HELP!!! Possible Malware/Virus!!!!!

[Speedstang]

Ok I'm starting to panic. I was just searching something on google when I randomly got some page saying Google detected unusual traffic or something like that, and it made me solve a captcha thing to continue using Google every time I did a search. Anyways I looked up some info, and I'm becoming really paranoid that I have some sort of Virus or Malware on my computer. This is my soon to be upgraded gaming machine and I cannot afford another one, if I lose this I'm finished. What do I do? I tried using a different browser (It was happening on Chrome) and the issue didn't happen anymore, so I'm guessing it was associated with chrome. I went into the Chrome settings and wiped all the cache, history, even saved passwords, I only left cookies because I have some stuff I don't wanna lose. Anyways, this seemed to solve the problem, but is my PC infected? How can I be sure it's ok? Just please don't ask me to download an antivirus, I hate those things. On some of my past computers, every time I had an antivirus the computer somehow got infected....... I've been running this one for several months with no antivirus and no issues whatsoever, well until now. Anyways, what do I do?

 

[MarkW]

Torrent files normally are pirated software. Pirated software all too often comes with tons of viruses in the torrent file itself.

 

[Speedstang]

Well I got Malwarebytes and it turns out the problem was that I had a HUGE amount of adware, but the funny part is it was all stored on the old owner's user accounts (I got my PC from someone else who was selling it because they switched to a laptop, however they barely even used it, it was basically new).
Thanks for the help all! (And yes, from now on I will use some kind of protection at all times)

 

[Durende]

I'm glad we got you to use protection ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°), but why didn't you format the pc before starting to use it?

 

[Speedstang]

What do you mean by format, like restore it to factory settings?

 

[Durende]

Yes, that's another way of saying it.

 

[Speedstang]

Yes, that's another way of saying it.

I did, but a lot of files were still left in the HDD, I didn't even know until recently.