Here’s what to do if you suspect an infection on your Windows PC. (Please note these steps apply to both Windows XP and Vista.)
1) Are you sure it’s spyware or a virus? Windows pop-ups and alerts can often seem invasive enough to be viruses, especially with Vista. Try searching the web for the exact text you see on the screen to make sure you aren’t dealing with an aggressive Windows message. (Many of these can be turned off, so try whatever instructions you find.) On the other hand, some viruses masquerade as Windows alerts, so tread lightly.
2) Boot in safe mode. If you have a virus, first step is to try booting in safe mode. You can get to safe mode (a simplified version of Windows that disables a lot of extra gunk, possibly including some spyware apps) by restarting your PC and tapping F8 during boot. Soon you’ll get a menu of options. Select “Safe Mode” (it’s at the top of the menu) and wait for the machine to fully boot. The system will look funny (with a black background and larger icons, probably), but don’t worry about it. This is only temporary. (Also note that many spyware applications can disable safe mode, so if you find this doesn’t work, just boot normally.)
3) Run your antivirus application. This is of course assuming you have an antivirus application. You’re in safe mode now, so run a full scan of your PC at maximum security levels (include the option to scan within compressed files, for example). This will probably take an hour or more, so be patient. Fix any problems the virus scan turns up. Then reboot into safe mode again using the procedure in step 2.
4) Run one or two anti-spyware applications. I used to recommend running multiple anti-spyware apps, but virtually all antivirus apps now do a pretty good job at getting rid of spyware too, so you don’t need an army of additional applications just for spyware.
5) Reboot normally. (Not in safe mode.) Now take stock. Still got spyware? It’s time to move along to my more advanced techniques for removing the nasties.
6) Try System Restore. If that doesn’t work, you might try running Windows System Restore to roll back your OS to a time before the infection happened. This isn’t foolproof: You might not have System Restore turned on, or the spyware might have shut System Restore off, as well. But it’s worth a shot. With either XP or Vista, System Restore can be found under Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore.
9) Give up and wipe your hard drive. At this point, you’ve exhausted all the options I know of. You might try again at steps 1-4 to make sure you’ve done everything you can to salvage the PC. It’s just not possible to clean them all, every time. Sometimes the only thing you can do is call it quits, reformat your hard drive, and reinstall your OS. Again, make sure you have your backups ready and verified. Once you’re up and running, reinstall your antivirus and anti-spyware applications, and stay vigilant against infection. Good luck.
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