Is an audio interface really necessary?

Audio, Pop-ups, and Interface Failure?

• So, a couple of days ago I came home to find my computer acting weird. The audio wasn't working. All of my cables were hooked up, and I couldn't find a reason why I shouldn't be getting any sound. So, I went into Run > Open: Services.msc > The Services box comes up, and from the list I have to go to Windows Audio, and usually start up my audio from there. It's different all the time. Most of the time, when I turn on my computer the audio doesn't work, and I have to go through all of that. Sometimes it's already on, but will turn itself off if I don't play anything or do not turn my speakers on for a while. And once or twice, it has just cut off while I was in the middle of listening to something. Also, I'm having a bit of trouble with Pop-ups lately. I run primarily Mozilla Firefox, and I have never had trouble with Pop-ups before. Basically these "pop-ups" keep opening themselves in my tabs. It's different all the time. Sometimes it takes me to a bogus news story, and sometimes it takes me a site that looks like google, but I'm not sure if it's really google. The site is www.google.com/webhp ...and once it even opened up to something that looked like a facebook user survey. And when it goes onto the google site, it even has my email on display, just like the real google does... I just can't tell if it's legit or not, because I am absolutely in no way going to google. It's completely opening on it's own. Also, the facebook user survey, it looked pretty legit too. But I wasn't even on facebook when it popped up, so I have no clue where it came from or how it was opened. Also, my OS is Windows XP, so I have the XP interface. But, as the day goes on, it's like it slowly turns into the classic, blocky windows style of interface. It usually starts off with the Web Browsers I have open in my task bar: They usually go into the classic style. And then, eventually, my entire task bar, and then my "Start" button/menu changes, too. Until my entire interface looks like the classic Windows. I've tried clearing my cache and I've run both AVG and Malwarebytes and I have gotten rid of everything they flagged. But the problem persists... I even tried restoring my system, but for some reason it's not working. (It says that it can not restore my system to an earlier date, no matter what date I try) Any idea how I could fix these problems would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

• Answer:

  Sounds as if you have more than one piece of malware on that computer. (Getting rid of malware doesn't get rid of the damage it causes.) Try a Windows repair first http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm If that doesn't fix it you'll have to totally reinstall Windows (without saving any of your files - that's where the malware is).