Troubleshooting a Persistent Copy-Paste Glitch: A Personal Journey

I recently faced an exhausting challenge with my computer that led to a series of frustrating tests and experiments. It all started yesterday when my desktop began exhibiting strange behavior—copying random text and files without any input from me. As you can imagine, this made it nearly impossible to use my computer as intended.

Initially, I attempted the classic troubleshooting steps. I restarted the machine multiple times, and although it seemed to perform normally for a brief period afterward, the erratic behavior returned shortly thereafter. I took a more aggressive approach by resetting my computer and uninstalling specific drivers, yet the issue persisted. To rule out hardware problems, I tried using a different keyboard, but that didn’t resolve the glitch.

Uncovering the Source of the Problem

In an attempt to find the culprit, I recalled that I had downloaded Radiant Viewer—a software designed for viewing DICOM files—after transferring some files from a USB drive provided by my professor. Coincidentally, my laptop, which had also received the same files and Radiant Viewer installation, started exhibiting the same issues.

To document the odd behavior, I created videos showcasing the glitch in action, which can be found linked above. I even shared a snapshot that captured the chaos on my screen.

Identifying the USB Drive as the Instigator

After some trial and error, it became evident that the USB drive was at the heart of the problem. I performed a full reset and formatted my disk, and for a short while, my computer ran seamlessly. However, the moment I reinserted the USB, the issues returned. Despite going through the motions of a factory reset, the glitch crept back into my experience after about an hour.

Various malware and antivirus programs were suggested to me, but none detected any threats. Frustrated, I decided a clean wipe was the only viable option left. Unfortunately, even a fresh installation of Windows failed to solve the problem, so I suspected the USB drive might still be involved.

A New Twist: The Mouse Connection

Things took a surprising turn when I picked up an old laptop to work on some school assignments. It, too, began glitching in an inexplicable manner. No USB drives had been connected; my only peripherals were a keyboard and a mouse. Upon further investigation, I discovered that connecting the mouse to either computer triggered the strange behavior again. This revelation led me to believe that the mouse might