Have you got a Computer Virus...?

There may be a virus lurking in your computer without you knowing. Read on to learn a bit more.Do you have a computer?...Do you find it is now slower than when you first used it?...Viruses are the most common causes of PC problems, read on to find out if you may be affected.

What are computer viruses & what do they do to my PC?

A dictionary defines computer viruses as small software programs that are designed to spread from one computer to another and to interfere with computer operation.  A virus can corrupt data on your computer, send itself to all the people in your contact list, or even erase everything on your hard disk. 


Here are some signs & symptoms your computer might be infected:

On your computer:

  • Error messages or pop ups on your screen
  • Runs more slowly than normal, stops responding or locks up often
  • Crashes and restarts every few minutes or restarts on its own and then fails to run normally
  • Applications on your computer don't work correctly
  • Disks or disk drives are inaccessible
  • You can't print correctly
  • You see unusual error messages
  • You see distorted menus and dialog boxes


How can I prevent myself from getting a virus?

Prevention is better than cure when it comes to computer viruses

Anti virus programs
Most importantly make sure that you have a good anti-Virus program installed and ensure that you keep it up-to-date by downloading the latest updates regularly! (you can set up many anti virus programs to download the latest updates automatically by activating the scheduler).  There are many Anti-Virus programs available such as Norton, Panda, and AVG.  AVG is free for home users and is recommended by many PC magazines. 

I am often asked “How have I got a virus on my PC, I have got an Anti-Virus program!”, the best way I can explain it is that you cannot find a cure for a virus until someone’s PC has caught it.  Therefore, at best, all Anti-Virus programs are preventative, they prevent you from catching known viruses but you could be unfortunate and catch a new virus that hasn’t had a cure developed yet.

File sharing programs
Be very careful when choosing to use file-sharing programs. These are programs that allow you to transfer information directly from another persons pc to your own via the internet and is a very easy way for viruses to spread from machine to machine.  If you do use a file sharing program firstly make sure that what you are doing is legal and that the program is provided by a reputable company.

Emails
Keep a careful eye on your Emails. Emails can contain viruses so never open one that you dont feel is genuine.  People who create viruses and hide them in emails are very crafty and will often word the text carefully to try to convince you to either open it and in doing so release the virus, or to send them personal information.  Generally it is better to be safe than sorry so if you are ever unsure about an email just erase it without opening. 

Spam
It is a fare bet that if you have an email address that is used regularly you will be being being bombarded with "spam".  Spam is the computer equivalent of junk mail that we receive through the post and can also contain viruses.  A good anti virus program will filter out all of the rubbish and place it in a spam folder and should allow the genuine emails to get through to your inbox generally without a problem, but bear in mind that this is not a fail safe process ocassionally some rogue emails will still get through and some genuine emails will be filtered out as spam so check the spam folder (where your anti virus program places the rubbish) once a day to make sure that you havn't missed anything.


What do I do if I have got a virus?

If your anti virus program told you then use it to try and remove the virus, or follow the instructions on the Anti Virus suppliers web site for the named virus it has identified. You may need to update your anti virus and other security program and run them more than once to clear the problem. If this doesn’t work then it may be better to call a professional.


Info supplied by Andrews Computers...your local computer experts based in Thornwood Essex.  If you live in West Essex, London, Hertfordshire, Redbridge or any of the surrounding areas and need advice or help regarding problems with your pc, pc repairs or upgrades, networking, virus removal, software or hardware problems or anything else to do with your computer click on Andrews Computers link here  www.andrewscomputers.co.uk for more information and a list of services.