What are some ways to keep your computer virus free?

Question

I was wondering if there was any way to keep my computer safe from viruses and any other bugs. I've scanned my computer for viruses every week since I've gotten it and it hasn't found any. But a few minutes ago a blue screen came up and said something like windows has detected an error and is restarting. Why did my computer say that?? What could have caused it to do that??

Answer 1

You need to scan for all forms of malware, not just viruses. You can do that by going to http://www.infectedornot.com

The site is safe, it is owned by Panda Software. It's part of their new "Infected Or Not?"campaign.

There, they let you use their new tools (Panda Nano Scan and Panda Total Scan) for free as part of a new awareness campaign. Nobody has more virus definitions than them. Just go there and try the tools, you will check your computer for all kinds of malware.

Answer 2

Viruses mostly come into the computer from downloading.And e-mail attachments.Its good to keep an anti virus program up to date as well as spy ware programs.If you are going to download a file do it from a well known site and make sure your anti virus automatically scans the file when you download it. Its also a good idea to make sure your firewall is working properly. Its good that you scan your computer once a week. I would keep that schedule. As far as the blue screen if it only did it once and everything is working fine then it could have been that you tried to run a program that didn't agree with another.I would need to know what you were doing exactly before the blue screen popped up.

Answer 3

Stop opening e-mail from people you not know. Block HTML in your mail options. Beware of sites that not well known. If, you on Cable or DSL turn off the computer when not using or disconnect the cable to your computer. Learn your Address Bar!!!!! Say you going to Yahoo @ http://www.yahoo.com and you see the Address Bar show http://www.yahoo1.com. It best to not go there.
I have been using computers for 25 years now, that was before the Inet. I not use Virus Software, Firewalls or whatever and have NEVER had a problem. Oh! We all get "Tracking Cookies", even Yahoo use those. If, I want to check to be sure I use Panda Activscan, it free;
http://www.pandasoftware.com/products/activescan.htm
The only thing it has ever found was Tracking Cookies. I can go in my browser to; Tools > Internet Options > Delete Files/Delete Cookies when I at the Panda site before I scan and nothing will show!!!!
Also, I NEVER buy a computer that not come with Backup Software. I like HP, but, they want to play a partition game for backup, I will not buy. I actually build my own computer. BUT, with Backup Software it easy to Format and Reinstall about once a year to clean up .dll files and crap from things I delete.

Answer 4

Until the last few months the most common way of getting infected with a virus, spyware or some other form of malware was through emails or downloads. In the last few months organized crime rings have hijacked many websites in which they use to infect computers. By the end of this year the Security pro's calculate that infections from websites will outnumber infections by email.

A few days ago Google was informed that many of their paid advertising links on search results had been hijacked and was directing users to bogus sites that downloaded spyware to steal passwords and othe info. Yesterday Google removed the Hijacked ADs.

Reading this site may help you:

http://www.internetinspiration.co.uk/computer_privacy_and_security.htm

Answer 5

What You Can Do To Protect Yourself

Install Anti-Virus Software and Update it Daily! Always leave it Functioning and Enabled!

Make sure your Anti-Virus Software is set to monitor your E-Mail Program that you send and receive E-Mail with!

Do not temporarily disable your Anti-Virus Software as it is too easy to forget to re-enable it!

Always keep your computer updated with the latest Security Patches! Microsoft releases them frequently as infected E-Mail Attachments may attempt to exploit program vulnerabilities.

Do not open attachments unless you are absolutely certain of the sender and the contents!

Answer 6

you also need to scan for spyware most anti virus programs don't check for that, get and install ad aware its free and very good

also do you update your anti virus software with the latest signatures on a regular basis?

dougc

Answer 7

read books u will know the answer