Cryptic error messages, hour long startups, dirty pop-ups, and other strange behavior, seem to plague many people's PCs. This can become so bad that people throw out a good computer and buy a new one because they think it is irreparable. Never fear there is hope, even for the worst of infestations.
How to fix it...
1. Get a some software.
-If your computer is badly infected then use someone else's computer to download the required software.
-download:
Spybot Search and Destroy
AVG Anitvirus (the free version)
Advanced WindowsCare Personal
Threatfire
2. Restart your PC and then boot into safe mode.
-To get into safe mode, restart and then just before the Windows startup screen comes on push F5. This should get you to a screen that will ask you if you want to boot to safe mode.
-Log on to your account
3. Once you are in safe mode, install both AVG and Spybot.
4. Let both of them update.
5. Run a full system scan with AVG.
6. Order a pizza. (the scan might take over an hour)
7. When it is done you might have to restart. If you restart make sure you boot back into safe mode.
8. Run Spybot
9. Take your family out for ice cream. (this might take a while also)
10. When you are done with the scan, click the "Fix Selected Problems" (It's toward the top)
11. Once again you may need to restart and it might ask if you want to run it again when it restarts, say yes and then let your computer restart.
12. This time let your computer boot up normally.
13 . Spybot will run one more time to finish it's clean up.
14. Install Advanced WindowsCare. IMPORTANT: When you install it, it will want to install a Yahoo tool bar and change your default search engine to be Yahoo. Don't let it, uncheck the option boxes.
15. Run Advanced WindowsCare
16. When it is done with it's scan, click on the "Show Details" next to the Startup Manage button.
17. Go through each item in the green highlighted area and read the description about each. Decide which ones you need and which ones you don't, then uncheck the ones you don't need.
18. The items that are not highlighted in green do not have a description, look them up on google, then decide if it is something you need to have running.
19. When you have taken care of your startup items, click "OK" then click "Repair" on the main screen.
20. Install Threatfire.
21. Done. You should have your computer full repaired. Some viruses can be a little harder to remove. If you think you might need to check a little deeper then download and run the malicious software remover from Microsoft.
Of course this is not perfect but it will take care of most infestations. Here are a few tips to follow:
- Never let your computer get out of hand. You won't have to do all this every time if you keep your PC clean all you will have to do is scan your computer with Spybot every month or so.
- Keep AVG running and updated.
- Don't use Norton's. It is expensive, bloated, ineffective, and will suck the power out of your computer.
- Don't give into ads that tell you that you have viruses or spyware on your computer. These will install spyware and not be effective.
- Read my past posts for tips on keeping your PC clean.
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