My laptop is telling me that i have a virus and everything is running so slowly and i can barely get on the internet. Can i download an antivirus program? I found kaspersky in my dads desk which is already downloaded on his computer. So will it work on mine? Please help! I am going to need my laptop for school and can't get a new one.

It is hard for antivirus programs to detect/clean a computer that is already infected. I believe we can do it though. It might be best if you can download the following software from a clean computer and put it on a USB or CD and then run it on your computer. If you can't do that, however, get into Windows Safe Mode (Keep hitting F-8 when you boot up the laptop). When you see a screen, choose Safe Mode With Networking, which should let you access the internet.

First, download the free Kaspersky TDSSKiller from https://support.kaspersky.com/faq/?qid=208283363 on the web. Read the infomation on the web site. You do not have to install this program on your computer--just unzip it and run it from the USB or CD. Run from a normal bootup--not in Safe Mode. Update the program if one is offered, unzip and run the updated version.

Next, download Malwarebytes free antimalware from https://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free on the web. You will have to install this on your laptop. Install, update, and run a Quick Scan with it from a normal bootup-not in Safe Mode.

Next, download Trend Micro's free Housecall program (verson 7.1--not the beta version) from https://housecall.trendmicro.com/ on the web. You do not have to install it on your computer--just run it on a DSL connection from the USB or CD. Update if one is offered. Run it from a normal bootup--not in Safe Mode.

Run TDSSKiller one more time from a normal boot.

Run Malwarebytes one more time from a normal boot. Then get into Safe Mode and run it again from there.

Your computer might be clean now. Once your computer is clean, download Microsoft Security Essentials from https://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/security-essentials on the web. Install it and update it manually every day when you get on the internet. Also set it to scan in real-time and do an update before scanning. Security Essentials is a good scanner, and you don't really need any other AV.

For extra security, ClamWin makes a good backup AV, as it does not scan in real-time. It only scans "on demand" or when scheduled. The Clam Sentinel program also lets you scan in real-time with ClamWin. Sentinel is available at https://sourceforge.net/projects/clamsentinel/ on the web. ClamWin must be installed/configured before you install Sentinel. Read the Sentinel Simple Guide and Extra Protection article that come with the Sentinel installation package. You will need to exclude some Microsoft Security Essentials files from Clam Sentinel and exclude some ClamWin/Sentinel files from Security Essentials. Exclude each program's program folder, quarantine folder, and signature folder from the other. Also exclude ClamWin's temp files (*.clamtmp) from Security Essentials' scans.

If your computer is not yet clean, get back here with results.

Regards,

The cleaning program I suggested will work on computer models running XP through Windows 7. There are not that many viruses targeting older models now. For them, I suggest scans in regular mode with Norman's Malware Cleaner and Dr. Web's Cureit. Both are free, but I always have trouble downloading Cureit. Norman's cleaner is available at https://www.norman.com/ on the web. Dr. Web's Cureit is available at https://www.freedrweb.com/cureit/?lng=en on the web.

The AV rescue CDs should work on just about any Windows computer, as they come with a Linux boot operating system.

Regards,

First, clean up (delete) your cookies, temp files and temporary internet files. As you said that you have kaspersky antivirus then make sure that you have updated or license version. Even after this you are facing problem then visit this link. You may find solution. https://antivirus.about.com/od/securitytips/a/resources.htm

The Kaspersky antirootkit is very good against rootkits and MBR viruses (like TDSS/Allueron). It is available at https://support.kaspersky.com/faq/?qid=208283363 on the web.The file is zipped, so you will have to unzip it to get the Eula license file and the actual program. Every time you run it, it checks to see if there is an update, and it is updated about once a week.

Dr. Web's free Cureit program is now easier to download. It now sends statistics to Dr. Web when run, but they say they do not get any personal information from your computer. There are 2 modes: enhanced and normal. You have to run in normal mode to update, but I would only do that once a week or so. The enhanced mode is best because it freezes anything else from running on your computer during a scan (including viruses!).

These 2 programs are just about all you need to clean your computer. They will both work on some older models as well as Vista/Windows 7.

Regards,

I've tried Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky, etc... Nothing seems to clear up the deep rooted viruses that cause computer performance issues.

I had the same problem on one of my laptops. I called NORTON tech support and they remote desktoped into my laptop and were able to remove the virus.

I've had the same problem on my laptop for ages, in the end an old friend in IT did the same procedure that GuitarBob laid out. It's the most thorough and most professional approach I've come across and will work for many PC virus issues.

Is there a possibility to actually avoid any virus in Windows? I heard when you're using Macintosh it is virus-free. I do hope we can do the same for Windows since many of us are using it.

One problem is that it has lots of users and like bank robbers, the virus writers "go where the money is." Apple Macintosh has only recently started being targeted by virus writers, but that is changing as it gets more popular. The cell phones and other portable devices are really being targeted now. Windows has gotten a lot safer since the XP operating system. Microsoft has improved the security of its software, including Windows, and the virus writers are concentrating upon targeting the application programs that run on Windows, like Javascript, Java, Flash, and Adobe Reader. As the program developers add more options to their software (bells and whistles), this just increases the opportunities for the virus writers. It's the same with the social networking sites--as they add more functionality (bells and whistles), that also increases the opportunities for the virus writers. Unlike Microsoft, other software companies seem to give marketing more importance than security. Finally, governments/authorities have been very lax and uncoordinated in the past about targeting/prosecuting virus writers and other bad elements on the web. That seems to be changing now, however.

No operating system is entirely safe--they all do essentially the same things. Security experts are now suggesting that we adopt a philosophy of making it more difficult/expensive for virus writers, and Microsoft is trying to do its part. It's time for the other program developers to do the same. I believe that at some point most viruses will come from only well-funded criminals and nation states, but it will take us some time to get to that point.

Regards,

I am using Norton, but still have virus problems from time to time. I hope Windows can be virus free too!

Buy an antivirus software, or install a free one.

It may be hard for an antivirus (AV) to remove a virus infection if you get the infection before the AV is installed, especially if the virus comes with a rootkit to hide it. In that case, you may need a rescue CD. Some of the AV companies make them available for free. You have to download the rescue CD file as an iso file, and then burn the iso file to a CD with your CD burner. The rescue CDs have an AV with their own operating system, so the virus can't hide from the AV. Kaspersky, Dr. Web, F-Secure and eScan all have a free rescue CD. Right now I use eScan because it boots up with a version of Windows XP. Most of the rescue CDs use a version of Linux.

Regards,