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FIRST AND FOREMOST!

If you are using a known and recommended anti-virus program that is up-to-date then if it returns a report of 'no infections found' then you are probably OK however, if you still have symptoms or want to check into the health of your computer further then read on.

You might discover an infection by looking in the System Configuration Utility, also known as Msconfig. To open this click on 'Start' then 'Run' and type msconfig and then press <Enter>. Click on the Startup tab and you will be shown a list of programs that load automatically when Windows starts. Look down this list for one whose name does not ring a bell, many nasty programs rename their files with random character strings or may mimic the names of real system components.  to stop any of these programs from staring when you turn on the computer untick the box.  If you are unsure of what a program is then type it's name into Google and read up on what the process does.

If programs such as Msconfig, the Windows Registry Editor (type regedit in 'Run') or your antivirus program won't load then your PC is almost certainly infected (although these programs can act up for reasons other than an infection).

There are many free online virus scanners can help you find the culprit if your regular antivirus program is compromised.

We recommend AVG (see the forum) or HiJack This for diagnosing further fault.

There are endless pages of helpful tips and tricks for cleaning your computer in our forum, please register and post your problems.