Have you ever wondered what program is the best at removing viruses and spyware? While there isn’t a single program to remove every virus and piece of spyware from your computer, there is a combination of programs that will help your computer run faster than ever. I have repaired computers for over 10 years and have created a complete list of programs that will help you remove over 99% of spyware and viruses that are found on your computer. Make sure to bookmark this article in case you need to remove viruses and spyware in the future.
System Restore – This program will allow you to go back in time and remove any recent system changes that were made. You can access this program by clicking on the Start button, then going to All Programs, Accessories, System Tools and then System Restore. Most viruses will infect the system restore files, so if this didn’t work, then you will need to get the viruses and spyware off of your computer.
MsConfig – If your computer is running very slow, it is because a lot of programs are running in the background of your computer. Go to the Start button, click on Run, type msconfig and click OK. Click on the Startup tab and then click Disable All. After you click OK, make sure that you restart your computer. All of your programs will still work, they just won’t be running in the background at all times.
WinSockFix – If the infected computer does not connect to the internet, then you will need to download WinSockFix. After you download the file, save it to a floppy disk, CD, or DVD. You will now need to copy this file onto the desktop of the infected computer. Run this file and restart the computer. The internet should now be working.
NDIS – If the internet is still not working, then you will need to go to My Computer and navigate to C:WINDOWSServicePackFilesi386 and copy the ndis.sys file to C:WINDOWSsystem32drivers. Once this has been completed, go ahead and restart your computer. Your drivers for the internet should now be fixed.
Microsoft Fix It – This website has a file for restoring your hosts file. The hosts file is something that is commonly changed by viruses and spyware. Instead of manually fixing it, Microsoft has a program that will fix it for you.
Temp File Cleaner – You should start by removing all of your temporary files from your computer. These files will slow down your computer and the removal tools that we are going to use. Temp File Cleaner is an easy to use one-click tool that will remove all of these files for you.
Spybot – This program will remove the majority of the spyware on your computer. After you download and install the program, make sure that you update the definitions. Next, immunize your system so that it is protected from a lot of future attacks. Run a scan of your computer and remove everything that it finds. You may be prompted to restart your computer to remove any pieces of spyware that were running while you were performing the scan. You may close this program by right-clicking the icon next to your clock.
Ad-Aware – This program will remove a lot of additional spyware from your computer. After you download the free version and install the program, make sure that you update the definitions. Run a scan of your computer and remove everything that it finds. You may be prompted to restart your computer to remove any pieces of spyware that were running while you were performing the scan. You may close this program by right-clicking the icon next to your clock.
Spyware Doctor / Norton Security Scan – Google has created a pack which includes two of the best programs to remove spyware and viruses. Make sure that you only download these two programs when you visit the website. After installing both programs, make sure that you update the definitions, and then remove everything that they find. After everything has been removed, restart your computer and then close Spyware Doctor by right-clicking the icon next to your clock.
Microsoft Update – Most people would consider their computers to be virus-free at this point. Unfortunately, these programs have probably only removed 90% of the spyware and viruses that were on the infected machine. On the bright side, we should be able to visit the Microsoft Update site to help further protect the computer before we move on. When the website pulls up, click on the Express button and download all of the critical updates. If you are prompted, go ahead and restart your computer. This update may download something called the Malicious Software Removal Tool. This tool will remove any malware that it finds on the computer.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware – This program will remove additional malware from your computer. After you download and install the program, make sure that you update the definitions. Perform a quick scan of the computer and remove anything that it finds. You may be prompted to restart your computer to remove any pieces of malware that were running while you were performing the scan. Close the program after the malware is removed.
SuperAntiSpyware – This program will remove any spyware that the previous programs did not find. After you download and install the program, make sure that you update the definitions. Run a scan of your computer and remove everything that it finds. You may be prompted to restart your computer to remove any pieces of spyware that were running while you were performing the scan. Close the program after the spyware is removed.
BHODemon – This program will disable anything that is attached to your web browser. After you download and install the program, make sure that you check for any updates. You may individually remove anything that it finds and close the program when you are finished.
HijackThis – This program will give you a report of certain registry and file settings on the computer. After you download and install the program, click on the Scan button. You may place a check next to anything that appears to be a virus. If you are unsure if something is a virus, you can search google for a solution. Once you are sure that you are only removing virus-related files and settings, click on the Fix Checked button, and then close the program. This website contains additional programs that you can run, such as RUBotted, CWShredder and RootkitBuster.
LSPFix – If HijackThis found any LSP problems (other than nwprovau.dll), then download and run this program. You must click the “I know what I’m doing” button before moving anything into the Remove box. Click Finish and close the program when you are done.
ComboFix – This program will remove rootkits that the previous programs were not able to remove. The online tutorial will give you detailed instructions on how to use the program.
Housecall – This is a free online virus scanner that will detect and remove viruses. These online virus scanners do not require you to install any software on the computer.
BitDefender – This is another free online virus scanner that will detect and remove viruses.
F-Secure Online Scan – This is another free online virus scanner that will detect and remove viruses.
ESET NOD32 Online Antivirus Scanner – This is another free online virus scanner that will detect and remove viruses. You do not have to run all of these online virus scans unless there is still a problem with the computer.
A-Squared Web Malware Scanner – This is a free online virus scanner that will detect and remove malware and viruses.
Panda ActiveScan – This is a free online virus scanner that will detect and remove viruses. You will need to enter your email address, create a password, and then login to remove viruses.
System File Checker – This program will compare your Windows system files to the original files on your Windows CD. Insert your Windows CD into your drive. Click on the start button and click on Run. Type sfc /scannow and then click OK. This will attempt to fix any Windows system files that are corrupt.
If the computer still has a problem, check google to see if anyone has posted a solution to your specific problem. If there is no solution, then you will have to back up your important information and restore your computer back to the factory settings. Everything mentioned in this article is free to use. Remember to bookmark this page in case you need to remove viruses or spyware for free in the future.
