Virus diagnosis is tricky business. Odd behavior alone isn't enough evidence to say you have a virus - you'll also need pop-ups or changes in behavior. If your computer is new, you may just be getting used to its quirks. Additionally, downloading an anti-virus program to scan can also be tricky, since some viruses actually block their installation.

Virus or Windows Error?

If your laptop is new and has a different or newer version of Windows, such as Vista or 7, you may be mistaking a feature for a symptom of virus infection. If one particular thing isn't behaving in a way you expect it to, try using Google or other search engines to find discussions online about that particular feature. If more than one feature is malfunctioning, the likelihood that a virus is behind it is higher.

Finding and Removing Viruses

The first logical step in diagnosing a virus is to run a virus scanner, such as AVG's free basic solution (see references section). Avoid Norton and McAfee products; they tend to take over so much of your computer's processing power that you'd almost rather have a virus. Unfortunately, today's viruses may block your attempt at downloading and running the program that will be their undoing. This is why you should download AVG's entire install file from a service like FileHippo, preferably on a different computer (see references section). If you download the installer from AVG, you get a partial install that downloads the rest of the information later during the install, and viruses can detect this and prevent the installer from completing successfully. Install AVG and use the built-in scanner. If it detects any viruses, heal or quarantine them. Use your computer normally, and see if anything seems out of order. If it does, you may have another kind of computer annoyance: malware, or spyware.

Finding and Removing Spyware

Spyware, unlike viruses, wants your computer to work well enough that it can display pop-ups, hijack your search results, and other advertising-related tricks. It can be removed with another scanning program similar to a virus scanner. Download the MalwareBytes AntiMalware installer from the FileHippo link in the references section, preferably on another computer if you have one handy. Install and run the program, and remove any infections it finds. If this doesn't solve your problem, it either isn't a virus or spyware, or is so severe an infection that the best course of action may be to use your HP restore discs and erase everything on your computer so you can start over fresh.

Source:

FileHippo: Download AVG Antivirus

FileHippo: Download Malwarebytes Antimalware