Virus Software Online

After you open and run an infected program or attachment on your computer, you might not realize that you’ve introduced a virus until you notice something isn’t quite right.

Here are some signs that your system might be infected:

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  • Runs consistently more slowly than normal
  • Stops responding or locks up often
  • Crashes and restarts every few minutes
  • Restarts on its own and then fails to run normally
  • Applications don’t work properly
  • Disks or disk drives are inaccessible
  • Printing doesn’t work correctly
  • You see unusual error messages
  • You see distorted menus and dialog boxes

These are common signs of infection, but they could also indicate hardware or software problems that have nothing to do with a virus.  The bottom line is that unless you install up-to-date antivirus software on your computer, there is no way to be certain if your computer is infected with a virus or has some other problem.

How do I remove a virus?

Even for an expert, removing a virus properly from a system is often a daunting task without the help of specific tools designed for the job.  Some viruses and other unwanted software (including spyware) are even designed to reinstall themselves after they have been detected and removed!  Fortunately, through updating your computer with antivirus software upgrades and running frequent scans, you can permanently remove unwanted viruses and help prevent future infections.

• Check your antivirus software program for an automatic update feature or visit the program’s website to find updates.
• Do a full scan to detect all infected files.
• Your antivirus software program should remove the virus automatically or with little interaction from you.  Some files may be repaired, meaning the virus has been removed without harming the file.  However, others may have to be removed or “quarantined” in a special folder or archive where they can’t do any harm.
• Look at the list of infected files and try to restore any files you need.  If they are executable files, reinstall the program that contained them.