Why does Update figure I'm in a network--I'm not!

[Glen Winstein]

When I use Windows Update for my XP Home, it always
gives me a handful of recommended updates for being in a
network of computers, which I've never been nor can
foresee being a part of. I think, months ago, I tried
a .NET download, then realized I didn't need it, but I
think I removed it then--I don't see it in Add or Remove
Programs.
Related to that, I just reported a system crash to
Microsoft, and it said it was due to a device driver (I
use the ATI All In Wonder 9800 Pro), and it suggested
that Windows Server 2003 should have hardware
acceleration turned off. I don't use Windows Server 2003-
-I have Windows Home XP! Hardware acceleration is turned
up full.
I don't know if this is related, but I keep getting a
menu saying AVG (I have their free anti-virus thing) says
I have trojan horse startpage.exe--run AVG now. But the
free edition doesn't find it (then how did AVG know I had
it?), and you get no customer support for the free
edition to figure out how to fix it yourself, if that's
possible.
Glen

 

[mary]

Speculation leads me to believe that you have a worm that
has opened a backdoor, and that could be why you appear
to be on a network. Speculation aside, go here for a
free virus scan of your computer:
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

 

[Glen T. Winstein]

I think you had it right. I just got Norton Anti-Virus
2004 on ebay, and it found two threats and deleted them.
Thanks, and good detective work!
Glen