How can you fix computers from viruses?

Answer 1

Ok the one solution to repairing a computer with a virus, not knowing what virus it is, would be to back up important data on a removable storage device, and format the computer. When bringing your data back online make sure to check the backed up data on the removable storge device with an updated, defined anti-virus software. Most viruses however can be cleaned, removed, or quarantined using up-to-date anti-virus software like McAffee, or Norton Anti-Virus. These will only identify and work if you can get the most updated virus definition files.

Answer 2

I guess it depends on your computer, the operating system you're using, what protection you may have on it and what kind of viruses that may have infected the computer in question.

In my suggestions, I'll offer some advice to how to protect (and hopefully fix an infected computer ) from viruses, spyware and other types of malware.

With so many Computer Viruses, hackers, phishers, spammers, spyware, adware, malware, rootkits and various other nasties lurking about on the internet, it's important to take measures to help secure your computer and the information on it.

In this post I will suggest a few really good free programs that can help to protect your Windows PC (all of the programs I mention in this post have been used on my Windows XP computer, but most of them will probably work on other Windows versions as well).

Before installing or running any new programs though, I might suggest you make a "System Restore" checkpoint of your system, as well as having any important files backed-up. That way if anything seems to screw-up, you can do a roll-back to that checkpoint if need be.

In XP, you can do this by clicking on "Start", then select "All Programs", "Accessories", "System Tools" then choose "System Restore". Upon running, you will see an option to make a new Restore point.

Anti-Virus:

First off, you definitely should have an active and up-to-date anti-virus program on your system. You should only have one anti-virus program installed on the same system at the same time, otherwise having more than one anti-virus programs installed and running may give conflicts to each other as well as causing unnecessary usage of your system's resources as well as perhaps causing a slowdown of speed and performance.

If you don't already have an anti-virus program installed, or if you're looking to try a different anti-virus program, then I highly recommend trying AntiVir. I've been using it for the last few years now on my computers, and I find it works great, only takes up a little resources and doesn't seem to slow down my system compared to other anti-virus programs I've tried in the past (such as Norton's and Mcafee's). And best of all, you can download a totally Free version.

Visit their site at: http://www.free-av.com/

Click on the "Product" link on their site, then choose the "Avira AntiVir Personal - FREE Antivirus" in which you'll then be taken to a page for a download link.

The free version works great, you can check for updated definitions anytime you like or set it to check on a schedule. They do have a pay-for "Premium" version which has a few more features if you'd like instead.

A couple of things that may bug you a little about the free-version is the pop-up nag window to try and convince you to buy the Premium version every time you check for an update. But this is a minor annoyance considering it's still a great program that you're using for free. Also, sometimes when they release a big update, the free-version sometimes can take longer to connect to their update servers. However in that case if you can't connect to update, you could still go to their website, download the update file, then choose to have the program manually update from that file. There is also a fairly active forum they have there if you need some help or more information.

Anti-Spyware / Anti-Adware / Anti-Malware:

Spyware and Adware (also generally known as Malware ) can also be quite nasty, and in a way is much like a virus, but I guess the main difference is that a virus will attempt to spread itself to other computers (usually through harvesting your email lists and trying to email a copy of itself to your contacts, or via instant-messengers type programs), or by spreading through whatever other networking connections it may have available. Whereas spyware / adware / malware type of programs tend to focus on the computer it has infected and tries it's best to harvest your information and send it back to big-brother via internet, or to just simply cause damage or to perhaps try to convince you to buy some piece-of-crap software that will most likely end up installing more junk on your system.

Here are links to a few good free utilites that you can use to help protect against, and/or scan for and remove these types of malwares.

Ad-Aware from

http://www.lavasoft.com/

Look for the "Download Ad-Aware Free" link on their page. You'll then be taken to a page in which you can download the free version, or if you so wish they have an "Ad-Aware Plus" version which is free to try, but you'd have to pay for it after the trial-period expires.

After installing, be sure to check for updates to have the most current definitions.

I find Ad-Aware to be a fairly good program that scans for and in most cases can easily remove most malware.

SpyBot Search & Destroy from

http://www.spybot.com/

First click on the language of choice from their main page (In my case, English).

Look under the "Products" and you should see a link to "SpyBot Search and Destroy".

After clicking that, you should be able to find the download link.

Though SpyBot works in a similar way to Ad-Aware for scanning for and removing junk, SpyBot seems maybe not quite as easy-to-use as Ad-Aware. But it does have more features and options. Also, it has a special added bonus with a little utility you can opt to install called "Tea Timer", which will help to protect your computer real-time against various malwares. So the Tea-Timer can work something like an Anti-Virus program, but it's more like an Anti-Spyware program. Anyways, it only takes up a little resource and gives more active protection to your system.

SpywareBlaster from

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

This nice little utility will help to protect against spyware junk from being installed on you computer before it has a chance. After installing, check for updates to get the most current definitions. Then choose to "Enable All Protection". Read their page for more info on how it works.

FireWall:

The last few Windows versions has a built-in Firewall feature, but it's a little bit like swiss-cheese. It seems to do an "ok" job, but it still let's lots of stuff slip through some "holes" it may not cover and the user has little control of any options other than turning it on or off.

The firewall program that I have been using for many years is a free version of "Sygate Personal Firewall". I think perhaps the program may no longer be actively supported, but once installing it I've never had a need to update it anyways and it works great and with some good features. You'll need to "train it" at first of which programs are good to allow connection to the internet, but after that training-period, if you check the box for "Remember this setting" and "Yes" to allow a good program (Such as your browser), then afterward it will automatically know which programs to allow.

An active link in which you can still download their free version is

SPF from TuCows.com

http://www.tucows.com/preview/213160

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Oh yes, if after installing any anti-virus and anti-spyware programs and you want to do a full scan to check for nasties that may be lurking (viruses and spywares and such), I might suggest to do the scanning in Safe Mode, as when Windows boots in normal mode, IF a computer did have any virus or malware, a lot of times they try to hide and/or protect themselves from being detected or removed. Whereas booting into Safe-Mode, only the bare-minimum Windows drivers and such will load in, and usually viruses and malwares can't load in Safe-Mode (but that's not always the case).

Anyways, to enter Safe Mode, when you first turn your computer on, try tapping the "F8" key a few times before the Windows logo appears, and hopefully you'll see a boot-up menu. Use the up-down arrow keys to highlight the "Safe Mode" choice from the menu, then "Enter" key to select. Once in Safe Mode, you should hopefully be able to more thoroughly run your scans.

Whew! Well, there ya go. That's a few great programs that I use to help protect my computers.

I guess everyone's got their personal favorites of what they prefer and seems to work good for them. But I thought I'd throw out a few options that are FREE to download and use, plus in my personal experience of using them I find they work great.

Remember, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"! Be protected to help prevent problems from happening. So, be smart and play safe.

Best wishes, --- Don.

Answer 3

A few random remedies are

• Get an Anitvirus program
• Run a full system scan and remove the virus
• Delete the infected file
• Use system restore (Win XP)
• Reinstall the OS (not recommended, only use as a last resort)

You probably should download an antispyware removal program and run it. I recommend MalwareBytes (malwarebytes.org). It's free. Make sure to update the program before running and run a full scan using Windows Safe Mode (Reboot PC and press the F8 key a couple of times before the Windows screen appears. Enter Safe Mode, or Safe Mode with Networking if you need network access).

Answer 4

you often have to pay but keep a good system like avg or norton and run regular scans. viruses will be removed automatically.

Even Quick heal is the good one. Whatever antivirus you use but keep updating them and do regular Scans.

Answer 5

Well you could take it to a computer technician or install some anti-virus software.