Scan running at the moment. Always used Norton and it's never let me down but there's always a first time. I'm going to let it run and then try some of your suggestions.

What a bunch of stars thank you all - I'm a bit of a divvy with this sort of stuff and don't really have anyone to ask for help. Can't think why I didn't pop on here sooner and ask all you techie boffins.

Thank you - fingers crossed

Fingers crossed Soozy 

Glad Joe did this thread as I've been a bit worried about pc things too lately...

Microsoft has been hacked recently.

Norton came with this comp,it's pants.I use Avira + Spybot search and destroy.

Hmmmmmmmm - I have a feeling Microsoft is behind my problem somewhere along the line - I have just deleted something that was 'Microoift' related but didn't look legit. Still clunky though.

It would appear I need to sign in to Google Chrome - maybe I was signed in but have become unsigned (don't remember being signed in before but may have forgotten).

The thing is I can't remember my password - they will send me an SMS but I can't remember my number (will get it later) or e mail it to me but not to the e mail account that is registered to Chrome - I don't have access to another.

I'll get there in the end but I do like the simple life TBH.