Computer Service Advice – Symptoms of a Computer Virus

Computer Sales and Service receives a number of calls from customers who think their computers may be infected with some sort of malware (including viruses, trojans, spyware, and worms). Computer infections are a serious concern since malware can interfere with the operation of the computer, capture sensitive information, and corrupt or delete data and programs.

The three most common symptoms of being infected we see are:

1. One type of malware (called a “rogue” antivirus) blatantly and repeatedly notifies you that your computer is infected and states that it can remove your infection once you provide an online credit card payment. This malware is a virus that must be removed to gain control of your computer.

2. A second type of malware will redirect your web searches to completely unrelated websites, or your computer will display frequent popup advertising even when you are not on the Internet.

3. Your normal antivirus program is disabled without reason and cannot be restarted. Any attempts to reinstall any antivirus program are not successful.

If you experience any of the above symptoms, your computer is most likely infected. There are other symptoms of infections that are more subtle. For example, an infection may cause your computer to run unusually slow, or you may see icons on your desktop unrelated to any programs that you installed.

One easy way to check to see if you may be infected is to use one of the free online virus scanners available on the Internet. These online virus scanners provide a useful “second opinion” when you feel you may be infected. However, your computer must be able to browse the Internet. Two reputable online malware scanners are:

Housecall by Trend Micro: http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

Activescan by Panda Security: http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeusers/solutions/activescan/

For virus removal and other computer and laptop repair services, call us at Computer Sales and Service located at 1936 Linda Drive in Pleasant Hill, CA. We can be reached at 925-827-1200 Monday through Saturday. We provide computer repair service at our location and provide computer and networking services at your location.