Infected with a Virus? Need Basic (Free) Virus Protection?

Is your system infected?

• Boot into “Safe Mode with Networking” by holding F8 before you see the Windows loading screen.
• Download CCleaner; Analyze, and clean (this clears the crud).
• Download Malwarebytes, install, run updates, and run a full scan.

How to Keep Your Computer Virus Free

• Don’t use Internet Explorer. Use Firefox or Chrome.
• Make sure everything on your Windows system is up-to-date. This includes Flash and Java which often bug you. Those are both platforms through which viruses can come. For system updates, make sure Windows update is working and current.
• Install only one antivirus program. I’ve been using Microsoft Security Essentials; it’s basic (and free).
• I run Winpatrol on my system (the free version) – it monitors program installations, and asks if you would like a program to run at start up or not.
• Clean up your system periodically using CCleaner (including the registry tool) – I use the free version of this as well..
• Download and periodically run Spybot (also free).
• Try the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool.
• Browse for and remove potentially malicious or unwanted programs from your system. To browse programs, go to the the Start Menu (lower left) > Control Panel > Programs and Features (Windows 7) or Add or Remove Programs (Windows XP), and select the program to uninstall it. Not sure what a program does, or if it’s malicious? Google it to see what it does.

How to Wipe a Hard Drive

• Download Dariks Boot and Nuke http://www.dban.org/download
• Burn it to a CD
• Windows XP will need http://cdburnerxp.se/en/download
• Windows 7, VIsta, and Linux have ISO burning built in
• Boot the computer to the CD.
• You may need to activate the temporary boot menu, look for prompts when your computer starts up

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From Boulder Community Computers, a great organization that restores PCs and provides them at a low cost to non-profit organizations.