I got the other people are logged onto this computer message. Sharing scenario: is it a computer infection? Or was it from an interruped update? Or ot

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SME.TX.BX

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Hello!

As I was turning off my computer yesterday I got that message that said (paraphrasing):


Other people are logged onto this computer. Shutting down Windows might cause them to lose data. Do you still want to continue shutting down?


A couple hours before I was on a Zoom video call (7pm start) These odd things happened:

  • My camera was not working, so I closed up and restarted my computer (as one troubleshooting action)
  • When the computer restarted, the "moving thinking circles" just kept going and going and would not let me get to my sign in (windows sign in I think) page
  • So I clicked on task manager to get to the sign in page ...some how that interrupted the "moving thinking circles" and that worked to get me to the sign in
  • Also the link I had for the zoom call went to a google page that had a redirecting link (that I clicked on)
  • I eventually got to the zoom call ok - but it took about 5 to 10 minutes and started about 7:10pm

When I got the "other people are logged onto this computer" message (hours later), I opened task manager and nothing was running (though I did not think to click on the users tab...so I did not see). Since nothing was running I closed the computer.


Then I reopened the computer as I had second thoughts about that "others are logged on" message.


I investigated to see if maybe the zoom link somehow got my computer infected (or other infection issue).


I looked at what activity had been happening since 7pm on my computer. Under update history - there was a Windows Definition Update (actually 3) that happened at 7:07p.


And later I see that there had been a windows update error that day (though I could not see what time that happened).


As a response I ran Windows Defender full scan (with internet off). There were no issues. (good).


(I cleared my cache of stored login passwords and am changing many key passwords).


I wonder if this is what happened to give me the "other people are logged in" message:

Was it: as I was turning off and restarting my computer when I was trying to get my video camera to work for the zoom call around 7p, that is when the Windows Definition Update was trying to happen (around 7pm) and I interrupted it by restarting my computer, though I did not know the update was trying to happen, somehow. And then hours later when i tried to turn my computer off (and got the "other people are logged in" message, was the Windows Definition Update still trying to do its job...so it was still connected or connecting somehow because it never really was fully successful because I interrupted it at 7-ish? And my computer interpreted that as "other people logged in."?


Does the above scenario sound plausible? (I'd be happy if so, because it would mean my computer is not likely infected).


Or do you think I got the "other people are logged in" message because the machine has been infected? Or is there another reason that seems likely?


If so, what action do you recommend I take? Thank you so much!

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