I think my laptop has a virus. will anyone please read and help me. thank you.?

Question

Suddenly my laptop is very slow. and i mean slow. it hardly moves. and i can't press on most buttons. like i can't answer on Yahoo!Answers because i can't see the "Answer" button anymore. no, i did not fifnish my daily limit, and i know where it was, but now it's disappeared, seriously.
and i can't press on tabs. like on facebook, i can't see who's online cause when i press the arrow next to the "Friends" nothing happens. and i can't post anything aswell. i want to write on someones wall and when i press post it doesn't work. it happens on everyones wall.
this all started at the SAME time. what should i do?

Answer 1

Firstly update and run your anti-virus product. You can also run a free online scan as well as some malware can actually corrupt or disable your resident security products. Here are a few online scans you can run:
Trend - http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
Panda - http://www.pandasoftware.com/products/ActiveScan.htm
Norton - http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym

Second download, update and run scans using the following products:
SuperAntispyware
http://superantispyware.com/
Spybot S&D (free version requires manual updating)
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/
AVG AntiSpyware
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/20/lng/us/tpl/v5
Adaware from Lavasoft (free version requires automatic updating)
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad-aware_se_personal.php

(These programs can be run in Safe Mode after downloading and updating)

Third, after cleaning your system, disable System Restore, reboot and re-enable System Restore when you log back on. This will clear the malware that may still be lurking in System Restore, which could be reinstalled should you need to rollback at some point. Additionally, a reboot may be required to complete the malware removal process.

Lastly, you may also want to install the following tool. It is free and requires you to check for and enable updates manually once a week or so. It uses no system resources.
SpywareBlaster (inoculates, not a spyware removal tool)
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

Answer 2

Ok it may not necessarily be a virus so here is some help!

STEP BY STEP HELP.

1. Download crap cleaner.
(Windows fills up your temp folder with crap. HOWEVER sadly Windows loads all ur temp files before initializing anything else which will consume ur memory. This is typical of installing software, games etc... That don't uninstall properly or just leave crap everywhere. Windows is well known for this so have a good clean up!)

A - Click every thing to clean up! Your histories the lot! Then let it clean up everything!

B - Go to the Tools section and scan for errors. Why? Usually after you uninstall the registry and file extension register has loads of crap left in it. Like names no longer used, registration for programs that no longer exist cos have been uninstalled. This also slows the computer cos ur Windows spends time confused looking for programs that no longer exist again memory wastage.

2) Go to my computer, right click, go to properties, Tools and give your computer a good scan with scan disk. Click both options and restart the computer to begin the process. Will take a while but you need to give it a good once over. By clicking both you will check out the windows file system and the free space measuring/calculation. This can be messed up by the above bad registration etc... Earlier thats why we must wait for a complete once over!

3) Go back to my computer, C drive and run defrag. Your computers internal organization maybe very messed up/fragmented and need optimizing via this program.

4) Either buy Norton AV or download it free from Download.com as well as Adaware (to kill spyware, this is another threat which are not virus nor recognized as so!). Adaware is free and can help protect your computer. Adaware will have to be run manually about once a week to be fully affective and is totally free for updates too. It is US government funded as a free service to make the web safer!

5) Go to My computer and turn on your windows firewall to ensure other bad programs are not infiltrating your computer/interfering too much. This will also slow down your computer by starting processes not needed or dumping junk onto your PC!

OK there you go a proper and complete coverage. I'm experienced with more than 7 years in the field so I know theres a lot of uncommon knowledge out there. If you have time I suggest you read the little intro stuff on the free programs Adaware and Crapcleaner so you can understand everything better and of course prevent problems in future. See my sources below for your downloads. Good luck!

Answer 3

If your computer is running very slowly, then you might have a virus. They can really mess up your computer, if you have a lot of applications open. I remeber when i had a virus, i couldny use limewire and the webpsages were taking ages to load up.

It might to best to do a clean installation of your operating system, and then put all your software such as Microsoft word, excel back onto your computer.

Spyware is the main culprit of sowing down computers. Do you have anti virus software. It might also be best to download McAfee Firewall plus to create a barrier against these threats.

Another good antispyware programme is spybot.

Answer 4

Just as a quick look, press ctrl + alt + del and then click processes, at the bottom of the window how many processes are running?
Mine has 36 so if yours is in the hundreds or something (my old computer had this) that may be the reason that its running slowly

Answer 5

Loaded a anti-virus software during your pc in standby mode (non-normal mode).

install and run the antivirus scanning, it may be able to detect the virus and remove it according to the on-screen instruction.

Some virus may not be able to clean even you have the original antivirus software.

The best method is to format your hdd and re-install all your software. but remember to back up your work/data files first.
because along the years, there will be a hidden rubbish in your hdd, taking this opportunity to do a one time clean up.

another method that you can try, go to start, select run, type in msconfig, select "START UP" INDEX, CLICK DISABLE ALL. and re-start your computer, follow the on-screen instruction. this may help. the reason maybe a lot of programs activitied and running behind to take over all your memory (not HDD space), that cause the slow down and not enough memory to run your computer.

Answer 6

It could well be a virus but the more likely plague is spyware.
These are programs that give you ads and tie up the flow of your internet bandwidth to a trickle - hence your symptoms

The way to fix is to run a number of antispyware programs
Remove all they find
All find different pests and parasites.
Do the updates and remove all the products find.
If you find that you need one of the files you have removed all place in an archve so that if need be you can restore the files in a flash
Run all the programs - all find different parasites
I am also including a link to a very good online presentation on spyware from the fellow who coined the term "spyware"

http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Edition/3000-8022_4-10672044.html?tag=lst-0-1

http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022_4-10401314.html?tag=lst-0-1

http://www.download.com/Trend-Micro-Anti-Spyware/3000-8022_4-10440658.html?tag=lst-0-3

Even if you have only one computer it may be helpful to prevent some of these spyware and viruses to instal a router

If you need an anvirus - avg and nod32 are good

http://www.download.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10669237.html?tag=lst-0-1

http://www.download.com/NOD32-Standard-Version-Windows-NT-2000-XP-/3000-2239_4-10475647.html?tag=lst-0-1

You can do a free online virus scan at Trend Housecall

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

the useful spyware tutorial is at:

http://www.vintagecomputermanuals.com/Twit/Security%20Now/SN%201-%2010/Security%20Now%20Episode%207.htm

Answer 7

If your PC used to be faster, or is acting strangely, it's probably infected with malware. Use the link below to learn more about "malware".

Then, you need to install: ONE Anti-virus (AVG free), ONE Firewall (Zone Alarm free), and Anti-spyware tools like: Windows Defender, Spybot, Ad-Aware, Spyware Blaster and cCleaner (free, use all 5 regularly).

Google for them, install them and learn how to use them.

TIP: Last resort, back up (copy to CD / DVD / external hard drive) all personal data and do a Windows "Clean Install", more info at (www.theeldergeek.com). The apps above can only clean up so much.

Answer 8

Have you tried to work on safe mode,switch off your computer and restart again just before the windows starting keep pressing F8 simultaneously (not one press press and let go quckly untill a black screen shows with writings, see work with safe mode highlite on it and press enter.it will go on safe mode, if you have a virus scan ,scan your computer.
if it still does not work, try doing the same procedure but instead of going to safe mode go to last known good configuration.

Answer 9

Before you jump ahead and scan for viruses have you checked how much space you have on your hard drive?Could be too much space used up and not enough memory depending on what you run.
Also the first thing you should do is a defrag.

Answer 10

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