Posted by Nirav Ashara in How to Remove a Computer Virus on Monday, April 13, 2009
Introduction to
How to Remove a Computer Virus
We all know malware is out there. Malware includes applications that spy on you, corrupt your data, destroy your hard drive or give control of your machine to someone thousands of miles away. No matter what form it takes, it's bad business. And since there are a lot of examples of malware in the wild, it may only be a matter of time before you become the victim of a malware attack.
The most important advice we can give anyone who believes he or she has a computer with malware on it is this: Don't panic. Also, don't assume that you need to wipe your computer clean and start from scratch. Often you can remove malware without having to erase everything else. You may lose some data in the process, but you probably won't lose everything.
First you need to determine if your computer has a virus at all. You might suspect your computer of having a virus if it seems to be sluggish. If your Web browser suddenly looks different or automatically goes to a site you don't recognize, that's a good indication that you've got some malware. If your computer is unstable and crashes fairly often, you may have a problem. And if you try to access files but receive a message saying they're corrupted, that's another sign.
If you do think your computer has a virus, you need to run antivirus software to weed it out. Some viruses disable antivirus software -- they're clever that way. If you don't have any antivirus software, now's a good time to purchase or download an application. A few malware variants will try to block you from downloading antivirus software. If that's the case, you may need to download the software on another computer and transfer it to disk or a flash drive.
Advanced Computer Virus Removal Tips
If you can't access your antivirus software or you keep seeing the same malware pop up scan after scan, you may need to try and start your computer in Safe Mode. Many computer viruses will store files in your Windows registry folder. This folder acts like a database of instructions and tells your operating system important information about the programs you have on your computer. It can also tell viruses to activate as soon as the operating system loads. Starting your computer in Safe mode allows you to work with your machine using only the core elements of the Windows OS.
Try running your antivirus software in this mode. If you see new malware pop up, you may have hit upon your solution. Some malware exists only to download other kinds of malware and install them on your machine. If you can remove all of these applications, you'll be in good shape.
If for some reason your antivirus software can't remove the virus on its own, it's time to do a little more research. Remember when we said you should write down the names of all the malware applications that your software discovered? Here's where that comes into play. You'll need to research each of those files online using the appropriate Internet security firm. Make sure to use the same firm that produces the antivirus software you're using. That's because different firms sometimes give the same virus different names. Not all firms will refer to the same virus the same way.
Most Internet security firms will list all the files associated with a particular virus and tell you where you can expect to find those files. You may have to do some digging to find each file. Before you delete any files, you should save a backup copy of your Registry folder. If you accidentally delete the wrong file, you may make it difficult or impossible to run your computer properly.
Delete all the files associated with the malware on your list. Once that's done, you'll need to reboot your computer and run your antivirus software again. Hopefully nothing else will pop up.
You may want to update your login information for your various accounts online. Some malware has keylogging software that can send your passwords and information to a remote user. It's better to be safe than sorry.
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