Malware will always have its place in computers and places connected to the Internet. There just too many experienced developers that like to wreak havoc on systems and the payloads can be huge if you are not careful. None of the Windows operating systems have anti-virus software preinstalled and Windows Defender simply won’t help get rid of all the malware as Windows Defender primarily targets adware and spyware. Windows 8 is likely to have a preinstalled malware scanner but that won’t be released until next year. Fortunately, there are various tools that you can use to get rid of malware even if your system is unprepared.
- Visit the Microsoft Safety Scanner located and download free security tool. If the web address doesn’t work, head to Google or Bing and search for Microsoft Safety Scanner so you can get the updated link. Click the “Download Now” button in the site to see a menu where you can get the 32-bit or 64-bit version. If you are not sure what version your Windows is, right-click the “Computer” icon on your desktop or Start menu and click “Properties”. If you still have trouble identifying, you can always grab both because only one of them will work. Once the download completes, run the program immediately and follow the instructions. Microsoft Safety Scanner will scan your entire system for top desktop threats and other common malware. Any malware that the scanner detects should be dealt with.
- But that doesn’t necessarily mean that your computer is malware-free because some viruses have the ability to resurface. For added security, it is best to use any antivirus program you have installed or obtain one if you don’t have any. A good recommendation is Microsoft Security Essentials because it is free and very easy to update. Since this is a Microsoft product, it integrates well with Windows and consumes minimal resources. Grab the latest version or search for it online if the link doesn’t work. Click the “Download” link and choose your language and operating system version to ensure compatibility. Double-click the installer when the download completes and follow the wizard as usual. Launch the application from the Start menu after you installed the program and perform a full scan. This will ensure that every file in your system is checked for a malware infection.
- Once the scan finishes, click the Start menu and type “msconfig” without quotation marks and press Enter to launch the System Configuration tool. Click the “Startup” tab and click the “Manufacturer” header to sort the applications by manufacturer. This will help you locate any strange programs that launch upon startup. Look at any startup items that have an unknown manufacturer and take note of the names. If you find any names suspicious, look them up on Google to see if they are malware. If you are in doubt, it should be safe to uncheck those entries. Click the “OK” button to apply the changes. Restart your computer when prompted.
- Pay attention to how your system starts so you can detect any suspicious activity. Launch your favorite applications and continue observing. You can even do another Microsoft Security Essentials scan to make sure that all of the malware is removed. After that, delete the Microsoft Safety Scanner file because it expires after 10 days. You can always get an updated copy if you wish to scan again.
