Computer Virus: How To Detect and Remove Them

Computer viruses are responsible for making your computer slow and damaging your essential documents and programs. If you don’t want to afford data loss and system damage, you should make your PC virus-free. If you don’t have any proper way of making your PC virus-free, this article is for you.

In this article, we have mentioned the possible way to get rid of PC viruses and a guide that will teach you how to protect your system from such harmful viruses.

What is Computer Virus?

In simple words, computer viruses are codes or programs designed to ruin the perfect working condition of computers. Like other viruses, a computer virus can also replicate itself and be transferred from one device through the medium of external hardware or the internet.

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A small computer virus can disturb your computer’s operating system and damage your important files and documents. In any computer, the virus doesn’t appear naturally. Humans intentionally created them, maybe for business purposes. You’ve heard about those Paypal Scams that ask you for money, there can be a cause of Malware your computer is infected with.

READ: Some free best antivirus for Windows 8 or 8.1

How do these virus spread?

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There is not only one way that virus can spread. There are many possible ways from which a virus may infect your computer. The most common virus transfer method is from one computer to another computer through cables, disk, pen drive, and other hardware devices.

The virus can also spread through internet file download, unsecured sites, messages and email attachments, social media links, audio files, video files, and many more. There are many ways from which viruses may attack your system. That’s why you should know how to tackle such problems.

If you are wondering if completely formatting can remove viruses, yes if you are planning to format the whole drive and not just a partition.

Different Computer Virus Types

1.Resident Virus- This virus has a direct effect on system RAM and operating system.

2.Boot Sector Virus- This virus inserts into your system through an infected USB and then attacks the computer system.

3.Multipartite Virus- This virus may infect the entire system.

4.Direct Action Virus- This virus directly targets the file formats.

5.Browser Hijacker- This virus affects normal web browsing functions.

Symptoms Your PC Might Have A Computer Worm

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If proper attention and maintenance are not provided to the computer system, the virus may attack your computer anytime. Viruses are not that kind to inform you that they have arrived inside your PC and start damaging your system. However, there are some symptoms by which you can find whether a virus is attacking your computer or not.

  1. Computer hangs frequently
  2. Unwanted messages are displayed on the screen
  3. Not Responding to different files and applications
  4. Unwanted programs run without even starting them
  5. Getting lots of unwanted mails
  6. Frequent crashes
  7. Computer runs slow
  8. Automatically closing of apps and files

Any of the symptoms mentioned above means that a virus infects your PC or some malware is affecting your laptop/computer. That gives a good sign that you have a virus if you face two or three symptoms at a time.

How to get rid of these viruses and malwares?

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Download Vipre Antivirus and use the 30-day trial to clean your computer.

Computer viruses are invisible. To get rid of the computer virus, you need an antivirus. The following are the six steps that will help your computer to be completely virus-free:

Step 1: Enter into safe mode

  • Restart your computer device.
  • When the computer lights turn on after a restart, keep pressing F8 to get the advance boot option.
  • Click the option ‘Safe Mode with Networking’

Step 2: Remove any temporary files

  • To delete any temporary files, first, click on the windows button
  • Look for windows administrative tools
  • Then click the ‘Disk Cleanup’ option
  • You will get the ‘Files to delete’ option in which select ‘Temporary Files
  • Then click the ok button

Step 3: Download and run a virus scanner

  • Now select your preferred antivirus software or any free internet security software.
  • Run the software and scan for viruses

Step 4: Delete the virus

After scanning the virus, the antivirus software will show the list of virus-infected files. Delete all those viruses and again rescan your computer system to ensure that there isn’t any virus left in the computer system.

Step 5: Restart your computer

Once you are done clearing all the viruses, now you can restart your computer system. After the restart, your safe mode will also be disabled.

Step 6: Update all your software and password

Now, your computer or laptop is free from viruses. To be safer from the upcoming computer virus, it will be a good idea to upgrade your password, operating system, and essential software.

Safety practices against computer virus

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Following given are some helpful tips that will help your computer system to remain safe from the possible attacks of viruses:

1.Install Antivirus Software- If you want to protect your computer from viruses, you need to have antivirus software. This is the first step you need to take to protect your computer system. There are lots of good antivirus software like Kaspersky, NOD 32, Avira, Avast, etc.

2.Do not use pirated software- Many people use pirated software thinking that it will save them money. They successfully save their money and let lots of viruses enter their computer system and damage their system. So we should avoid using such pirated software.

3.Install Firewall- Firewalls help identify and block any unnecessary data from entering your computer device prevents your system from unwanted access and various malware.

4.Avoid Open Wi-Fi- You might find free open Wi-Fi in a coffee shop, airport, hospital, and at different public places. You have to think twice before using such Wi-Fi because all your data will flow through that Wi-Fi, and attackers may send you some malicious files to your system.

5.Keep backup of essential files- Keeping all the backup of your important files is very good practice. You don’t know when a virus may attack your system. To be on the safe side, you should create a backup of your important files and keep them secure in your drive or external storage device.

6.Update your antivirus software- Just installing antivirus software is not enough to protect your computer from viruses. After having the software installed, you need to update that software time and again to filter computer viruses effectively.

7.Donot click unsecured website- There are lots of websites containing lots of viruses and malicious programs that require just a single click to enter your system. You can tell whether the website is suspicious or not by looking at the URL. For example, www.windowslovers.tisd.com is not www.windowslovers.com

Thank you for reading this article. I hope we have answered all your queries through this article. If you still have some questions regarding removing computer viruses from the system, let us know in the comment section.

Prajwal is a senior editor @Windowslovers. A Tech enthusiast who loves to read and write articles that aid users in getting the most out of their gadgets and tech it easy.

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