can you get a virus from a modem or router, I mean can one sit in there and infect a system after it has sat awhile?

Modem, no, not possible.

A router... MAYBE, but it would have to be put there by a human.. already hacked into it, if it's a command-line type. It's not the sort of thing that could propagate by itself. And it wouldn't be a virus, more like a trojan or something malicious, but not a virus that could infect any other computers.

see my other post on the topic, as soon as i plugged in router it started

router was used

I'm sure that you have a router somewhere in your network, but it wasn't responsible for your current woes. Somebody either went astray while browsing or clicked when they should have closed.

Similar stories and solutions are posted on Geeks to Go! , Jet Insider and also on Spybot Search and Destroy 's forum. BTW, Spybot Search and Destroy is a free and effective scrubber for this kind of junk. You can download it here . Everyone who posted had experienced the same symptoms that you describe, so I think they are worth a quick read.

Going forward, make sure you have all Windows updates; there are 92+ (and counting) updates and patches needed after a clean installation of Windows XP Professional. You don't mention what antivirus software you're using. My recommendation is to pull them all out and give Eset's NOD32 a try.

this thing has knocked me off the net, wont let me go online now so i cant dl spybot.
if anyone knows anyone who writes these things, i will pay decent money for name, address and proof they write these, this is second puter now
in 3 yrs

And what computer are you using to post these comments? Don't you own a thumb drive or a floppy? Can you borrow one?

I don't think I can help you beyond those last thoughts.

using my wifes puter, running norton 2008 on it now, hope it works

Have you browsed into the router and checked the settings in there. Just plug your computer directly into the access point (bypass the router) and see if you can get out (remember to reset or refresh you IP settings). If you can get out it's probably something in the router that is causing you problems.

There are only 8 if you install SP3 first.

Spk 3 needs to see at least spk1 or 2 before it will install. FYI