If your computer is infected with a virus, you'll want to remove
it as quickly as possible. A fast way to check for viruses is to use an online
scanner, such as the Microsoft Safety Scanner. The scanner is a free online
service that helps you identify and remove viruses, clean up your hard disk,
and generally improve your computer's performance.
If you're not sure whether your computer has a virus, see How can I tell if my computer has a
virus? to check for some telltale signs. To try a different online
scanner, follow the links to other companies that provide them on the Windows Security software providers
webpage.
If you can connect to the Internet
If you can reach a website using your web browser, run an online
scan.
To run the Microsoft Safety Scanner
1. Go
to the Microsoft Safety
Scanner webpage to download the scanner.
2. Click
Download Now, and then follow the instructions on the
screen.
If you can't connect to the Internet
If you can't get to the Microsoft Safety Scanner online, try
restarting your computer in safe mode with networking enabled.
To restart in Safe Mode with networking enabled
1. Restart
your computer.
2. When
you see the computer manufacturer's logo, repeatedly press the F8 key until the
Advanced Boot Options screen appears.
3. On
the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to
highlight Safe Mode with Networking, and then press
Enter.
4. Log
on to your computer with a user account that has administrator rights.
5. Follow
the steps above to run the Microsoft Safety Scanner.
For more information about different startup modes, see Start your computer in safe mode.
If you still can't access the Internet after restarting in safe
mode, try resetting your Internet Explorer proxy settings. The following
steps reset the proxy settings in the Windows registry so that you can access
the Internet again.
To reset Internet Explorer proxy settings
- In
Windows 7, click the Start button
.
In the search box, type run, and then, in the
list of results, click Run.
-or-
In Windows Vista, click the Start
button , and
then click Run.
-or-
In Windows XP, click Start, and then click Run.
2. Copy
and paste or type the following text in the Open box in
the Run dialog box:
reg add
"HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" /v
ProxyEnable /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
3. Click
OK.
- In Windows 7, click the Start button . In the search box, type run, and then, in the list of results, click Run.
-or-
In Windows Vista, click the Start button
, and
then click Run.
-or-
In Windows XP, click Start, and then click Run.
5. Copy
and paste or type the following text in the Open box in
the Run dialog box:
reg delete
"HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" /v
ProxyServer /f
6. Click
OK.
Restart Internet Explorer and then follow the steps listed
previously to run the scanner.
Remove a virus manually
Sometimes a virus must be removed manually. This can become a technical
process that you should only undertake if you have experience with the Windows
registry and know how to view and delete system and program files in Windows.
First, identify the virus by name by running your antivirus
program. If you don't have an antivirus program or if your program doesn't
detect the virus, you might still be able to identify it by looking for clues
about how it behaves. Write down the words in any messages it displays or, if
you received the virus in email, write down the subject line or name of the
file attached to the message. Then search an antivirus vendor's website for
references to what you wrote down to try to find the name of the virus and
instructions for how to remove it.
Recovery and prevention
After the virus is removed, you might need to reinstall some
software or restore lost information. Doing regular backups on your files can
help you avoid data loss if your computer becomes infected again. If you
haven't kept backups in the past, we recommend that you start now.
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