Help! I think I'm infected
Allright you think you've picked up 'something'.
A virus can manifest itself in many ways to give a few examples (click on them for more information):
- You received a warning from your antivirus software
- Your computer can't boot properly, only safe mode works
- Your computer can't boot to windows at all
- Windows keeps on crashing for no apparent reason
- Friends tell you their scanner keeps reporting your mails as infected
- For no apparent reason, your computer keeps sending/reveceiving internet data, even when the system seems idle
- Certain programs immediatly exit after starting them
- Items in windows are missing, like the control panel or items of it
Don't panic, stay calm, when you suspect there's a virus present, even when none of the above options apply you can still have a virus on your computer, click here to see what you should and what you shouldn't do.
A infection isn't always a virus infection a Spyware/Adware infection is a different type of infection but can cause as much problems as a virus. Spyware/Adware infections manifest themselves mostly by causing one of the following problems:
- When starting your browser your starting page is not what you set it to, but an advertising or offensive page
- When starting your browser you get one or more, sometimes loads, of pop-ups
- While surfing you get flooded with popups
- Your default searchengine has changed to another, mostly a, commercial one showing only ads/adlinks instead of the results you expected
- Even before starting your browser you get ads on your desktop
- Your dialup number (56k modem) has changed to an expensive number giving you really high bills (this is called a dialer)
Don't panic, stay calm, when you suspect there's adware/spyware present, even when none of the above options apply you can still have the software on your computer, click here to see what you should and what you shouldn't do.