by Stephen Cook

Created on: September 05, 2010

Don’t panic! Even if your computer is infected with a virus or spyware, there is still hope! Take a deep breath and follow these next steps so that you can get your computer freed from any viruses or spyware:

If you have any extremely important files on your computer, then you should copy them to a device such as a flash drive. If the files are document files or pictures or other things that you have created, then chances are that the files aren’t infected by a virus. After you have saved the important files to a safe location, you can then begin to rid your computer of the pesky virus.

If you have the suspicion that your computer has a virus, due to things such as random, annoying pop-ups or undesired actions or processes, then you need to get a good anti-virus system. Some recommended anti-virus programs that can be downloaded for free from Download.com (which is a part of CNET) are Malwarebytes, AVG Anti-Virus Free, and Spybot Search and Destroy. All of these programs do a very good job of finding viruses and spyware and getting rid of them – and they’re free! After you have downloaded an anti-virus program run it so that you can find the virus or spyware that is lurking on your computer and then fix it.

If you already have an anti-virus program, check to make sure that it is working properly and hasn’t been blocked or stopped by the virus on your computer. Check to see if the latest update for the virus definitions have been applied. After updating to the most recent virus definitions, then you should run a scan to find the pesky virus that is hiding in your computer. Your anti-virus program should then get rid of the bad file so that your computer can be “healed” from the virus.

Once you have gotten rid of the virus or spyware on your computer, you should go back and use your anti-virus program to scan the files on the device where you backed up your important files. If by some odd chance those files had a virus in them, then you don’t want to spread the virus or spyware to other computers, devices, or even your own computer again!

In order to be ready for the unfortunate occurrence of your computer becoming infected again by another virus or spyware, you should back up all of the files on your computer to a separate device, such as a flash drive or an external hard drive. Doing this can give you peace of mind; you’ll know that all of your files are backed up in case a crippling virus takes hold of your computer, or even if your computer crashes from a glitch.

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