How to Get Rid of Viruses & Clean My Computer
Viruses and spyware are a major threat when it comes to computer systems. Removal of certain viruses can be a difficult and time consuming task, but with a little bit of preparation it can be done.
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Instructions
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Download anti-virus software if you don't already have it on your computer. In addition, download a spyware/malware scanner and McAfee's Stinger application, which is a light-weight yet powerful virus scanner that recognizes and removes over 2,000 viruses, trojans and variants.
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Run your computer in safe mode for any virus removal procedure if you suspect that your computer has a virus, worm or other unwanted software that you want the protective software to remove.
To start safe mode, restart your computer and hold down the F8 key (may be different depending on computer) during the boot process. A list of boot options will show up. Go down to Safe Mode and press Enter.
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Run the McAfee Stinger application that you downloaded earlier. This should help deal with any major viruses, trojans or variants. Once the process has completed exit the utility.
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Run your regular virus scan to detect and remove any additional files that have infected the computer. Your virus scan should be able to pick up any files not detected by McAfee Stinger.
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Run your adware/malware scanning software to remove spyware from your computer.
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In certain cases, a virus scanner may not be able to remove a virus with a serious threat level. In such cases, if you have been able to determine the name of the virus or trojan from your virus scanner, search online for specific instructions and special software to remove the virus.
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Once the removal has been completed, run Disk Cleanup to remove unnecessary files on your computer as a regular maintenance measure. Disk Cleanup can be accessed by clicking on "Start Menu," "Accessories" and then "System Tools."
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Tips & Warnings
Keep your anti-virus and malware scanning software current by regularly downloading updates. New threats are released all the time and the makers of your protective software will issue patches to fight them.
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- Photo Credit computer virus image by Marina Bartel from Fotolia.com
