Very Strange Downloading Problems

[lrweeks1120]

So, I've been having problems downloading my windows updates, virus checker updates, using java when it connects to a server etc. A little more detail:

1) Windows Updates - Will stay on 0% forever then jump up to like 15% after a few days and so forth. Took a few weeks to finally download everything.

2) Anti-Virus - Avira is having a similar problem, it says "Download Speed - 0KB/s" and will arbitrarily jump up a few percent... maybe ever few hours.

3) I was trying to do some training for my part-time job which used a java interface. It took like 30 minutes to come up. I was watching the java console and every time it got to something like "Downloading data fomr xyz.server.com" it got hung up. When I tried a different computer it took less than 2 minutes to download all the content and start the java application.

4) Spy bot Search and Destroy downloads updates without a problem?

Some recent events: About 2 weeks ago I shocked my USB port pretty bad (my arm was sore) when I plugged in a flash drive with a metal case and then it caused my computer to freeze up whenever a USB device was plugged in. I am now using a PS/2 mouse and keyboard and it hasn't froze since. Before realizing the freezes were related to the USB being shocked, I did a system restore and went back a few weeks to a system checkpoint. Everything worked prior to these two events just fine as my virus checker did daily updates.

Also note that I DO have a very strong internet connection and can download files from my browser very quickly so I'm 100% sure it doesn't have anything to do with a bad internet connection. It just seems that some external programs trying to connect to servers lock up for some reason?

Does anyone know how or why this could be happening? Could it be related to my USB port being shocked? Or doing a system restore? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

[-pops-]

Do you mean you had an electric shock from the metal case of a USB device?

If you did, there is something deeply wrong with your computer. If the case is at mains voltage (which is suggested from your description) it could be very dangerous to continue using it. I suggest you switch it off immediately and get it examined/repaired.

There should be no possibility of getting a shock from a computer. All mains voltages are in, and should remain in, the power supply unit. The only voltages seen in the computer itself are low: 5V and 12V which will not cause an electric shock and are not at all dangerous to health.

[lrweeks1120]

Do you mean you had an electric shock from the metal case of a USB device?

If you did, there is something deeply wrong with your computer. If the case is at mains voltage (which is suggested from your description) it could be very dangerous to continue using it. I suggest you switch it off immediately and get it examined/repaired.

There should be no possibility of getting a shock from a computer. All mains voltages are in, and should remain in, the power supply unit. The only voltages seen in the computer itself are low: 5V and 12V which will not cause an electric shock and are not at all dangerous to health.

It was just a static shock. My USB Flash drive has metal lining and when I plugged in my USB flash drive, that's when i got the static shock.

[-pops-]

There is still something very odd. The metal parts of your computer case should have a true earth connection. If that is correct then your body must have been at a considerable potential above that of earth to experience a shock. If that is the case, and considering how sensitive modern silicon devices are to the effects of static, it may have been this static discharge that is the cause of the problems.

I would strongly recommend you get your machine checked out by someone with the correct equipment. I don't think it is something you could do yourself.