Virus Removal

When it comes to computer repair, virus removal is a very common task. The ability to remove a virus successfully is a basic skill for any technician. With our unique in-house developed methods, we are able to isolate and remove a computer virus without damaging your operating system or documents.

• Diagnose your computer for virus activity
• Check for virus activity, rootkits, worms, trojans and other malicious programs
• Locate and Isolate all viruses on your computer
• Remove all viruses, clean and optimize system
• Advise how to keep your computer protected

About Virus Removal

Virus removal is the technical skill of being able to remove malicious programs from an operating system. For PCs, Windows virus removal is a constantly changing field. There are such a large number of new viruses coming out all the time that it takes skilled, knowledgeable technicians to get the virus removed correctly and permanently. Your current antivirus program might protect you from most viruses, however it is very difficult for these antivirus programs to protect you from the very latest virus. Virus definitions that your antivirus downloads are traces of actual computer viruses, so until the antivirus company sees the new virus, they don’t know how to find them in the first place. This comes down to zero-day viruses being the most damaging to home and business users, as there is almost no way for the protection you have to know the program is a virus.

Viruses are programs, just like anything else running on your computer, except they’re designed to perform malicious tasks, and replicate themselves in some way to spread across the internet. You might get pop-ups, fake virus scans showing infections, or notice your web search redirecting to odd websites. These are all obvious signs of a virus, however there are also not so common signs, if any at all. Some viruses hide dormant on your system, checking a server on the internet periodically waiting for a command to attack. Some may alter your system to hide all your files and make you think you have lost all your data. Others have no effect on your computer, but send spam email out using your email account to all your contacts. In most cases these days, these virus programs come with pop-ups and advertisements trying to get you to purchase the software required to remove it. Don’t be fooled: giving your credit card information to these fake virus programs is a sure way to enter yourself into identity theft, with fraudulent purchases soon to follow.

When we see a virus in our shops for computer repair, we get to work by first locating the virus files. Because a virus is a program, the files it uses to run are on your hard drive somewhere, usually hidden. After locating the virus files, we isolate them and determine the best method for removal. When we remove the virus, we do so using our own in-house technique developed over time which leaves your computer virus free, working great, and leaves all your documents, photos and music untouched. Other unproved methods leave behind traces of the virus, or sometimes leave hidden tasks which over time end up repopulating your computer with the original virus or worse. The worst cases are when an untrained technician reinstalls the operating system to remove the virus – this is not the correct way to do it, and does not fix boot record viruses! If you think you have a virus, please give us a call and speak with one of our expert technicians who can help determine the best steps to take to keep safe.

Am I Protected Since I Have An Anti-Virus Program?

We don’t want to scare you, but no antivirus program is 100% secure. The reason is due to the operating system, which in almost all cases is built to allow users to install programs. So if a user tries to install a virus program, the operating system allows this because it sees a valid program, and just like that you can be infected. Antivirus programs are great and necessary, but they only protect against virus signatures they recognize. And since there are criminals working all the time on new virus programs, those antivirus programs need to be kept up to date all the time. If you lapse in updates, or somehow receive a zero-day virus (meaning, a virus which was released within 24 hours – before antivirus companies have a chance to find a way to combat the virus) you can be infected.

How Do I Stay Safe?

Be cautious! It’s not likely you will run into a computer virus doing everyday things online. But if you see something strange, proceed with caution. If you get an email from a friend telling you to download a program – verify with that friend in person or on the phone before you do. Also, be aware that most of the links and buttons and advertisements online might not be friendly! Anyone can post an advertisement, and the site you are on usually doesn’t have much control over the content, so be aware of suspicious links or web pages with lots of download links. In the end, it really comes down to the individual user being cautious when using the internet. That’s your best protection against a computer virus.

I Think I Have A Virus!

If you notice you have a computer virus or are unsure, the best thing to do is to turn the computer off as soon as possible. While your computer is on and/or connected to the internet, the virus is always working in the background either infecting more files or sending data across the internet. If your computer is shut down shortly after receiving a virus, the computer repair process for getting rid of the virus is much easier. The longer the virus has to damage your system, the more time we have to spend getting everything back to normal.

Common Virus Infection Symptoms :

• Fake Anti-Virus Programs
• Internet Access Disabled / Slow
• Slower Startups & Slower Computer Performance
• Search Engine Redirects
• Spam Emails Sent to Your Contact List
• Constant Pop-ups
• Complete Lock-down & Freeze Ups / Computer Not Booting Up
• Data Theft / Identify Theft

Our services include virus and spyware removal, and we’re good at it. Unlike other places, we remove the virus without damaging your operating system. Most people don’t think about how specific they have configured their computer until they have the operating system reinstalled. Even if all the data is recovered, there are multiple programs to reinstall, updates to download, as well as many other settings to get back just the way you like it. With our methods, we remove the virus itself, without touching your settings or data. Basically, we remove the virus with a scalpel rather than a sledge hammer.

In addition to removing the virus, we clean up your system, removing unneccesary programs, removing broken registry links, and improving the speed of the system overall. This means you get your computer back working, with all your data and settings in tact, running better and faster than before.

Are Those Tv/Radio Ads True – Speed Up My Computer?

There are a few companies out there advertising their ability to run a single piece of software and your computer will be sparkling new again. They try to scare you into thinking you’re going to lose your data if you don’t check your system with their software. This claim is a little strange, because there are large name brand antivirus corporations, and you probably have one of those name brand antivirus programs installed on your machine right now. If the virus gets past your name brand antivirus program, there’s not much chance a late-night TV ad has in getting rid of it.

In addition, there are plenty of “broker” style computer repair companies. You call them, they collect the payment up front, and they either have someone remotely connect to your computer or they schedule someone to come to your house. Unfortunately, these brokers aren’t technicians and all they are doing is hiring local companies or technicians in your area to handle the problem. Many times these brokers find the lowest bidding technician who might not even be qualified for the job. If there is ever a problem in the future, you will have a tough time finding someone to listen to your concerns. With us, you know you have an actual business to talk to about all your computer repair questions, or anything tech related.

What Is Malware?

• Malware, short for malicious software, is software designed to disrupt computer operation, gather sensitive information, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems.
• Malware includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, spyware, adware, most rootkits, and other malicious programs.

What Is A Virus?

• A computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another.
• Virus can increase their chances of spreading to other computers by infecting files on a network file system or a file system that is accessed by other computers.

A computer virus infection is a serious problem which can lead to identity theft if left unchecked. If you suspect you have a virus on your computer, please give us a call to speak with one of our expert technicians about how to keep safe.