Version 1: I’m Suspecting My Windows 10 Laptop Has a Virus But Can’t Find It

Title: Diagnosing Potential viruses on Your Windows 10 Laptop: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you’ve noticed your Windows 10 laptop running hotter than usual and experiencing significant disk space loss, you may be dealing with an undetected virus or malware. Many users, like yourself, find this situation frustrating, especially when their trusted security Software doesn’t find any issues. Here’s a structured approach to help you identify and resolve the problem.

Signs of a Possible Infection

For over a month, you’ve been facing:

Excessive Heat: Your laptop feels warmer than typical during daily tasks.
Rapid Disk Space Decrease: You’re losing approximately 2 GB of space daily without having installed new programs or downloaded files.
Sluggish Performance: The overall speed of your laptop has diminished, making everyday activities frustrating.

These indicators can suggest underlying issues, including potential virus infections, even when scans report no detections.

Steps to Troubleshoot and Identify the Issue

Reassess Your Security Software:
If you’ve already run full scans with Malwarebytes and Windows Defender with no results, consider using an alternative antivirus solution. Free versions of programs like Bitdefender or Kaspersky can provide a second perspective.
Boot into Safe Mode:
To run a more effective scan, boot your laptop into Safe Mode. Restart your laptop and press F8 (or Shift + F8) during boot-up. This will limit the drivers and processes running, potentially allowing your security Software to detect harmful files.
Check Disk Usage:
Utilize tools such as WinDirStat to analyze your disk space usage. This can help reveal large, hidden files or folders that may be eating up your storage.
Update Your Software:
Ensure your operating system and all installed programs are updated. Often, patches and updates can close security vulnerabilities exploited by malware.
Monitor Running Processes:
Use the Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) to check for any unusual processes. If you see something unknown or suspicious, a quick online search can help clarify its legitimacy.
Network Activity:
If you suspect malware, monitor your network activity. Use a tool like GlassWire to check for unusual outgoing connections, which could indicate that your device is compromised.
Consider System Restore:
If these steps do not yield results, you may consider