I recently bought a new laptop directly from Amazon because my old one stopped working, possibly due to malware. However, I started to notice some strange behavior with the new laptop. It was indicating that I was severely out of date, but when I checked for updates, I found it was asking for updates that are three years old. I attempted to install the updates, but the update notification still appears in the taskbar, and the update menu doesn't show any available updates. I even tried a factory reset, but it fails each time. I'm now concerned about whether this could be due to malware spreading over WiFi, or if I was mistakenly sent a used laptop that someone else had issues with. I created a new Microsoft account specifically for this laptop because I wanted to avoid any malware from my previous device. Is it really possible for malware to spread over a WiFi network?
4 Answers
Getting a new Windows computer usually involves a lot of updates initially, and sometimes it can be a frustrating cycle of updates. If you're still seeing an update notification without anything available, it could be a glitch. As for the factory reset failing, that might suggest a deeper issue, so it could be worth reaching out to support directly.
Based on what you described, it doesn't sound like you're dealing with a malware issue. Malware rarely spreads automatically via WiFi; almost all instances happen when users download and run files. Consider running the built-in Windows antivirus to scan your device, just to put your mind at ease though!
I'm with you on the confusion—if there are no available updates in the menu but a notification still pops up, that's definitely a glitch. But the update cycle doesn't specifically indicate malware. Failing factory resets could hint at a hardware problem; you may want to get in touch with Amazon for assistance.
It's a common misconception that a new laptop wouldn't need updates. Remember, if it's been sitting in a box for a while, it can be out of date right from the start. When you first turn it on, it might need quite a few updates before it's current. So it’s probably just a part of the setup process, not malware.
Related Questions
Lenovo Thinkpad Stuck In Update Loop Install FilterDriverU2_Reload