How to Get Rid of Virus Alerts

Virus alerts are designed to inform users when their computer is infected or at risk of being infected by a virus. But some programs alert users about viruses and potential problems on an annoyingly frequent basis. While alerts can be useful, you can stop virus alert pop-ups from occurring very simply by altering your preferences of the security center.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Windows computer
• Antivirus software (standard on Vista and XP operating systems)
• Ad-Aware

1. Open the "Start Menu" and highlight the "All Programs" icon. This will open a new sidebar of all the folders available. Place the mouse over the "Accessories" icon in the start menu and scroll to the "System tools" icon, then click on "Security Center."

2. The Security Center icon will open a new window. Click the tab in the window that says "Virus Protection." The tab will open and you will see several different virus protection options.

3. Uncheck the "virus protection" box. A small dialog box will pop up. Click "okay" to confirm the changes you have made.

4. Open an Internet browser and search for "Ad-Aware." You will be directed to the Ad-Aware website. Click the "Download" button that appears in the middle of the page. Follow the system prompts to install the program.

5. Run an Ad-Aware scan on the entire computer to ensure you have no erroneous viruses. If a virus appears, follow the steps given by the program for removing it. You have now removed all alerts from your computer without compromising the safety of the system.

References

• Spyware Void
• Ghacks

Resources

• Ad-Aware