I think I have a virus what can I do?

[Bill_F]

How can I tell if I have a virus? What do I do? How can I prevent these in the future?

Bill

[wes_notebooks · Accepted solution]

Typically you will see one or more of the following symptoms:

• The computer takes longer to boot to the Windows desktop
• Applications will not load or frequently stop responding
• Frequent system error messages or errors loading applications
• Unfamiliar icons are added to the desktop
• Generally slow system performance, especially while browsing the Internet
• Browser windows close unexpectedly or stop responding
• The browser home page changes and cannot be reset
• Pop-up windows display more frequent and/or when the browser is not open
• Unfamiliar toolbars are added to the browser
• Default web search engine has changed
• Clicking a web link does nothing, or goes to an unrelated website
• Webpages are automatically added to your favorites list
• Email messages or social media posts are sent from users address without their knowledge
• Unexpected and near constant hard disk access

There may be other symptoms, but this is a pretty solid list.

What to Do If You Have a Virus

If you think your computer has a virus, check out the appropriate document below for more information on how to diagnose, deal with, and prevent future infections:

HP PCs - Computer Might Be Infected by a Virus or Malware (Windows 10, 😎

HP PCs - Computer Might Be Infected by a Virus or Malware (Windows 7, Vista, XP)

Just a heads up that typically, virus or malware infections are not covered under hardware warranty. You may be referred to a pay service like SmartFriend or asked to run a recovery.

Some Malware or Viruses can be very persistent and hard to effectively remove.  Ultimately, preparation for viruses if the best defense.  Reset to a factory state can sometimes be quicker and easier, assuming you are prepared. With that in mind:

• Remember to back up your data regularly, especially the data that is most important to you (photos, videos, personal documents, unfinished homework).
• If possible back up to more than one place like an external drive, CD, or DVDs.
  * Having clean back up of everything important will take some sting out of having to start over*
• Make sure you have created your recovery media and have it available. If you need assistance with this, review one of the following documents:
  

Performing an HP System Recovery (Windows 10)

Performing an HP System Recovery (Windows 😎
Performing an HP System Recovery (Windows 7)

[GilbertMcdougal]

The best way to find out just to even install antivirus for example avast and run a full computer scan. Antivirus will show you infected your computer with a virus or not. To prevent virus in the computer, you just need not to go to sites that the browser warns that they are dangerous or suspicious. do not open links or attachments in emails in spam folder, not to click banners all in a row. and all will be well.

[Retiredmseop]

I would also have mentioned that after your Virus Program gets rid of the infection (lets hope that does it) that you really must download a good Malware program, such as Malwarebytes, and run a scan for any other Issues that your Anti Virus does not detect.

So it is important to make sure that your backup is not infected, or you will just put Viruses back into your clean system and eventually have to start removal over and over again.  I have managed to remove any infections without having to recover my system but there was a time when that I had to recover my system as I could not get rid of some nasty infections. Having a decent antivirus suite, whether paid or free, if you do a lot of surfing and wind up at, cough cough, let's say dirty sites.