Your computer is infected!
We’ve all see that message pop up in the lower right hand corner of our screen. Spyware and viruses use this tactic to try and persuade users to click and install software that actually puts a virus on their system. If you choose not to click and install their “antivirus” it will nag you until the end of time. There are a few things you can do to remedy this problem. Usually it will take all three, but when you’re done the spyware should be removed from your system.
Reboot to Safe Mode With Networking
You will want to restart the computer and immediately begin tapping the F8 key. This will bring up a boot screen with several options. One of these will be Safe Mode With Networking. Once you get to your Safe Mode Desktop, you can go online and download Malwarebytes. Install and run the free version of the program. When done, remove any spyware it finds, then allow it to reboot so it can finish removing the malware.
Run Microsoft Windows Update
You will then want to run Microsoft Windows Update. You will find a link to it in your start menu. Run all of the critical updates and install them. Once done, reboot the computer. When your system loads the next time, it will run a quick scan using the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool. This will remove any spyware it knows about. Popular malware like Conficker, Antivirus 20009 and Antivirus 2010 will be removed.
Next, run a thorough scan using the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool by going to Start, Run and type mrt and hit OK. This will check areas of you drive the quick scan does not, just to make sure you have removed everything.
Install or Update Your Antivirus
Lastly, you will want to make sure you have installed and updated an antivirus program. Malwarebytes and the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool are not anti-viruses. If you do not have an antivirus, a couple of our favorite free ones are AVG Free and aVast!
If you see the Your Computer is Infected! message, don’t click on it. Since the message is a trick to try and get you to install a malicious program, follow the steps above immediately and it should rid your computer of infection. Often, it takes several updates and scans to completely rid your computer of viruses–and even then, you can’t be 100% sure they’re all gone. You might even see similar messages from legitimate programs. For instance, AVG will generate a pop-up stating there is a threat to your system and ask you to click a button to move the infection to its virus vault. The messages look and read very similar. It is important to know what security software you have on your computer so you can distinguish between the two.
If you have questions about security or viruses, be sure to visit our Computer Repair forums.
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for nice article but sometime none of given solution works in that case I format my operating system.
I agree. It will often come down to reformatting the disk. In fact, that is what I’d do, anyway. But the average user may not be in a position to do that.
Good article, but I must politely disagree with the reformatting point. There are a lot of things you can do before reformatting the disk.
Here in our computer repair shop in Fort Collins, Colorado… I’ve probably only had to reformat a system 10 times in the last 7 years (the only reason why I remember, is because I always feel like a failure when I have to resort to that). In that 7 year span, we’ve probably removed viruses from thousands of systems.
Also, I just wanted to commend you on your amazing ability to write almost every day. That’s awesome. I wonder how you do it! Great work.
Reformatting, for me, is like looking in all the closets after my house has been robbed. Although it looks like the burgler is gone, I just like to make sure or I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night. Granted, these are my personal machines and I reformat all the time, anyway. I guess it comes down to what your customers are comfortable with.
Feel free to submit an article on the techniques you use to eliminate threats. It’s a hot topic, for sure. http://www.pctechbytes.com/2009/05/12/write-articles-for-pctechbytes/
I like that burglar/closet analogy. That makes sense.
The problem we run into with reformatting is that customers often don’t have their disks to reinstall MS Office, antivirus, etc. The customer always has that “deer in headlights” look when we bring back their computer with very few of their original programs still on it.
Uh huh. It makes sense. Thanks anyways for the report. Because my friend believed this and he got a trojan.
Quick update on this post…
Earlier I stated that I have only had to completely reformat only 10 systems in 7 years.
Well, make that 11 now.
I got a nasty virus on client’s computer and I just would not die. It was a LONG fight. At the very end, I’m pretty sure it was off… but, by then my confidence was shaken so badly that I needed to reformat just to be sure.
This brings up another point: Sometimes it’s cheaper to just reformat and start fresh.
it’s really an uphill battle, at least we have an option. thanks, now it’s up to me.
Hi,
Thank you all for the advices!
I’ve cleaned up several infected machines with the same virus. What I did, was the same action, posted in the beginning of the topic!
1. First I downloaded Malwarebytes FREE edition and installed on that machine
2. Boot to Safe Mode without networking
3. Smart/Quick Scan with Malwarebytes
4. When the scan was completed, delete all of the objects and reboot in the normal mode
It solved the problem! Most of the computers got infected with that virus, had Norton with “real time protection” ON, or AVG!
On My personal computers I am using “KASPERSKY IS” for about 5 years and I never got infected with such a virus, or had to reinstall the system because of a virus!