How to Remove A Computer Virus from Your System

Nowadays, computers have become almost indispensable but just like any other machine, a computer system requires regular maintenance. The greatest threat to computers is viruses. A virus is a program that saves itself to your PC without authorization. The virus goes ahead to implant itself in other useful computer programs and files with the sole intention of destroying or changing the data.

The bug finds its way into your computer through numerous varied hosts such as infected executable files, documents with attached scripts, or emails. If you don’t want the inconvenience the viruses cause, check out the following article on virus removal.

How to Remove a Virus from your Computer

The first step to virus removal is to determine that your computer has a virus attack. After you have ascertained the presence of virus, you can begin working on getting rid of it. Here are some steps you can take to ensure that you protect your machine from any kind of damage.

Step 1-Virus Definitions

Update you virus definitions. Chances are that the virus is relatively new or its a variation of older viruses, and designed and formatted to evade detection. Updating your virus definitions will allow a computer system to detect a virus more easily, and thus be in a position to flush out the bug.

Step 2-Anti-Virus Program

Equally important is to update your anti-virus program to have the latest security patch and definitions. Detection of the virus is not enough as you will need to use the anti-virus software to get rid of the PC bug once and for all. Check your anti-virus program for the automatic update feature or visit the program’s official website to find more on how to avail updates.

Step 3-Safe Mode

After updating, reboot your computer into safe mode. In Avast! do a boot time scan. Rebooting into safe mode or a boot time scan disables much of the normal start-up routine and thus renders the pesky viruses inactive in many cases. However, other protective measures are active in safe mode and thus you can easily detect the virus, and be in a position to easily get rid of it.

To reboot your PC into safe mode, restart your PC and press F8 before windows load. You may need to press F8 severally to allow the machine to take the command as it starts. A menu will appear from which you should select safe mode and then click enter.

Step 4-Computer Scan

Now that your machine is on, you can start scanning your computer for any virus. Make sure that you choose the full scan option, and this will scan every little space in your machine with the exception on any exclusions. A full virus scan can take a while so it is advisable to do the virus removal process when you’re not using the machine(probably should stop using it when you find a virus). However, if you know what virus has infected your computer, and which specific file has been effected, you can do a specialized scan on those files. Specialized scanning will remove that particular virus, but a full scan is still recommended.

Step 5-Virus Removal

Your anti-virus program should be able to automatically remove the virus upon detection, but there are instances where a little interaction is needed other than choosing to delete the virus, or move it to the virus chest. Some computer viruses are stubborn, and it might take some specialized instruction, or a technician to remove it.

Step 6-Repair the Damage

There’s a chance that a list of effected programs and files won’t function after the virus removal process. You may want to repair these programs by reinstalling the software, or repairing the operating system. Try to restore any files you need separately if possible, and if they are executable files, just simply reinstall the program.

You may also want to empty your recycle bin, uninstall any suspicious programs and empty your internet cache. Emptying your internet cache will helps you get rid of cookies and other saved internet files that may be affiliated to computer viruses. To prevent severe attacks, back up your data on a separate hard disk drive, and then you can restore your computer to an earlier date before the infection.

Prevention is better than cure, and in the case of computer viruses it definitely true. Make sure you protect your computer from spyware, viruses, and other harmful Mal-ware type software programs. Always have updated anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, browse intelligently, keep the system firewall on at all times and steer away from cra-cked software. In case of an attack, don’t panic. Just follow the fore-mentioned steps on virus removal and all will be well. Thank you.