Virus Removal | What to Do When Your Computer Gets Hit

Virus Removal – What to Do When Your Computer Gets Hit

The interface of your computer suddenly looks different, or maybe your programs are taking longer than usual to load up. These are sure signs that your computer has been hit by a virus. This also means that you have to worry about virus removal pretty soon. The key is not to panic. Panic can cause you to delete your hard disk and reformat your operating system just because the alarm of your anti-virus software went off. You actually don’t have to do any of these things—not initially, anyway. Follow the steps to remove the virus from your computer without affecting everything else.

If you have an anti-virus software program, look at its options. The words “quarantine” and “delete” should be included in the pop up warning window once the anti-virus program detects the infection. Whether it’s a Trojan or a Worm, quarantine it immediately to stop it from getting into your files. Once you have it quarantined, delete it. If the virus was fast, you might lose some data in the process, but at least you won’t lose all of your files in your virus removal.
If you don’t have an anti-virus protection yet, it’s not too late. Install a reputable anti-virus software program to weed out the virus from your files. Update the anti-virus program first to make sure that its shields are updated, and then run a scan to initiate your virus removal. This can take as long as an hour because it’s the first time the program is scanning your computer. Be patient and wait for the results. You’ll be given a list of all the ad wares, malwares, and worms you’ve accumulated in your system. Once the scan is complete, quarantine the viral infections and delete them. Again, you may lose infected files that couldn’t be cleaned by the program anymore. Just be thankful that you’re not wiping out your entire hard disk.
Do not install two anti-virus programs in your system. A common misconception about anti-virus software is that you can never install too many in a single OS. Wrong. Two is always a crowd, and two programs running scans on your computer can cause lags and even system crashes. Instead of installing two anti-virus programs to your PC for virus removal, choose the one which fetches the best reviews and install this to your system. A word of caution: it’s tempting to install free anti-virus programs to your PCs because they’re free, but they don’t always offer the best protection. Free anti-virus programs may be convenient, but they miss out on the best features of a paid anti-virus software program. One of them is a 24-hour technical support. Always weigh everything before settling for a freebie.
Common sense can keep you from worrying about virus removal all the time. Sometimes, computers get infected because of the carelessness of computer users themselves. When you’re checking your email, immediately delete messages that look suspicious. Do not visit sites that are questionable, especially those that invite you to download executable files. As much as possible, so not use disks from other people for file transfer. If you have to insert a questionable disk into your drive, run a scan first. Never use your computer without virus protection. You should have one installed, whether it’s free or paid for.