How to Scan and Remove Viruses for Free

You have an antivirus program but it could have been compromised by a recently released virus. Or you simply can't afford to buy one and you hate those free ones available online. Well, here's an option for you that's quick and simple.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Internet connection
• Web browser
• Administrator rights on your computer

1. Make sure you are connected to the Internet and you're online.
2. Open up Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.
3. Navigate to the following site: http://www.pandasoftware.com
4. Click on the image or link: 'Free Online Scan' or 'Try Activescan'.
5. On the resulting page, click on 'Scan Your PC Now'.
6. You will be asked to enter the following information:
   
   1. Country
   2. State
   3. Valid Email
7. Click on 'Free Online Scan'.
8. You will be told that an ActiveX component needs to be installed. Approve the installation. Your browser will then download the required software, which is around 8MB.
9. Once successfully installed, you will see a window with the various options available for scanning: Entire Computer or individual drives. Choose your options and click on 'Start Scan'.
10. Depending on the number of files and folders you have on your computer, the scan can take anywhere between a few minutes to more than an hour. Make sure your connection is uninterrupted. Go out for a cup of coffee. It should be done by the time you're back.

Tips & Warnings

• You should do this at least once a month, even if you already antivirus software
• The software will scan for spyware as well but won't clean them. Use alternative software such as Lavasoft's free Ad-Aware.