Virus Removal

Need help with a virus removal? What should you do when you get a virus? How do you even know if you have a virus? Do you wait until the computer slows down and you start getting weird messages from your computer before you start attempting the virus removal? Give me a minute or two and I'll lay out a few steps to take to help clean your computer and to prevent it from being infected in the future.

Let's focus on the main issue first: your computer has a virus and you need help removing it. The first thing you need is an antivirus program that is updated. Many people have antivirus software but they don't take the time to update it. This has the same effect as using a flu shot from 1980; it is not going to help with the flu of today. If your computer is still able to access the internet, open your antivirus program and click on the update option and get the latest virus files.

The next thing you want to do is scan your computer, but you do not want to do this from the regular start-up position. When you start your computer, the operating system (Microsoft Windows) loads things into the memory and this is what the virus programs use to stop the antivirus software you are using. If a virus can load into memory at startup, it has a good chance of getting past a virus scan or even worse, disabling your antivirus program. You will want to start your computer in "Safe Mode". Safe mode only loads the absolute minimum your computer needs to run into memory. To enter safe mode, restart your computer and press the F8 key BEFORE windows starts to load. Basically, when your computer starts, you see some white text on the screen as it finds the hardware and then the screen goes black for a second and starts to load windows. (You can press the F8 button as much as you want, it will not hurt the computer.)

If you do this correctly, you should see a black screen with white text asking you if you want to enter safe mode, safe mode with networking or some other options. Use the arrow keys and select "safe mode with networking", this will allow you to update your antivirus software if you could not do so before. Once you select this, you will see a bunch of files start to load with white text flying across your screen. This is normal, sit back and wait for Windows to load.

Once Windows loads you are ready to start work on your virus removal. Open your antivirus program and try to update it one more time just to be sure. Now run your antivirus program and set it to do a FULL scan. Now go watch TV or spend some time with your family and come back later and see what kind of bad stuff it found. Your antivirus program should have found anything that fits the description of a virus. If it didn't find anything, you may have something other than a virus, which is classified as malware. Malware is not a virus and most cannot be removed with antivirus programs. You will need something designed specifically for malware, I recommend Malwarebytes. You can find a link to Malwarebytes and some free antivirus programs on the website below.

If you have any virus questions, feel free to stop by my Virus Removal website. My webpage has links to FREE antivirus programs, reviews of the antivirus programs available and lots of helpful information to help you get over any virus or malware issues.

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