First of all, a virus, at the most basic level, is a small piece of software that causes unexpected activities or actions on computer/network systems. Generally, it causes damage by eliminating programs and files on the computer systems it infect. Spyware on the other hand, is computer software that installs itself secretly and obtains pertinent user’s information and transmits the stolen information to the originating server.
It’s extremely important that you know when your computer is infected with viruses and spyware because the earlier they are detected, the better your chance of eliminating them without having to reformat the hard disk drive and reinstalling both the operating system and application software. However, if you allow viruses and spyware to linger around for a while, they will involve more system elements and cause serious damage to your system. In most cases, viruses disable and lock up key administrative tools of your computer system such as; “Add/Remove Programs” utility; “System Restore Points;” “System Registry;” “Windows Updates;” “Security Patches;” and much more! At this stage of infection, they may become very difficult to detect and remove.
Listed below are some general symptoms of virus and spyware-infected computer:
- Frequent pop-ups
- Unusual computer slowness
- Computer shows error messages
- Unable to visit favorite websites
- “Page cannot be displayed” error messages
- Internet connection is lost every now and then
- Web browser is hijacked and redirected to unknown websites
- Windows updates & security patches become unavailable
Generally, if you experience any of the above listed symptoms, your computer might be infected and you can search the internet for free virus removal tools. On my next blog titled “Now That Your Computer Is Infected with Viruses,” I’ll unveil more tips-and-tricks on virus removal.
About the Author:
Leo Roberts is a technical and security expert with several vendors, including AdachiCompuTech. AdachiCompuTech provides remote computer support, online pc help, onsite computer repair, remote virus removal, online spyware removal, and gives you an instant access to a network of certified technicians available nationwide in US, Canada, UK, and Australia.
