How Do Computer Viruses Work | Antivirus Software

Are you worried about a virus on your computer? If your computer is infected, then it is important to know how to get rid of the computer virus.

In this article, you will learn everything there is to know about how computer viruses work and how to remove computer viruses.

How to Get Rid of a Computer Virus

In this section, we will discuss how to remove computer viruses from Windows computers and Mac computers.

Removing a Computer Virus From a Windows Computer

Computer viruses are almost never seen. Without antivirus protection, you may not even be aware of the existence of a virus on your computer. This is why it is important to install antivirus protection on all of your devices.

If you have a virus on your Windows computer, you need to follow these ten easy steps to get rid of it:

Step 1: Download and install antivirus scanner

Download an antivirus scanner or Internet Security class solution.

Step 2: Disconnect from the Internet

When removing a virus from a computer, it is advisable to disconnect from the Internet in order to prevent further spread of the threat: some computer viruses spread over the Internet.

Step 3: Restart your PC in Safe Mode

To protect your computer while removing a virus, restart your computer in Safe Mode. If you do not know how to do this, then below are instructions.

Turn off your computer and turn it on again

When the image appears on the screen, press F8 to bring up the "Advanced Boot Options" menu

Select "Safe Mode with Networking"

Stay disconnected from the internet

Step 4: Remove all temporary files

Next, you need to delete all temporary files using the Disk Cleanup utility.

Follow the next steps:

• Click on the Windows logo in the lower right corner
• Enter “Temporary Files”
• Select “Free up disk space by deleting unnecessary files”
• In the Disk Cleanup list "Files to delete" find and select "Temporary Internet Files" and click "OK"
• Confirm "Delete Files" selection

Some viruses take effect when you restart your computer. Removing temporary files can remove the virus. However, relying on this alone is not reliable. To make sure your computer is free of viruses, we recommend following the steps below.

Step 5: Run a virus scan

Now it's time to open your antivirus or Internet Security class solution and run a virus scan.

Step 6: Remove the virus or quarantine it

If a virus is found, multiple files may be affected. Select “Delete” or “Quarantine” to get rid of the virus. Run the scan of your computer again to make sure there are no other threats left. If other threats are found, quarantine or delete them.

Step 7: Restart your computer

Now, after removing the virus, you can restart your computer. Just turn it on as usual. Safe Mode is no longer needed.

Step 8: Change all passwords

To protect your computer from further attacks, change all passwords in case they are compromised. This is only necessary if you have a reason to believe that your passwords were stolen by malware, but it doesn't hurt to play it safe anyway.

You can always check the functionality of the virus on the website of your antivirus manufacturer or by contacting their technical support group.

Step 9: Update your software, browser, and operating system

Updating your software, browser, and the operating system will reduce the risk of cybercriminals exploiting holes in old code to install malware on your computer.