Desktop quits working

[gravelrun]

I get on internet 300 or so bytes gather on computer then the fan gets in

high gear and nothing else happens?

[RoyalSerpent]

Could be malware.

http://www.eset.com/onlinescan/

[gravelrun]

I ran virus detector and it said I didnt have a virus. What to do now???

[RoyalSerpent]

Did you run the on-line scan with the latest definition file?  Is this a wired connection?  Launch Task Manager to confirm that the CPU load is ramping up.  Identify which program is hogging the CPU.

Was PC working okay before this problem.  Provide as much info as possible about the history of the PC.  Also try systerm restore.  Go back as far as possible with the recovery.

Which browser are you using?  Try another browser.

[gravelrun]

My computer is a HP Pavilion a350n desktop computer Serial #MXK3460HSD.  It is out of warranty and has worked good until recently. When I go

online, it downloads about 300,000 bytes, then the fan speeds up which it never did before and it quits downloading information. If I disconnect

from internet with modem and reconnect, it works for a bit but then does the same thing. I did a system recovery and that didn't help.

[RoyalSerpent]

Is this 56K dial-up or are you connected via LAN cable?

[gravelrun]

It is a 56k dialup.

[RoyalSerpent]

Are you using Dial-Up-Networking (DUN)?  The connection software may need re-installation.  You may also want to remove/reload the modem's driver in ADD/REMOVE.

Check for line noise on the phone.  Connect at the phone's junction box to eliminate any internal wiring issue.

[gravelrun]

Yes it is dial up networking. Not sure how to re-install software. The phone line has noise when online.Tonite after downloading

e-mails I was offline and opened a large e-mail and the fan sped up, never done this before. I think it could be in the tower

 a hard drive problem, just a guess.

[RoyalSerpent]

How did you scan for malware?  Which program?  Is the definition up-to-date?  CPU spike during normal use is usually a sign of a compromised system.

Still suspect malware in that PC.  Try another browser like Firefox or Opera.  Use oldest system restore file.  If problem persists, then hook up the PC at the phone junction box outside the house and retest.  Could be a noisy line.  There's no easy way to test the modem.  You could try a known good modem.

The best way to remove malware is to back up important data and zero-fill the hard drive.  Make sure you have created recovery CDs from windows because all data on the hard drive will be gone.  Use the recovery CD to reload windows.

It appears that you may not be familiar with PC troubleshooting.  Perhaps a quick visit to a repair shop can isolate the problem.