Opinions on problem with computer

Hi everybody. Been awhile since I have been on here but I might have a problem and know that I got great advice before on this forum.

Last thursday night, I heard a clicking sound while I was online. This sound was like the sound you hear when you open a file or click on a link(or maybe a program trying to open). I turned off the speakers and still heard it. I closed my firefox browser and it still made the noise. So, I turned off the computer for the night.

Now the next day, when I got back on, the noise seemed to be gone. However, I did notice for a time that when I would type something(like this post), the computer would hang for a couple of seconds. Example would be in typing this post, it would type the letters and then stop and then the letters would "catch up" on screen.

So, since then, I have run 3 scans of my Kaspersky security suite, 1 scan of malwarebytes, 1 scan of superantispyware and an online scan for TrendMicro. None of these scans showed anything.

I have posted a hijackthis log in another forum, but have not gotten any response. I did use a hijackthis analyzer I found online and it showed nothing bad...although I admit, I am not qualified to know anything more than what the analyzer told me.

Since that Thursday night and the following day, I have not noticed any of the sounds or pausing in the computer.

So, finally, my question would be if the above mentioned problems could have just been something going on at that time or do you think it could have signaled a sign of malware or virus?

My main concern is that I use my computer for banking and also Quicken and have not done either since Thursday for fear of being infected. But since these scans have not shown anything, I am hoping that maybe it was just a glitch.

Any advice or opinion would be greatly appreciated.

For information:

I have Windows XP, Service Pack 3
1.5 GB
Kaspersky Security Suite

 

Thanks. I'll do that when I get home. Right now at work.

I'll post tonight what I find.

Thanks again.

 

I ran the program and it said my drive was in "good" condition.

Since that one day, I haven't had any other problems. I've run a-squared,Dr.Cureit,Kaspersky virus scan(3 times),Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware and haven't found anything but these files from Dr.Cureit.

GTAgent.exe
aolcinst.exe (A remnant of AOL, perhaps?)
Gdown adware
AO310410.exe

Some were moved by Dr. Cureit.

I'm hoping that many that night was just a one time occurrence. I didn't look at the time, but I'm thinking the "Click" sound might have just been a program trying to open that couldn't? Is that possible?

 

Ok. Did that and you're right, there was no sound associated with the open or close programs.

I'm not positive, but I think the sound was the one that I have associated with "Start Navigation" under Windows Explorer. The only thing is, I didn't have IE opened at any time.

I can't say I'm 100% sure that was the sound, but that is my best educated guess in trying to remember.

Like I said, it hasn't happened since, so unless that raises an alarm with you, I'll just be on the lookout if it happens again.

Thanks a bunch for all the help, I really appreciate it.

 

Could be Direct Disk Access. Something writing to the HDD.
It is a loud click, with a little crunch. Unless you see the light flash for the HDD you might think it came from something else.

You could try a hex editor, make a copy of the MBR and let someone look at it.
Also look at the last sectors of the HDD or any partitions. Shouldn't be any data there.