my computer has a virus, how can i get rid of it?

Question

Today I got a pop up on my computer telling me my computer was "at risk" and I need to buy anti-virus soft-wear... the thing is, I already have mcafee, but all these pop ups are showing up, it's crazy, and i have no clue how to git rid of it. My computer is an inspiron mini, and a windows 7 starter. i just don't know what to do, and I'm not going to buy anti-virus protection if I already have it. I told it to run a full scan, but it said it didn't have anything wrong with it. Please please please help. any tip is better then sitting here watching my computer be attacked. Thanks.

Answer 1

Don't click on the virus, just leave it.



1. Start your computer in safe mode by restarting your computer and hitting F-5 or F-8 over and over until a boot selection pops up.



2. Select - Boot in safe mode with networking



3. Once logged in, go to your browser and make sure it's working. If it's not working, you'll need to go into the internet explorer --- tools --- options. Under the 'Connections' tab, click on the 'LAN' settings.



4. In the LAN settings make sure 'automatically detect settings' is clicked and 'use proxy server' is unclicked. Press Ok.



5. Go to google.com and find these three programs (Type them in google to find them): Superantispyware, malwarebytes, Microsoft security essentials.



6. Install all three programs, update them and run them. If they won't run in safe mode, run the ones that will run in safe mode, delete all viruses they find and restart in normal mode and run the programs that wouldn't run in safe mode.



After that's done, most viruses will no longer be on your computer.

Answer 2

Oh, watch out. That pop up notice is actually an infection that's trying to get you to download their program. Don't ever trust that kind of popup - only trust your own software when it sends an alert. The others are bogus. You do not have a virus, you have what's called 'scareware'. It's an attempt to infect your computer and it works if you download the software. Don't touch it, don't do anything with it - don't try to close it or anything. If you've already done that, then shut down your computer and restart. Run your mcafee scan immediately after restarting - and then download some free spyware protection as I've noted in the next paragraph. If anything on your computer starts acting hinky, shut it down, immediately and get advice from a computer geek for startup.



Run your mcafee scans after you do an update to make sure you have the most up-to-date. And you might want to download some free spyware programs for additional protection. I use the freeware www.Malwarebytes.com http://www.malwarebytes.org/ and also Adaware http://www.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php



Both are free - download them and then run the scans to do any cleanup. You aren't at risk unless you download that anti-virus software. Use your own - if you really were at serious risk, the mc afee would likely have alerted you.



http://www.businessknowhow.com/security/scareware.htm

Answer 3

To add to what everyone has said. Mcafee is probably the most worthless AV software out there. Consider buying a better AV product like Nod32, Kasperskey, or AVG

Answer 4

1. be sure that you AntiVirus is up to date (with recent definition)

2. sometimes when one of the windows security utilities is off (like firewall) you might get this message, so make sure all these windows security staff are running!



hope you will make it go...

Answer 5

it is not rebooting. you're reformatting. sure that removes them, yet that gets fairly stressful. merely get Microsoft protection necessities or Avast! homestead version. they are going to shelter you from maximum viruses, yet no software in the worldwide will end each little thing.

Answer 6

Update your anti virus and/or insert a new key (activation code) into your anti virus.



most likely about the activation code...

Answer 7

either do a system restore or reset it to factory settings.dont pay money if u dont have to.restart it keep pressing f8 key and click repair my computer.and system restore.

Answer 8

Heat it on fire. Virus'll be killed. :)