Antivirus/Malware Questions?

-I have a few questions, all related I suppose. Pardon the format please, I dont really know how to ask them.



So...What sort of virus removal and hard-drive "clean-up" software do commercial computer geek places use? Is this stuff available to the consumer? Why not? If my Malware and Antivirus software (or is "utility" the proper term?) get regular updates, why cant it catch everything out there? If I run my Cleaners every few days, why did the Computer Shop remove sooooo much crap from my hard-drive? I use ATF and CC Cleaners & Malwarebytes and Avast antivirus. Is this stuff any good?



I let my kids and their friends use my computer this past weekend, now I think it has a virus. I turned my computer on today after work and it said it had to install 35 upgrades. It "configures" itself every time it starts now. I'm sure I have a virus. Last time this happened the computer place charged $155. Ugghhh.Here is a list of software that we would use when removing a virus from a customers computer,



http://www.gl-computers.co.uk/free-articles/the-best-free-virus-removal-tools-available-on-the-internet
Viruses are very harmful rouge programs that are put on a person's computer. It can be added just by going on a website that is unsafe. Contrary to common belief, you don't have to download anything to get a virus. You just have to download a cookie or cache from the site. Viruses can cause permanent damage to your home computer. They can also take vital information and passwords from your computer. The worst viruses will take money from virtual banking programs. They will also take credit cards information from your virtual banking accounts or orders from websites. When a virus is on your computer, you are going to be scared the first time. Really, it is never your fault. You have no proof that you got a virus from a certain website. Even if you know, you did not want it on your computer. You want to delete the virus within 2 hours of getting it on your home computer. below will be virus removal information.



Fixing Registry Problems Fixing registry problems.



To Repair problems that viruses may have left behind, you want to copy and paste the code below into Notepad ad save it as Fix.REG.



Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\鈥?

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\鈥?

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\鈥?

"exefile"=hex(0):



Double click it and it should fix some problems.



SAVE ALL IMPORTANT DATA BEFORE USING THAT METHOD. THAT INCLUDE DOCUMENTS, PICTURES, VIDEOS, PROGRAMS, GAMES.



Virus Removal When removing viruses, be careful. This may sound funny, but some viruses get stronger as you try to delete them. I know, it sounds weird, but it is true.



Here are a few tips for virus removal:



1. If you don't feel comfortable, take your computer into Best buy or your local computer repair shop.



2. Always have a second option. Never assume your computer is just broken. You can always fix it.



3. Never underestimate a virus. Don't assume that you can just let your computer sit there while a virus in on it. You need to take immediate action to defend your system.

4. Never use the System Restore option. The virus can attach itself to your restore points, making your attempts useless.







How to remove:



Save any pictures, Documents, Videos, Games, Or any important saved data.



You may have to go to Best buy or Staples to buy back up CDs or DVDs. If you have too much data, think about investing in a External Hard drive. These are expensive, but useful for backing up data.



First, I will tell you how to fix the most common side-effects with viruses/malware.



One of the worst side effects is missing icons. Adware viruses commonly hide the icons on your computer to make it seems as if you have a virus. Therefor you buy their fake anti virus program.



How to restore icons/folders:



Step 1: Go to the Windows Control Panel



Step 2: Go to "Folder Options" and you will see a tab that says "View" Click on it.



Step 3: In the view tab, you should see something that says "Show Hidden Files and Folders". Doing this will restore all icons, photos, videos, documents, etc... to your computer. If you still do not see them, seek a computer professional. (Mike S.)



Complete virus removal and cleansing:



Step 1: Start your computer in "Safe Mode with networking" By doing this you are starting the computer with only core drivers and necessary data to run Windows. The virus should not pop up. To get into Safe mode, Turn your PC off and tap F8 while it is booting up.



Step 2: Download one or 2 of the following programs.



I would suggest you use both SPYBOT S&D and Microsoft security essentials. You need a real-time scanner and a prompted scanner



List of free safe antivirus/Malware software:



1. SPY BOT S&D: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index鈥?/a>



2. Superantispyware: http://www.superantispyware.com/



3. Malwarebytes: http://www.malwarebytes.org/



4. Microsoft security essentials: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security_鈥?/a>

5. Microsoft Security essential standalone sweeper: http://connect.microsoft.com/systemsweep鈥?/a>



Step 3: Run a virus scan with the anti-virus or Malware Remover. This will take anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours. It is all worth it at the end.



Step 4: If it detects viruses, remove the ones it tells you you have. You will have to restart your computer at this point.







If worse comes to worse:



You have three options when all else fails...



1. Buy a new computer



2. Reinstall Windows



3. Have it fixed by a professional



I will teach you how to do option 2.



Option 2 is the last option. Please, Back up all important data before reinstall windows.



Safe way to reinstall windows:



How to install Windows Xp:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf2Ffm33D鈥?/a>



How to install Windows 7:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM_DRbxDl鈥?/a>



How to install Windows vista:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puY4vRhAK鈥?/a>
1. Commercial computer geek places use the same software that they sell off there shelves. No difference. But increasingly, they simply format the hard drive and re-install Windows...takes little skill (cheap labor) an returns a huge profit. No comebacks either.



2. Your typical anti-virus software can catch about 95% of older malware, of the type that nobody sees much of anymore. But that figure drops to somewhere around 50% for brand new malware...it can take days or sometimes weeks for a new malware to get into an anti-virus database...and there are hundreds, maybe thousands of new threats each and every day. Think about it...anti-virus software can't catch what it doesn't know about. (Oh it trys with generic and heuristic detection schemes, but these are not very effective.).



3. While updating is extremely important, zero-day" malware exploits un-patched vulnerabilities BEFORE they are patched.



4. These "cleaners" seldom do a lot of good performance-wise (I do use CCleaner occasionally). They were useful when everyone was using 10-20 GB hard drives, not so much now that 1 TB drives are becoming the norm.



5. Avast and MBAM are both very good free products.



6. Kids...the malware industries best friend....they use advanced social engineering techniques to trick the computer illiterate and the naive into willingly allowing the downloading and installation of malware...no amount of updating or anti-virus will be at all useful in this case.