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Original poster

Really freaked out by something that just happened with my laptop, please can anybody explain it?

31 replies

Spookylaptop · 29/09/2021 21:09

We have had our laptop for about five years but have not used it much at all over four or so. I've just started using it again as started postgraduate study.

I was logged into an account to watch video lectures earlier, had been logged into main desktop for a while. I changed the screen size on the video and it took a moment to load, and at that point for a second I'm sure I saw what looked like someone else's desktop, with a darker background to our's and with loads more icons (we only have a few). It looked like a cursor going to open an icon.

It was so quick I feel like I could have imagined it, except I think this happened the other day too and I just dismissed it.

This image is not part of any of the videos (I watched through to check) and it's not part of the account background.

What on earth has happened?

I'm so freaked out I'm thinking of getting a different cheap laptop, which we had talked about anyway as this one is very slow. However, I have posted on mumsnet in the past about something I had blown up in my mind as being some malicious scam when it was really just an everyday innocent occurrence so I'm hoping someone will explain it!

OP posts:
IactuallyHateMN · 29/09/2021 21:14

Have you got antivirus etc.... Do an update and a scan but turn off the WiFi on the laptop first.

Cactus1982 · 29/09/2021 21:22

That is a bit weird. Did someone else own it before you and it’s saved in the memory somewhere?

Surpriseat42 · 29/09/2021 21:24

I would take it to a computer expert and ask them about it as they might check its safety. I wouldn’t want it online until done this just to be safe if you can avoid it, it does seem unsettling

Surpriseat42 · 29/09/2021 21:24

It may be behind on safety features if not been updated?

Flufferty · 29/09/2021 21:25

Are you sure someone else on the lecture wasn't screen sharing?

MissCherryCakeyBun · 29/09/2021 21:30

If you have antivirus software run it immediately , if you access your online banking etc on the laptop use another device to reset your passwords ( Don't do this on the laptop). If the laptop has a built in camera (99% do) cover the camera with a sticker.
Do you have a reliable local PC shop? If you do before you use the laptop again I would book it in with them for them to check it out for you.

Original poster
Spookylaptop · 29/09/2021 21:33

@Flufferty it looked like that, but the lecture was pre recorded and not live

Thanks everyone, I'm so freaked out now. We did run virus software and updates the other night which helped speed it all up.

OP posts:
karalime · 29/09/2021 21:33

@Flufferty

Are you sure someone else on the lecture wasn't screen sharing?
This seems like the most logical explanation.

Try watching the video again.

Original poster
Spookylaptop · 29/09/2021 21:33

I don't access internet banking or anything on it, I hardly use it at all but just for viewing lectures and university reading material

OP posts:
Original poster
Spookylaptop · 29/09/2021 21:35

@karalime it is I agree, but the videos are prerecorded in a really smooth way specifically for distance learning so I don't think this would be included in the final product and I can't see it when I look back (watched a few times as that seemed most likely)

OP posts:
karalime · 29/09/2021 21:37

Do you only see it when you are going to view these videos?

Do you see it when you go to do other things?

AnyName1 · 29/09/2021 21:40

Try logging in to some other banks online banking page and see if it happens again. Or pretend to buy something.

Original poster
Spookylaptop · 29/09/2021 21:40

It's only happened this time (and possibly the previous time) that I've seen, but I've only been using the laptop for a couple of days really.

I suppose what I wonder though, rationally, is whether there's any technical mechanism by which I'd actually see someone else's screen if I were hacked? Like a reverse version of when you allow someone onto your screen to fix IT issues for example

If not then I suppose it's not such a worry. I didn't cover the camera but they wouldn't see much interesting!

OP posts:
PricklesTheHedgehog · 29/09/2021 21:47

Was it an advert maybe?

Whatamesssss · 29/09/2021 21:52

Disable Bluetooth and remote access. It will be on the control panel, security settings.

Original poster
Spookylaptop · 29/09/2021 21:52

@PricklesTheHedgehog that's a really good suggestion, although I don't think so because I wasn't on anything where you'd get a pop up and it's not the kind of video where there is advertising included

There is some sort of new alert that pops up at the bottom right sometimes but I don't think it was anything to do with that.

I remember now that when it happened I thought the screen was frozen because it must be restarting to do an update but then realised it didn't look like our desktop anyway. It literally did happen in a split second though. If it does again I'd try to grab a photo on my phone - but I'm reluctant to use it!

OP posts:
Original poster
Spookylaptop · 29/09/2021 21:53

I've switched it off for the night, do I need to do the Bluetooth and remote access thing now if it's shut down or can I do it in the morning?

OP posts:
bloodyxbox · 29/09/2021 21:55

Sometimes when I go back to a meeting that ended images have frozen briefly when I move the. Cursor but it's usually me I see when I was there (in the past)

MolkosTeenageAngst · 29/09/2021 21:57

Were there definitely more icons? I’m wondering if it could be an inverted version of your desktop which your computer flashed to for a moment whilst it was adapting the resolution to load up your uni platform. Not sure if that is a thing, but I will sometimes get a flash of my desktop with the size of icons etc enlarged when I open new programmes which run in a different bit resolution so it could be something that happens with the colour settings too?

Whatamesssss · 29/09/2021 22:01

@Spookylaptop

I've switched it off for the night, do I need to do the Bluetooth and remote access thing now if it's shut down or can I do it in the morning?
Yes it should be fine. Also cover the camera.
Hawkins001 · 29/09/2021 22:12

@Spookylaptop

We have had our laptop for about five years but have not used it much at all over four or so. I've just started using it again as started postgraduate study.

I was logged into an account to watch video lectures earlier, had been logged into main desktop for a while. I changed the screen size on the video and it took a moment to load, and at that point for a second I'm sure I saw what looked like someone else's desktop, with a darker background to our's and with loads more icons (we only have a few). It looked like a cursor going to open an icon.

It was so quick I feel like I could have imagined it, except I think this happened the other day too and I just dismissed it.

This image is not part of any of the videos (I watched through to check) and it's not part of the account background.

What on earth has happened?

I'm so freaked out I'm thinking of getting a different cheap laptop, which we had talked about anyway as this one is very slow. However, I have posted on mumsnet in the past about something I had blown up in my mind as being some malicious scam when it was really just an everyday innocent occurrence so I'm hoping someone will explain it!

I could be wrong but it sounds possible that there's two streams encoded into the video stream, similar to when gamers record themselves playing the game and a separate feed spliced into the main feed so to speak, of course I could be completely wrong but as it's only appeared when you altered the video size that would be my guess, as for if you were hacked as far as I'm aware you wouldn't be able to know if they were remote viewing your machine so to speak. Again that's just my guesses.
Original poster
Spookylaptop · 29/09/2021 22:13

I did it anyway, but then logged out of that user account to check the other user account (not used in years and not sure why we have two, but we legitimately did somehow set up two) but it's just come up with that normal windows update message (ran a load of updates on the user account I was actually using earlier already, shouldn't they apply to both user accounts?)

So I've switched it off again and going to bury it in a cupboard or something for now. I might just get another laptop and hope for the best as we were planning to anyway!

I feel sure there is a rational explanation but can't think of one.

OP posts:
Original poster
Spookylaptop · 29/09/2021 22:16

@Hawkins001 yes, that sounds exactly like it. I'm not that technologically minded but it would make perfect sense as the video is of someone speaking with their slides in the background (you can switch views so you just see slides, just see speaker or see both)

I would imagine that they've needed to access their own desktop to record the file, but the overall video is very smooth so I couldn't see how an accidental wrong screen would make it into the uploaded version unless it's something like you describe.

OP posts:
Summerfun54321 · 29/09/2021 22:47

I do remote learning through uni and this sounds very normal. No one will be hacking you whilst you’re watching a tutorial video like that, it’ll be the lecturer screen sharing before the recording or like another PP said it might be your viewing settings when you minimise or maximise the screen and it jumps between viewing the slides or viewing the lecturer presenting showing their screen.

lilcolibri · 29/09/2021 22:49

Please don't worry, this can't be anything nerfarious.

If someone had hacked any of your accounts, they certainly wouldn't be broadcasting THEIR screen to yours. Why would their compromise their own system this way?

If it makes you feel better do an anti-virus scan, but this isn't a virus, malware or anything of the sort. It sounds like a shared screen from a Zoom meeting whilst recording a lecture, and then not edited out of the final recording.

Nothing to worry about.