Viruses
- How do I remove a detected virus?
- What is a computer virus?
- How does a virus infect a computer?
- What are the most common types of viruses?
- What are the most common symptoms of viruses?
- What does antivirus software do?
- I think that my system may have a virus but my software doesn't detect it. What should I do?
- programs taking longer to start or running more slowly than usual
- disk accesses seem excessive for simple tasks
- access lights turn on for non referenced devices
- unexplained decreases in the amount of available memory or system resources
- programs or files mysteriously disappear
- a sudden reduction in disk space
- executable files change size and unexplained hidden files appear
Some viruses cannot be completely removed by anti-virus software. Many times you have to boot the computer from an OS CD and then run your software. You should also remember to temporarily turn off System Restore. You may also contact Red Shift Customer Care at 831-655-8710. We have two repair shops one in Salinas and one in Monterey for easy drop off.
A virus is a piece of code that uses a computer’s resources to spread and replicate. The replication occurs without the user’s knowledge.
Different viruses have different ways of infecting a computer or floppy disk. Infection can occur if you start your computer from an already infected disk, use an infected file or application on your computer, or use your disk in an infected computer that then spreads the infection to your disk. To help keep Windows machines more secure, install the latest security patches and software updates. Also, have secure passwords to log onto your computer with and keep your anti-virus protection up-to-date.
The most common type of virus currently is the macro virus. The second most common is the boot sector infector. Other common viruses that infect applications are called file infectors. Most viruses now prevalent are one of these types or are a combination of them.
Some computer viruses alert you to their presence by putting an unexpected message on your screen. Others use more subtle methods.
Things to watch for:
Antiviral software attempts to prevent, detect, and remove viral infections. There are three ways in which antiviral software attempts to do this: activity monitoring, change detection, and scanning. Most antiviral software uses or makes available all three.
The key to making sure your system is virus-free is to use antiviral software and keep it up to date. Old software is not, and cannot be, aware of new viruses.
If you think that your system has a virus, don’t panic. Make sure that you have the most current version of antiviral software. If one package sees something that another doesn’t, make sure that both packages are up to date. If you are using the current version of antiviral software and it still doesn’t see anything, bring a copy of the suspect files to your local support provider; he or she can have the files examined.
