Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Monitor the operation of your computer
• Method 2 of 3: Keep an eye on programs
• Method 3 of 3: Fight a virus infection
• Tips

Computer viruses come in all shapes and sizes, but what they have in common is that they are always harmful to the health of your computer. The effects differ per virus, but in this article you can read how to recognize the signs of a typical computer virus. Keep in mind that your computer can also show one of these signs when no virus is present. Problems with hardware and software can cause the same symptoms.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Monitor the operation of your computer

1. Check the activity of your hard drive. If no programs are running and you still see your hard drive light turning on and off, or you hear the drive spinning, a virus could be causing it.
2. Check how long it takes for your computer to start up. If you find that booting takes much longer than usual, a virus could be the culprit.
   • If you cannot log in to Windows, even if you are sure that you are using the correct login information, then a virus has probably taken over the login process.
3. Look at the lights on your modem. If no programs are running and you can still see from the lights that data is being sent through your modem, a virus may be retrieving and sending data through your network.

Method 2 of 3: Keep an eye on programs

1. Keep an eye out for programs crashing. If programs you use often crash more often, it could be caused by a virus in the operating system. Programs that take longer to load or that respond slowly can also be a sign on the wall.
2. Watch for pop-ups. A virus infection is often accompanied by notifications, even when no programs are running. These could be advertisements, error messages or other messages.
   • Viruses can also change the background image of your desktop without permission. If the background image has suddenly changed, it could be caused by a virus.
3. Watch out for programs that want to access your firewall. If you keep popping up messages asking for access to your firewall, your computer may be infected. You are getting these notifications because the program is trying to send data through your router.
4. View your files. Viruses often delete files or folders or make changes without permission. If your files keep disappearing, chances are you have a virus.
5. Check the web browser. Your browser may suddenly have a new home page, or you may no longer be able to close certain tabs. Pop-ups can appear the moment you open your browser. This is usually a sign that a browser has been taken over by a virus or spyware.
6. Talk to friends and colleagues. If you have a virus, your contacts may receive messages that you did not send yourself. These emails often contain other viruses and advertisements. If you hear from people that they are receiving strange e-mails from you, your computer probably has a virus.
7. Open Task Manager. Press Ctrl + Alt + Del to open Windows Task Manager. If you can no longer open Task Manager, it is probably due to a virus.

Method 3 of 3: Fight a virus infection

1. Install an antivirus program. You must have an anti-virus program running on your computer at all times. If you don't already have one, you can choose from a number of free programs, such as AVG or Avast.Download and install one of these programs.
   • If you cannot access the internet due to the virus infection, you can download the program on another computer and then transfer the installer to the infected computer with a USB stick.
   • Many websites have banners stating that your computer is infected. Never click on links or buttons in these notifications, because then you will get viruses. Trust only your installed antivirus software for virus detection.
2. Boot in safe mode. The antivirus will probably work much better if you run it from Windows Safe Mode. To boot in safe mode, restart your computer and press the F8 key several times until the "Advanced Boot Options" screen opens. Now select "Safe Mode".
3. Reinstall Windows. If nothing else works and the virus cannot be removed with an antivirus program, there may be no alternative but to reinstall Windows. First, back up your important data and then follow the steps in this article to install a new operating system on your computer.

Tips

• If you download something and its name looks like, for example, "IMG0018.exe", it could well be a virus.
• Do NOT download attachments in emails unless you are sure what they are. This is a common way of spreading viruses.
• Make sure your antivirus software is up to date, that you don't open shady websites, and that you don't open random emails.
• Back up your computer to an external hard drive, or even an internal drive that you can remove and keep in a safe place.