Do It Yourself

info at risk of being lost.

Unless you are knowledgeable enough to be well placed to distinguish viruses from other types of hardware or software problems, an anti-virus software scanner should have perceived the virus for you. Once it has detected something, be sure to note down the precise name of the virus, as different viruses have different removal methods.

If your scanner notices either a ‘Bloodhound ‘ or ‘Eicar ‘ virus, you can safely delete these, as they are essentially not PC viruses. Instead they are files installed by your anti-virus software to ensure it’s working correctly. If possible, viruses should be deleted upon detection – particularly if they’re attached to an executable ( .exe ) file. If the file is one you want and do not have backed up, it is possible to disinfect the file, though this does not always work and could adversely affect your computer. You canNot just assume the malware is gone. Instead, it’s critical to have your antivirus software rescan your computer. Actually it is recommended you have two recent antivirus programs run scans on your computer, as they are known at times to find viruses the other one doesn’t .

Naturally, the best and most reliable technique of guaranteeing your personal computer is rid of viruses is taking preventive measures – most vital being always practicing safe computing. Dont open e-mail attachments from folks you dont know, and do not go to dodgy sites.