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Seems like a bug, but it is very annoying. Windows 8 keeps showing notifications which I cannot close. I tried to click on x and _ but no reaction.

Here is a screenshot showing such an unclosable notification (in this example, it is Avira but the same happens with every notification on my machine):

Screenshot

Do you know of this bug? Is there a workaround to kill the window?

Update: Currently, I cannot reproduce the problem. I don't know how to force a notification to be shown (so I could test whether the notification can be closed). It would also be interesting to confirm that the notification is triggered by another program beside Antivir. If not, it seems like an Antivir specific issue. (I thought, I saw the notification with other messages, but maybe I missed something.)

Until I can clearly reproduce it again, I have to put the question on hold.

Update 2:

I haven't used the laptop much lately, but Xavierjazz warning plus a some strange behavior when using security tools (see my comment below his answer) make me go for a fresh installation.

Although I cannot 100% prove that it was actually malware, the following symptoms are just too strange (especially, on a new installation!):

Phase 1:

  1. An annoying notification window (see screenshot) that I could not close and which was visible all the time in the Desktop view

Installation updates and restarts also took way longer than I expected.

Phase 2 (some days later):

  1. I couldn't start Windows Defender (some error occurred)
  2. Secunia PSI always got stuck in the startup dialog
  3. Downloading Windows updates stayed at 0% percent
  4. Firefox crashed when I tried to download a binary from the Kaspersky homepage

At that time, I went for the complete system reset and change some passwords.

I wonder what type of malware that could have been and how I got it...

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This is not a bug. It clearly looks like malware. Run whatever antivirus you have Also, I can recommend Malwarebytes, a free antivirus: https://www.malwarebytes.org/

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  • Nothing found by Malwarebytes and Avira. Besides, it is a brand new laptop. I think I have only installed Firefox, Avira and Steam from the offical website. Plus, I installed the Windows 8 updates. As far as I remember, the notification problem was there from the start. Sep 1, 2014 at 23:17
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    Avira IS the problem. You have installed it and they want their money. Did you but it or just use the free one.
    – Xavierjazz
    Sep 2, 2014 at 0:03
  • IMHO you're jumping to conclusions a bit too fast. What makes you believe it's some kind of malware? The installed antivirus is clearly the free one, otherwise it wouldn't suggest an upgrade to the Pro (paid) edition. Either way, the OP said: "the same happens with every notification on my machine." So it's not just Avira.
    – and31415
    Sep 2, 2014 at 7:45
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    Two other things that I noticed were strange, too. Secunia PSI didn't start (it always got stuck in the startup dialog) and Firefox just mysteriously crashed when I tried to download something from Kasperski. As I haven't used the system much yet, I'm now wiping out the installation and using a fresh installation from the recovery disk. Well, I think I should change my Firefox and Steam password, too. Thanks for alerting me! Sep 4, 2014 at 22:43

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