by Jennifer Jowsey

Created on: August 20, 2008

If your computer is running sluggishly, your screen is covered in pop-ups, or your desktop is suddenly littered with strange icons, you may be infected with a virus or spyware. Below are some quick, easy, and free things you can do to fix your computer if you suspect it is infected with a virus or spyware.

One of the simplest but often overlooked things you can do to immediately stop a virus or spyware attack is to empty the temporary files in your web browser. Many viruses and spyware programs store themselves in your temporary files and continue to launch every time you open the browser. Once you've cleared these files, close your browser and reopen it. This quick fix - which you should do routinely! - could save you many needless hours of headaches by keeping your computer clean and your data safe.

As a preventive measure, go to the website of your browser's manufacturer and see if an update or security patch is available. There may be a known exploit in your browser that the company has since fixed, but if you don't apply the patch or get the new version, you won't be protected.

If you're familiar with the Task Manager on your Windows computer, check the programs and process that are running on your machine. Open the task manager and sort by user name and review the list of running items that have your user name next to them. If you've never done this before, you may have to research a few of them to see what's legitimate and what isn't. If you are able to open a web browser, Google any items that you are unfamiliar with. If your virus or spyware has rendered your browser unusable, make a list and ask a friend to look them up.

Once you've identified suspicious programs or processes, use the End Task button to terminate those items. Does the behavior change? If you can get the virus or spyware to stop running by using End Task, you can move on to cleaning the virus or spyware from your computer.

Install and routinely run one or more spyware or virus removal tools. There are many good, reliable, free tools that can clear viruses and spyware. They can also identify vulnerabilities and possibly prevent future infections. Programs like Spybot, Ad Aware, A-Squared, Hijack This, AVG Anti-Virus, and CCleaner can identify and fix problems with minimal tech knowledge on your end.

Some of the spyware programs have an option to run in resident mode, so they're always active (like virus scan software), monitoring your system for changes. This can also help intercept spyware before it becomes an out-of-control problem on your computer.

Remember that new viruses and spyware programs are introduced daily; for a better likelihood of warding off future attacks, routinely update and patch any protective programs on your computer.

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